Old National Road Mile Markers - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

The initial segment of the Old National Road is the Baltimore & Fredrick-Town Turnpike Road, begun in 1805. It ran 45 miles from the Baltimore courthouse to Frederick, MD. Mile Markers were spaced one mile apart and placed on the north side of the road. (Note: Mile Marker 5 was relocated and is the only mile marker on the south side of the road.) Although some Mile Markers are missing or have been relocated, the large majority are still there in their original location in countryside that is only now losing its rural character that existed when the Baltimore & Fredrick-Town Turnpike Road was build more than 200 years ago.

UPDATED - June 22, 2021. A historical plaque and pavilion has recently been added at Mile Marker 14. Updated coordinates and gallery photo to point the Waymarker to that special location.

UPDATED - January 1, 2013. This entry now includes all 34 Mile Markers still in existence from the beginning in Baltimore (Mile Marker 3 is the first remaining marker) to downtown Frederick (Mile Marker 45). This entry includes the GPS coordinates and photographs for each of the existing 34 mile markers. The Mile Markers were waymarked by Navy72 while biking along the course of the "Turnpike Road" in several segments in 2011 and 2012.

An excellent source of information on the mile markers located in the 45 miles between Baltimore and Frederick may be found in the book Mile Markers of the Baltimore & Frederick-Town Turnpike Road, (1805-2005), A Finder's Guide) by Jerry L. Harlowe. In addition to information and photographs of the markers, the book provides an excellent summary of the history of the road. Mr. Harlowe's book was the inspiration for finding these markers and listing them here. The book is available in the gift shop at the B&O Station in Ellicott City, MD. This station is in the National Register of Historic Places as well.

For more Information about Old National Pike Mile Markers listed in the National Register of Historic Places including those west of Frederick see the information from the Maryland Historic Trust included following the Mile Marker Journey.

Begin Mile Marker Journey from Baltimore to Frederick.

Mile Markers 1 and 2 no longer exist having been removed/destroyed during subsequent development. Mile Marker 3 (located at the coordinates for this entry) is likely the oldest of the remaining mile markers. All mile markers are on the north side of the road except for mile marker 5.

Mile Marker 3 (N 39 16.875, W 076 40.420) on grounds of church. This is the default photo for the entry.

Mile Marker 4 (N 39 16.894, W 076 41.514) in underbrush near fence just off sidewalk.

Mile Marker 5 (N 39 16.700, W 076 42.576) in front of Frederick Road Veterans Cemetery. This is the only mile marker located on the south side of the road.

Mile Marker 6 (N 39 16.387, W 076 43.618) in Catonsville just east of Delrey Avenue in front of a gas station.

Mile Marker 7 (N 39 16.225, W 076 44.370) is located 0.3 miles east of its original position and is now on the grounds of the Catonsville Public Library. This site was the location of "Castle Thunder" the home of Richard and Mary Carroll Caton. Mary Carroll was the favorite daughter of Charles Carroll of Carollton, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Mile Marker 8 is missing.

Mile Marker 9 (N 39 15.777, W 076 46.874) on lengthy downhill heading west away from Catonsville toward Ellicott City. Marker relocated here when Frederick Road near Nine Mile Road was straighted.

Mile Marker 10 (N 39 16.067, W 076 47.676) next to staircase on Ellicott City side of railroad bridge, across street from B&O Station (another NRHP)

Mile Marker 11 (N 39 16.184, W 076 48.734) west of Rogers Avenue.

Mile Marker 12 (N 39 16.357, W 076 49.774) in front of St. John's Church.

Mile Marker 13 (N 39 16.501, W 076 50.874) near Walker Drive.

Mile Marker14 (N 39 16.778, W 076 51.925) is south of US 40 near liquor store. In June 2021 a historical plaque and pavilion was installed at Mile Marker 14 to commemorate the Mile Markers on the Old National Road in Howard County. Updated coordinates and gallery photo to point the Waymarker to that special location. Frederick Road dead ends just prior to Mile Marker 14. You can park nearby and walk to the marker. Cars then proceed about 1/2 mile down US 40 (Baltimore National Pike) to a stop light to where MD 144 Frederick Road once again begins.

Mile Marker 15 (N 39 17.038, W 076 52.995) on Frederick Road near Cornell Drive. Directly across the street from this Mile Marker is Doughoregan Manor, the family home of Charles Carroll of Carrolton. See Doughoregan Manor entry in the NRHP category for more info.

