West Friendship
Like many small communities in Howard County, West Friendship developed slowly as settlers moved west. In the 19th Century, the main road through West Friendship was filled with travelers who could find comfort at mile houses along the route. The population of West Friendship totaled fifty by 1887. Early travel was rough, but most residents were adept at horseback riding. Many traveled over the Frederick Turnpike built in the 1790s. Empty land soon gave way to Thomas S. Cross's general store and post office in West Friendship. In the 20th Century, paved roads and the automobile replaced country roads and the horse and buggy. The paving of the West Friendship-Sykesville Road (MD 32) by the State in 1910, was an important development for the community. Social gatherings continued to center around farming in the 1940s. Before then, the Howard County Grange Competitions were held at Brendel Manor Park and in one resident's front yard. Later in the 1950s, residents set up the groundwork for the present Howard County Fair held annually in West Friendship. West Friendship's one-room school house provided a primary education for many residents in the early 1900s. In 1925, the High and Consolidated School at West Friendship was constructed, replacing all nearby one-room schools, and area residents came by school bus to attend, Over the next few decades, there were several additions and it became an elementary school. The school was rebuilt in 1978
Strict zoning regulations have largely limited sprawl and preserved the community’s bucolic character. Large farms and historic homes still cover the area’s gently rolling hills and many farms remain inhabited by descendants of the earlier aristocratic families. Wide expanses of farmland, meadows, woods and parks abound. However, as with most areas within an hour’s drive of the Baltimore-Washington corridor, West Friendship is seeing a steady rise of residential development. Homes in the community are among the most highly sought after in the Baltimore area. Suburban subdivisions, many with 4000+ square-foot homes on 1+ acre lots, are becoming increasingly common.
The commute from our neighborhood is approximately (disregarding traffic): 30 minutes to Baltimore, 30 minutes to Frederick, 40 minutes to Annapolis, and 50 minutes to Washington DC.
The Howard County Fairgrounds is located on Route 144 in West Friendship, and is the home of the annual Howard County Fair and the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. The community is close to several parks. West Friendship Park offers hiking and nature walks. Western Regional Park offers a large children’s playground and several sports field. The Willow Springs Golf Course and the Cattail Creek Golf Course and Country Club cater to many of the community’s affluent residents. Senior activities can be found in the Glenwood Community Center. The community has a small shopping center which houses the West Friendship branch of the US Post Office, banks, several restaurants and stores, medical offices, and a gas station. West Friendship is served by the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department which has been in service since 1944.
The Howard County school system is praised as one of the best in the nation! Our Fox Valley neighborhood is currently districted for our children to attend Triadelphia Elementary School, Folly Quarter Middle School, and Glenelg High School.
* Much of this information was copied from the West Friendship page on Wikipedia.
Strict zoning regulations have largely limited sprawl and preserved the community’s bucolic character. Large farms and historic homes still cover the area’s gently rolling hills and many farms remain inhabited by descendants of the earlier aristocratic families. Wide expanses of farmland, meadows, woods and parks abound. However, as with most areas within an hour’s drive of the Baltimore-Washington corridor, West Friendship is seeing a steady rise of residential development. Homes in the community are among the most highly sought after in the Baltimore area. Suburban subdivisions, many with 4000+ square-foot homes on 1+ acre lots, are becoming increasingly common.
The commute from our neighborhood is approximately (disregarding traffic): 30 minutes to Baltimore, 30 minutes to Frederick, 40 minutes to Annapolis, and 50 minutes to Washington DC.
The Howard County Fairgrounds is located on Route 144 in West Friendship, and is the home of the annual Howard County Fair and the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. The community is close to several parks. West Friendship Park offers hiking and nature walks. Western Regional Park offers a large children’s playground and several sports field. The Willow Springs Golf Course and the Cattail Creek Golf Course and Country Club cater to many of the community’s affluent residents. Senior activities can be found in the Glenwood Community Center. The community has a small shopping center which houses the West Friendship branch of the US Post Office, banks, several restaurants and stores, medical offices, and a gas station. West Friendship is served by the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department which has been in service since 1944.
The Howard County school system is praised as one of the best in the nation! Our Fox Valley neighborhood is currently districted for our children to attend Triadelphia Elementary School, Folly Quarter Middle School, and Glenelg High School.
* Much of this information was copied from the West Friendship page on Wikipedia.