Creating A Historic Context Study For The Old Ellicott City Jail

Abstract

HISP 650 (Historic Preservation Studio Workshop)students worked with Dr. Michelle Magalong (course instructor) and Preservation Maryland (studio client) on a historic context study on the old Ellicott City Jail. The students responded to Preservation Maryland’s Request for Proposals and spent the fall semester conducting archival research on the social and architectural history of the historic jail with topics on its association with the Underground Railroad and African American history and its lynching history. Lastly, students conducted research on the potential impacts of flooding and climate change.This Report is in response to Preservation Maryland’s Request For Proposals (RFP) to create a Historic Context Study for The Old Ellicott City Jail, also known as the Howard County Jail. It documents the history of the jail including important events and people involved with the various aspects of the jail. The project team developed a technical approach and timeline to create a context study that encompasses the history and role of the jail in Howard County, Maryland, and the people (slaves, inmates, wardens, and others) associated with the jail from its beginning in 1851 to its closing in the 1980s.