Mile Marker 16 (N 39 17.282, W 076 54.061) about 0.4 mi. west of Folly Quarter Road.

Mile Marker 17 (N 39 17.630, W 076 55.088) near Triadelphia Road.

Mile Marker 18 (N 39 17.911, W 076.56.147) about 0.3 mi. west of Sand Hill Road.

Mile Marker 19 is missing. Should be at intersection of Frederick Road and MD32.

Mile Marker 20 (N 39 18.481, W 076 58.272) at west side of Howard County Fairground.

Mile Marker 21 is missing.

Mile Marker 22 (N 39 19.020, W 077 00.381) near entrance to Howard County highway repair center.

Mile Marker 23 (N 39 19.344, W 077, 01.414) is just west of Rt 97. May be difficult to spot.

Mile Marker 24 is missing based on my visits. According to Jerry Harlowe's book, this marker was still here in 2005 located in plain view 3/10 mile east of Morgan Station Road. On two separate occasions I have been unable to find it.

Mile Marker 25 is missing.

Mile Marker 26 (N 39 20.264, W 077 04.553) is located behind guardrail and across drainage ditch just west of Lisbon traffic circle. May be difficult to spot.

Mile Marker 27 (N 39 30.572, W 077 05.600) is located in the open in Poplar Springs.

Mile Marker 28 (N 39 20.827, W 077 06.667) is located behind a guardrail and down in a gully at the west side of an bridge crossing stream. Difficult to spot.

From Mile Marker 28 to Mile Marker 31 the road had changed substantially over time due to the construction of US 40 and then I-70. If you have been visiting these markers from east to west, it gets a little tricky here.

Mile Marker 29 is missing.

Mile Marker 30 is missing.

From Mile Marker 28 continue on Rt 144-Frederick Road- Old National Pike until it makes a sharp right bend and comes to a stop light at Rt 27. Turn right on Rt 27, Ridge Road. Follow Ridge Road and cross I-70, US 40. At the second traffic light past I-70 turn left onto E. Ridgeville Blvd. On your immediate right you will find Mile Marker 31.

Mile Marker 31 (N 39 21.867, W 077 09.673) is a large marker located on a corner at the entrance to the Mt. Airy Shopping Center on E. Ridgeville Blvd. You will need to park in the shopping center to visit this marker.

Leaving the Mt. Airy Shopping Center, turn right onto E. Ridgeville Blvd. E. Ridgeville Blvd is Rt 144 and once again becomes Old National Pike as you continue west.

Mile Marker 32 is missing.

Mile Marker 33 (N 39 22.100, W 077 11.85) is in plain view on a fast stretch of Rt 144 a short distance west of Bill Moxley Road.

Mile Marker 34 (N 39 22.216, W 077 13.000) is located on a large right curve prior to Bartholows Road. Traffic is fast here as well so use caution.

Mile Marker 35 (N 39 22.617, W 077 13.876) is located behind a guardrail about 0.24 miles east of Jesse Smith Road on a fast stretch of Old National Pike.

Mile Marker 36 (N 39 22.909, W 077 14.936) is located behind a guard rail and down a slight hill about 0.34 miles west of Detrick Road. It is not visible from the road and may be difficult to access on foot.

Between Mile Marker 36 and Mile Marker 37 the course of Old National Pike has been considerably altered to accommodate the I-70/US-40 interchange with MD-75 near New Market.

Mile Marker 37 (N 39 22.994, W 077 16.043) is located in plain view near the roadway on the east end of the historic town of New Market.

Mile Marker 38 (N 39 23.082, W 077 17.152) is in plain view up an embankment as you exit New Market and approach the traffic light at Boyer's Mill Road.

Mile Marker 39 (N 39 23.298, W 077 18.234) was relocated due to nearby housing construction. It is in plain view just west of Jordan Boulevard. The face of the stone clearly showing its location was altered in the past.

Mile Marker 40 (N 39 23.568, W 077 19.308) abuts the underbrush about 0.16 miles east of the entrance to Oakdale Middle School and Oakdale Elementary School. In late-April the underbrush was beginning to surround it (see photo) so it may be difficult to see from the road.

Between Mile Marker 40 and Mile Marker 41 the road has been significantly altered several times. Leaving Mile Marker 40, follow MD 144 and pass under I-70/US-40. You are now following old US 40. About 0.3 miles west of the overpass, make a left off on 144 (old US 40) onto Baltimore Ave. .

