West Friendship, Maryland
| West Friendship, Maryland | |
|---|---|
 West Friendship
|
|
| Coordinates: 39°18.9′N 76°57.1′W / 39.3150°N 76.9517°W | |
| Country |  United States of America |
| State |
 Maryland
|
| County |
 Howard
|
| Area | |
| • Total | 19.0 km2 (7.34 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,777 |
| • Density | 146/km2 (378/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 21794 |
| Area code | 410 |
West Friendship is an affluent semi-rural unincorporated community in western Howard County, Maryland. West Friendship is located at the junction of Interstate 70 and Maryland Route 32. Frederick Road (Maryland Route 144) is a main thoroughfare.
Like many small communities in Howard County, West Friendship developed slowly as settlers moved west. As adventurers set out to survey the area, they established land tracts in the 1700s, many before the Revolutionary War. Stein's history (1972) lists land grants given to families whose descendants live in the area today. The families of Warfield, Ridgely, Selby, Hobbs, Cross, and Cissel helped create what is now West Friendship.
In the 19th Century, the main road through West Friendship was filled with travelers who could find comfort at mile houses along the route. The population of West Friendship totaled fifty by 1887. Some came to settle; others, like the circuit rider ministers, rode on horseback from church to church, making it more convenient for residents to attend the nearest service. Early travel was rough, but most residents were adept at horseback riding. Many traveled over the Frederick Turnpike built in the 1790s. Empty land soon gave way to Thomas S. Cross's general store and post office in West Friendship.
In the 20th Century, paved roads and the automobile replaced country roads and the horse and buggy. The paving of the West Friendship-Sykesville Road (MD 32) by the State in 1910, was an important development for the community. Social gatherings continued to center around farming in the 1940s. Before then, the Howard County Grange Competitions were held at Brendel Manor Park and in one resident's front yard. After moving to Freestate Raceway and Ellicott City High, residents set up the groundwork for the present Howard County Fair in 1953 to be held annually in West Friendship.
West Friendship's one-room school house provided a primary education for many residents in the early 1900s. In 1925, the High and Consolidated School at West Friendship was constructed, replacing all nearby one-room schools, and area residents came by school bus to attend, Over the next few decades, there were several additions and it became an elementary school. The school was rebuilt in 1978.
Strict zoning regulations have largely limited sprawl and preserved the community's bucolic character. Large farms and historic homes still cover the area's gently rolling hills and many farms remain inhabited by descendants of the earlier aristocratic families. Wide expanses of farmland, meadows, woods and parks abound. However, as with most areas within an hour's drive of the Baltimore-Washington corridor, West Friendship is seeing a steady rise of residential development. Suburban subdivisions, many with 4000+ square-foot homes on 1+ acre lots, are becoming increasingly common.
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Wikipedia