Mount Airy

Mount Airy. History. , Mount Airy was first settled along what is now Ridgeville Boulevard. With the construction of the Old National Pike (Route 40) in the 1730s, Ridgeville became a rest stop and overnight lodging for travelers on the road. In 1831 the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad reached the area just south of Ridgeville. To reduce the grade over the hills, the B&O built a bypass north of Ridgeville on land donated by Henry Bussard. The B&O built a depot and named Henry the station agent. Bussard subdivided his property and sold lots that eventually became downtown Mount Airy. In 1846 he donated the land and materials to build the Ridge Presbyterian Church – the current Pine Grove Chapel. The building housed the town's school in the basement. During the Civil War, the church became the barracks for Company K 14th New Jersey Infantry to protect the rail and road transportation. , In 1895, the B&O Railroad started construction of a tunnel. It was the longest tunnel east of the Rockies. The workers used to construct the tunnel brought turbulent times to Mount Airy with drunken brawls and shooting parties. The tunnel runs parallel to Interstate 70 at the intersection of Route 27., With improved transportation and Mount Airy's clean air, the Robert Garrett Sanitarium was built in the 1880's for children primarily from Baltimore to treat tubercular and contagious diseases. It was located across Main Street from the current Mount Airy Elementary School., Mount Airy incorporated in 1894. Ridgeville wasn't annexed into Mount Airy until 1964. Fire devastated the downtown in 1903, 1914, and 1925. Residents came together to form the volunteer fire company in 1926. The town recovered from each tragedy and prospered serving the surrounding agricultural community with mills, canning plants, and services. Fire again destroyed several buildings in September 2007. Again, the town pulled together creating the Plaza you are standing on., During summer months in the 1920s, tourists visited the town often staying at homes such as Ridgecrest, 805 South Main Street adjacent to Pine Grove Chapel. Between 1924 and 1928, Mount Airy installed the first water mains and in 1928 Potomac Edison replaced the Delco Electric Company greatly expanding electrical service. It wasn't until the late 1960s that the town provided sewer service to its residents. Between 1894 and 1970, the population of Mount Airy grew from 355 to almost 2,000. By 2014, the population exceeded 9,600. Mount Airy today, although no longer dependent on agriculture and the railroad, continues to be a vibrant community while retaining its charm., [Captions:] , Devastating fires struck Mount Airy in 1903, 1914 and 1925 wiping out most of the downtown. After the Runkles Mill was destroyed by fire in 1914, the Mt Airy Milling Company (shown in photo) built its grain facility on the same site along the B&O Railroad tracks now the location of the restored B&O caboose. On May 2, 1969, fire struck the mill and burned it to the ground. On September 2, 2007 (Labor Day Sunday) another (and we hope the last) major impacting downtown leveled the Bohn Building, the Watkins Building and severely damaged Olde Town Restaurant. From the ashes came the "Plaza" where you are now standing.