“Railroad Brings Life to Linwood”

Carroll County Times article for 10 April 1994

By Joe Getty
HISTORY OF LINWOOD
 

BY J. P. GARNER, 1895
 

PART I
“Progress! Improvement! These are the watchwords of life. “Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel.” To progress is to live. Retrogression is darkness, death. The talismanic power of this age is the spirit of advancement. The magnificence of its work in the last three decades is beyond all precedent. The wilderness has been made to blossom as the rose; the desert to bring forth as a garden; villages and towns have been born in a day, and like Minerva from the head of Jove, have come into existence with full powers, equipped with all the conveniences and elegancies of large cities. History is but a record of the ceaseless striving of man to bring his life more and more in contact with the eternal harmonies.”
With these words, J. P. Garner introduced his “History of Linwood” published in the Carroll Record in 1895. It is part of a series of community histories
The years 1861 and 1862 are memorable ones in the history of this community. They mark the completion of the W. M. R. R. to Union Bridge. A new impetus was given to life; by this, Linwood became possible. It is virtually the creation of steam, and most a dutiful child it has proved to be.

The late Reuben Haines, then a man prominent in the affairs of the country, at once took hold of the project, became a director in the company and for services rendered was granted the privilege of a siding at this point. Two warehouses were immediately erected, and the place was called Linwood station from the name of Haines’s farm. The railway office was given to John Q. Senseney, who carried on a general warehouse business until 1865, when he sold the stand and a building lot to David Utz, who erected the first dwelling house, a modern frame structure, and remained in the business only till fall.

Wm. Hiteshue was the next owner who held it less than a month. Josiah Englar, then doing business in Cumberland, Md., seeing in the location an excellent opening, became purchaser, and moved down in 1866, his brother Jonas, in the mean time taking charge of affairs. Englar remodeled and enlarged the dwelling house, as it is now in the occupancy of his widow, Mrs. Caroline Englar. He also opened a general grocery store in connection with his warehouse trade. In 1866 Washington Senseney wishing to retire from active life bought several lots and erected the buildings on what is now the John N. Weaver property. His enjoyment of this was brief, his death occurring in 1868. Jonas Englar, following the example of Senseney, bought land on the opposite side of the road, built a home in 1870 and resided thereon until his death in 1886.

A new store room was built on the warehouse property in 1877, to meet the demands of the constantly increasing trade. A general line of goods was kept under the firm name of Josiah Englar and son. Upon the the death of the senior member of the firm in 1879, Nathan Englar succeeded to the business. A further incentive to trade was given the place in 1876 by the opening of a store on ground bought off of the Rockland tract by D. F. Albaugh, Mr. Albaugh was also largely engaged in the manufacture of ice cream for a number of years.

Other fine residence have been built; other trades and occupation have been taken up at different times. A few have had their day and closed with it, while others have been continued successfully. Artisans representing almost any craft can be found in the place. You could hardly call amiss for an article. An thing can be made from an improved chicken coop up to a steam engine; the manufacturer of fertilizer, and plumbing are important industries, the former represented by Englar & Rinehart and latter by Jos. L. Haines & Son. The centre of trade is in the handling of country produce. Joseph Englar succeeded his father in the ware house, and greatly enlarged the business. In 1882 the rope and pulley for the unloading of grain became obsolete, and upon the site of the old building was constructed one of the finest elevators along the W. M. R. R. When the road was first built it was prophesied that Franklin Street would be brought up to Linwood. In the ease with which all kinds of produce are handled, in the variety handled, and in the exactness of the methods used, this famous street “of ye olden time” has been much more than reproduced in our midst. A ready market can be found here for everything from the contents of the thrifty house wife’s rag-bag to the finest cereals grown in Carroll and Frederick counties.
Photo Caption 1: The village of Linwood is nestled along Little Pipe Creek in the Priestland Valley. In contrast to its isolated rural charm of today, J.P. Garner described the village as a symbol of progrss and improvement during the late 19th century.
Photo Caption 2: The coming of the railroad was instrumental in the founding of Linwood, according to J.P. Garner” history written in 1895. This photograph was taken about 1910 and shows the railway station built in 1885 and the grain elevator built in 1882.
Photo Caption 3: Nathan Englar stands with his son Ray on the porch of the Linwood house that he built in 1885. Its prominence in the community was highlighted by second empire style architectural features, including the steep mansard roof, bracketed cornice and ornamental porch trim.