We're looking down into Ellicott City from a plane in 1952. The view centers on the flour mill that had operated under various owners since the 1770s. The Patapsco River flows around the mill and under a B&O bridge (dark \ line) to the mill where railcars are visible.

Upstream (top) are bridges for Frederick Road (Main Street, bright line) and trolley line number 9 (dark dash). B&O's Ellicott City Station (dark roof with bright dot) is found near upper left.

The Ellicott brothers chose this site for their mill in part because the land on both sides slopes relatively gradually to the river. That made it easier for farmers to haul grain here, and for others to deliver the resulting flour to customers in Baltimore. The Ellicotts successfully petitioned in 1790 to have the primary road between Baltimore and Frederick re-routed through their burgeoning town.

Unfortunately, the gradual slope of surrounding land also serves to funnel large quantities of storm water through the town. Consequently, Ellicott City has been subjected to repeated flooding, as will be seen below.

As seen from ground level, the original Patapsco Branch began beyond the distant signal at center. When B&O reduced the Old Main Line from double track to single during the 1950s, it retained another half mile of the second track as a longer siding for the mill. The track switch for the disused siding (right) is behind the photog near milepost 12.

The floods of 2016 and 2018 ate away at the river bank. The rusty rails reveal this is the inactive track, hence CSX has not bothered to repair this undermining.

CSX disconnected the track that led to the mill around 2007 to make room for the new signals ahead.

After train service to the mill ended, that track served as convenient temporary storage, in this case for CSX maintenance-of-way crane BC 9611.

Proximity to the Patapsco River was not only a challenge for B&O but also for everyone riverside. The same force of water that attracted mills could also be their undoing.

This aerial view comes shortly after an uninvited visit by 1972's Tropical Storm Agnes. By that time, the sturdy mill at upper left was no longer water-powered, but it was damaged due to its historic siting. Repairs would be made and the mill would continue to operate into 2020.

B&O's bridge to the mill (left of center) survived the flood and will be seen in greater detail below.

Link: source photo

In exchange for land, B&O promised to build a connection to the mill on the Baltimore County side of the river. B&O's Second Annual Engineers Report describes a trestle that opened to the mill in 1830 or 1831.

The flour mill at this location became one of B&O's earliest and best customers. Until ceasing during 2020, grain had been processed at this site since before the American Revolution. As of 2025, plans exist to redevelop the site for mixed use.

Links: 1984, mill closure

According to appendix data in Impossible Challenge II, this steel bridge to the mill dates to 1905, which is probably when its piers received concrete additions. According to the August 15, 1868 Harper's Weekly, the extraordinary flood of July 1868 washed away B&O's original bridge to the mill.

Link: Mill history (PDF)

The extant bridge is roughly 300 feet long. This view looks downstream.

The photo captures a Whipple pin truss bridge, only one of which remains in active railroad use in Maryland. The pins serve as points around which long iron or steel beams can rotate. Such rotation facilitates flexibility that spreads the weight of a heavy train -- and flexibility is better than breakage. A design drawback is the rotation wears the pins for which the only inspection method involves taking the bridge out of service.

Links: disused B&O Whipple along Georgetown Branch, active Whipple bridge in Baltimore

This detailed 1878 map does not show a rail bridge to the Patapsco Flour Mill. Sanborn Fire Insurance maps similarly omit a bridge as of 1887, but show one present by 1894. According to public records, B&O acquired land for a new bridge on April 6, 1890, more than 20 years after flooding had erased the original.

Link: Sanborn map 1887

Rumors say a cabled tramway once existed between the mill and railroad. Perhaps it served as a bridge substitute after the 1868 flood. Disused metal I beams exist immediately upstream of the bridge that might be tramway remnants. One problem is these do not appear sufficiently deteroriated to have been riverside for over a century.

The Old Main Line is above the top right corner. At first, I thought these were T rail pieces that had rolled down the embankment, but closer examination shows they are not rails. Additionally, it is unlikely two segments that accidentally rolled down would have aligned so well.

A loading/unloading accessway ran parallel to the railcars. It's the closer and higher of the two bridged routes seen here. Reader Greg Hager reports an auger was used during the 20th century to transport grain from railcars into the mill. Part of the old millrace is filled with sand below; it is not visible in this upward view.

During the Chessie era, the mill was operated by the Doughnut Corporation of America and later by Wilkins Rogers.

Link: ~1920

The bridge appears to be in good condition despite not seeing a train since around 1980. Mill redevelopment plans call for it to be retained.

Link: photo source

Part of the extant building dates to 1809 following a fire of January 11, 1809 that destroyed the original mill building. The fire of April 1918 meant the mill would need rebuilding again, hence the 1920 date.

Presumably, the mill began switching from water power to electricity after the Ellicott City Electric Light and Power Company opened during the 1890s. A 1920 rebuild would have been a logical time for the mill to finish that changeover if it had not already done so.

Link: local electricity

Perhaps the bridge could be used as a siding if passenger or tourist trains ever again visit Ellicott City.