Scaggsville

What secrets does Scaggsville hold? Scaggsville isn’t just another town on the map. It’s a place steeped in history, nestled in the southeastern corner of Howard County, Maryland, between Laurel and Fulton. This unassuming village, with its quiet residential streets and handful of businesses, holds tales as intriguing as its unusual name. Scaggsville owes its name to the Scaggs family, who arrived in the 1830s and established a sprawling 700-acre farm. Their legacy is etched in the very identity of the town. Imagine Scaggsville in the 19th century: a bustling stop on the stagecoach route between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Travelers would pause here, perhaps at the local tavern, before continuing their journey. Back then, stagecoaches had to ford the Patuxent River until a wooden bridge was constructed in 1859. However, nature had other plans. The bridge was swept away by a devastating flood in 1868, and three more bridges met the same fate before a sturdy steel truss bridge was finally erected. Before it was Scaggsville, this area was known by a more colorful name: “Hells Corner.” This moniker harks back to the Civil War era. Today, Scaggsville boasts a population of over 9,000, a far cry from the 15 households reported in 1941. This growth speaks to Scaggsville’s transformation from a rural outpost to a thriving suburban community. The Patuxent River, which once posed a travel challenge, now forms the southern boundary of Scaggsville. It’s a constant reminder of the town’s resilient past and its enduring connection to the land. There have been whispers of changing the town’s name to Rocky Gorge, due to its proximity to the Rocky Gorge Reservoir. However, the name Scaggsville has stuck, a testament to the family that put this little village on the map. As you stand here, in modern-day Scaggsville, remember the stagecoaches rumbling through, the river’s ebb and flow, and the families who have called this place home for generations.