Mile Marker 41 (N 039 23.732, W 077 20.397) is located on the north side of Baltimore Road (the original Turnpike Road) east of Bell's Lane. (Note: This location is on a narrow strip of land beween Baltimore Road and the old US 40 divided highway, now 144 into Frederick.)

Mile Marker 42 is missing. Jerry Harlowe (see below) reports that Mile Marker 42 was broken off during road construction. The original marker is now on private property and cannot be viewed. I bicycled to the vicinity of where Mile Marker 42 should have been until I came to private property.

From Mile Marker 4 return to MD-144 (old divided US 40) and cross the Monocacy River to approach Mile Marker 43

Mile Marker 43 (N 39 24.130, W 077 22.533) is located on now abandoned, original Turnpike Road just north of MD-144. Pass through the Park n Ride lot to the old road and go west and you will see the marker in plain view just before the abandoned stretch ends.

Continue to follow MD-144. It becomes Patrick Street through Historic Frederick.

Mile Marker 44 (N 39 24.558, W 077 23.503) is located in the open on Patrick Street just east of Orchard Avenue next to a farm equipment store and lot.

Mile Marker 45 (N 39 24.842, W 077 24.548) is located in the center of downtown Frederick at the corner of E. Patrick Street and N. Maxwell Avenue.

Mile Marker 45 is the final mile marker in the Old National Pike Milestones identified by Jerry Harlowe in his book mentioned earlier in this waymark. I continued to ride my bicycle west of this Mile Marker for an additional two-plus miles and did not locate Markers 46 or 47. Based on the Maryland Historical Society writeup for this national historic landmark, there are other Mile Markers further west heading toward Boonesboro (about mile marker 66) that I have yet to search for.

More Information about Old National Pike Milestones listed in the National Register of Historic Places including those west of Frederick

These Mile Markers are listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the "Old National Pike Milestones." The source of the information below is from the Maryland Historic Trust at the secondary website below. The mile markers are located in Baltimore City, and the following Maryland counties: Baltimore, Howard, Carroll, Frederick, Allegheny, and Washington.

Information from Maryland Historic Trust at secondary website below.

Description: The Old National Pike Milestones were laid beginning at the Baltimore courthouse, spaced one mile apart and placed on the north side of the National Pike, primarily MD Route 144, but also found along sections of U.S. Route 40, Alt. U.S. Route 40, MD Route 165, and "Scenic 40" west of Hancock. Owned by the state of Maryland on the edge of the right-of-way, they are completely accessible to the public. Dimensions of the stones vary from section to section. Generally they are about 12 inches wide, 8 inches deep, and project about 30 inches above grade. The distance of the stone's facing the road; "38 M to B" (38 Miles to Baltimore). The other three faces bear no inscription. The stone material also varies. The first 39 stones are of Baltimore gneiss from the Ellicott City area. From West Friendship through Frederick to Boonesboro, the material is quartzite, plentiful along the Monocacy River. From Boonesboro to Funkstown, a very white limestone was used and also a different stone cutters whose lettering is very distinctive. West of Hagerstown, the stones are of a gray limestone. Sixty-nine stones remained on the route at the time of nomination to the National Register.

Significance: These milestones mark the route of the old National Pike from Baltimore to Cumberland, Maryland. The Baltimore-Fredericktown Turnpike Company was franchised by the state in 1805 to construct, maintain, and collect tolls on 62 miles of toll road from Baltimore to Boonesboro, Maryland. The first tollgate was opened in April of 1807. Jonathan Ellicott, President of this company, was instrumental in having three other turnpikes formed which extended the road over the mountains to Cumberland where it met the federally funded National Road, opened in 1818. A group of banks, mostly from Baltimore provided the capital for the construction. This made possible overland transportation all the way from Baltimore to St. Louis with the result that through the Cumberland Narrows passed over half of the emigrants and freight of our westward migration in its early days. It is significant that Maryland was the first of the Mid-Atlantic states to finance and maintain its road with the turnpike system, and the method quickly spread throughout the eastern seaboard.

County / Borough / Parish: Howard County, Baltimore City Year listed: 1975 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event Periods of significance: 1800-1824 Historic function: Transportation Current function: Transportation Privately owned?: no Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Street address: Not listed Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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