Oella, Maryland

Oella Historic District
Long Brick Row in the center of Oella, Maryland
Location: Oella Ave., Glen Rd., Hollow Rd., Oella, Maryland
Built: 1812
Governing body: Local
NRHP Reference#:

76000979

[1]
Added to NRHP: November 07, 1976

Oella is a small, historic mill town on the Patapsco River in western Baltimore County, Maryland, located between Catonsville and Ellicott City. It is a 19th century village of millworkers' homes.

Contents

History

Oella was founded in 1808 by the Union Manufacturing Company as a working class community for the company's mill workers. It was one of the earliest and most extensive cotton factories in the United States and used water-powered looms as early as 1819.

The Oella Historic District includes the village that consists of 19th century workers housing and one late 19th century church. The only known 20th century building is the W.J. Dickey Company Mill constructed in 1919. A drawing from 1812 by Maximilian Godefroy shows most of the stone buildings. The brick houses date from the mid-19th century, while the frame buildings were constructed at the end of the century. The Oella Methodist Church is a simple frame building with a tower on the northeast corner, which has been converted for offices. The Patapsco River continued to provide power to generate electricity until 1972 when hurricane Agnes flooded the power plant. The same year the Dickey Company ceased manufacturing.[2]

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.[1] Also listed on the National Register at Oella are the Ellicott's Mills Historic District and Mt. Gilboa Chapel.[1]

Oella is along the route of the Trolley Line Number 9 Trail

Persons of note

References

External links