The Mount Airy Founding

The Mount Airy Founding. Historic Downtown, Mount Airy. , On this site in front of you (where the caboose now stands) was once the original store and tavern established by Henry Bussard in 1837. The store served the local community on Parr's Ridge, and provided a rest stop for weary travelers upon the Westminster Road. Three hundred feet west of the tavern was a small pond, fed by four natural springs. A one room, one and a half story log home, once belonging to Gustavus Dorsey, stood to your left. Henry Bussard owned all of the surrounding land, and sold the right of way to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1838 to build a new rail line into what is today, Mount Airy., As the new railway was being completed, Henry Bussard shared his plans for a new town with the railroad's Chief Civil Engineer, Benjamin Latrobe, Jr. which included a new house on the hill, a wagon yard, a tavern, and a depot. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad finally blasted through the ridge behind you in June of 1839, and the town of "Mount Airy" was born., For many years, Henry Bussard operated his store as both the post office and the train station, where he served as the postmaster and the station agent as of 1856. Absalom Anderson worked as the store clerk beginning in 1854, finally establishing his own store on the other side of Main Street in 1886. During the Civil War, Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry raided Mount Airy station on Monday, June 22, 1863, where "…They tore up some of the track, remained but a short time, and retured up the Turnpike towards Frederick, distant about thirteen miles…", In 1869, the railroad finally built a small, wooden passenger house located where the train station now stands. In 1890, John B. Runkles built a grain mill on the location of Henry Bussard's tavern., [Captions:] , The B&O Railroad built the first wooden passenger station in 1869, located behind you where the station stands today., Bill of lading receipt signed by Henry Bussard, station agent for the B&O Railroad., Excerpt from Martenet's Map of Carroll County, 1862 showing the original store and station, located in front of you.