Halethorpe is initially attractive for its transportation infrastructure and convenient location, but its best asset is the people. Residents are passionate about preserving the quality of life that has defined Halethorpe for generations.
“We have a certain quaint charm,” said Sandy Cullen, president of the Halethorpe Improvement Association. “We?re still very much a village and very enduring. Many residents have such treasured memories of growing up in Halethorpe, they continue to reside in the community, raise their own families and retire all within the shadow of their parental homes,” she said. Cullen?s own family moved to Halethorpe in 1896.
Halethorpe is tucked into the triangle made by Route 1 and I-95 in southwest Baltimore County.
“It?s appealing to people who want that country flair with greenery, trees, foxes ? but don?t want to feel like they?re in the [suburbs],” said Tommy Roberts, Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Ellicott City Chatham.
“Homes are brick, stone, wood frame ? they?re all different,” Roberts added. “Most of the older homes are smaller colonials ranging from 1,300 to 1,500 square feet. They?re usually two to three bedrooms and one to two bathrooms, depending if the basement is finished.”
Roberts said the trend in Halethorpe is for new buyers to tear down the older homes and build new.It?s ideal for people who want a new home without the cookie-cutter development, and it?s more affordable.
Current sales range from $210,000 to $250,000 for older homes and $300,000 to $450,000 for newer.
There is also a newer home development in Halethorpe; Clare Ridge Manor was built in 2000.
“They are their own little subset but are very much a part of the fabric of the greater community,” said Cullen.
The Ackleys moved to Clare Ridge Manor when it was built.
“There?s a real sense of old-fashioned community here,” said Yvonne Ackley. “We are thrilled to be here, just thrilled. We have no intentions of going anywhere. The location is absolutely perfect. We can sit out back and feel like we?re away from it all, but then we walk out our front door, and we?re five to 10 minutes from every major highway.”
There is little local business in Halethorpe, but some residents are walking distance to Arbutus? Main Street.
“It?s a town without a real, true center, and yet it functions very well as a close-knit community,” said Barry Lanman, author of “Halethorpe Heritage: A Story of a Maryland Community” and a third-generation Halethorpe native, though he now lives in Catonsville.
“[Halethorpe residents] enjoy a very quiet, relatively safe, almost Mayberry-type existence.”
Neighboring Main Street
Halethorpe residents head to neighboring Arbutus for shopping and dining. Locals are regulars at either Paul?s or Leon?s, two very old restaurants that provide a Cheers-type atmosphere.
Park it
Patapsco State Park is known nationally for its trails and scenery. For a list of the top 10 areas of interest, visit www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/patapscovalley.html .
Go public
Halethorpe kids go to Halethorpe Elementary, Arbutus Middle and Lansdowne High School. For information on Baltimore County schools, visit bcps.org.
Location, location, location
Halethorpe is eight miles south of downtown Baltimore, tucked between Catonsville and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. It?s adjacent to Route 1, I-95 and the Beltway.
Commuter info
While Halethorpe is very much a Baltimore suburb, there has always been a high percentage of residents who commute 35 miles to Washington via the MARC train, which stops in Halethorpe.
History buffs
Halethorpe was the site of the Baltimore Aero Meet of 1910, where the first flight over a city took off and landed, and the B&O Railroad?s 1927 Fair of the Iron Horse. To learn more about these historical events and the village that hosted them, e-mail [email protected] for a copy of “Halethorpe Heritage: A Story of a Maryland Community,”by Dr. Barry A. Lanman.
Get a job
The Halethorpe Industrial Park has 10 tenants, including Northrup Grumman, Norandex and Carroll Tire. The park is located on Trident Court and has just been purchased by Preston Partners Inc. The No. 36 bus line stops there.
Advanced degrees
Nearby University of Maryland, Baltimore County, is an honors university with a number of highly respected fields.
Civic-minded
The Halethorpe Improvement Association strives to increase awareness about Halethorpe?s impressive heritage and ensure that history continues to be made. Newsletters and meetings cover everything from recycling and zoning to social events, births and deaths.
Civic League
The Halethorpe Civic League serves Halethorpe?s African-American enclave, which centers on several streets around Washington Boulevard (originally purchased from the B&O Railroad). African-American families began building their homes here in the late 1800s, just as Halethorpe began to take shape. Both organizations serve as resources and allies for the community.
