The Heritage Orientation Center is located behind the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin in the county’s first Court Records building. View unique exhibits on the 18th and 19th Century milling techniques, floods of Ellicott Mills, and the Ellicott Family. The center is open daily from 11 am–4 pm. For more information, call 410-313-5131.

This one-room schoolhouse building was constructed in 1880 as the first public school for black children in Howard County. In use as a school until the early 1950’s, the building was re-purchased by the county in 1995 and restored with the assistance of public and private funding. The building, located at 8683 Frederick Road, Ellicott City, now houses a genealogical resource center and a museum chronicling the history of African Americans in Howard County. Changing exhibits and seminars highlight the contributions by people of color to the history of the region. Tours are offered Saturday and Sunday at 3pm, April through October. Private and group tours are available year-round, weather permitting. For more information, call 410-313-5131.

Originally constructed about 1883, the Pfeiffer’s Corner Schoolhouse is one of the very few remaining one-room schools in Howard County. Restoration is now complete in its new location within Rockburn Branch Park, 6109 Rockburn Branch Park Road, Elkridge. Children were educated within its walls for over 50 years until it was converted into a residence in the 1940’s. It was almost demolished when new homes were built on the property in the 1980’s, but was saved through the efforts of local school children. They raised funds to have it moved in 1988 to county-owned parkland along route 108 near Clarksville, where it stood for several years until a permanent location could be found. In 2003, it was moved to Rockburn Branch Park where it will illustrate the changes a 100-year time span has brought to our schools, serve as a historic exhibit in conjunction with the adjacent Clover Hill restoration, and be used for demonstration classes, interpretive tours, and small meetings.

Additional information:

• 800 sq. ft. (40x20)
• Maximum capacity is 40
• Restroom
• Hardwood floors
• Large kitchen sink
• 10 6' x 1.5' tables and 45 folding chairs

For reservations, call 410-313-4682. For event and set-up information, call 410-313-4723 or 410-313-4717.

Named after its late 19th century owner, this rustic structure was built circa 1780 as a settler’s home of Ellicotts Mills. The cabin was reconstructed on the present site in the late 20th Century. Here, visitors can learn about the settlement and development of the region and artisans. The cabin is located at the intersection of Main Street and Ellicott Mills Drive in Historic Ellicott City, and open Saturday and Sunday at 1-4pm, April through December. Private and group tours are available year-round, weather permitting. For more information, call 410-313-5131.

This property is associated with many of the “founding families” of Maryland and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nathan Dorsey, son of Colonel John Dorsey, built the main section of the mansion between 1756 and 1764. The property was later sold to Revolutionary War Hero, Colonel John Eager Howard, governor of Maryland from 1788 to 1790. Colonel Howard gave the house and land to his son, George, who later served as governor of the state (1831-33). George Howard and his wife, Prudence, a member of the Ridgeley family, named their estate after the popular Sir Walter Scott novel, Waverley. The restored mansion, furnished with period antiques, is open for special programs and for tours by appointment. It is also a popular place for weddings, parties, and meetings. The mansion’s Historic Kitchen is the perfect choice for an early morning breakfast, while the dining room lends an air of formality to a luncheon with associates. Each room can seat up to 15 people.