[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 124 (Thursday, August 25, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 25, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      CENTENNIAL OF MOUNT AIRY, MD

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I want to recognize the 
centennial of Mount Airy, MD, a beautiful town in central Maryland. 
Although the community has grown more populous in recent years due to 
its proximity to both Washington, DC, and Baltimore, the area still 
consists of mostly rich farmland.
  Mount Airy is unique in that the town's Main Street is also the 
dividing line of two counties. Frederick to the west and Carroll to the 
east. Not even 2 miles south, the four counties of Frederick, 
Montgomery, Howard, and Carroll meet a Parrs Spring, which is where the 
Patapsco River originates.
  An old legend purports that Mount Airy received its name from an 
Irish rail worker who commented, ``The weather here is rather airish, 
maybe we should call it Mount Airy.'' However the town got its name, no 
one can dispute its appropriateness.
  In 1888, the Robert Garrett Sanitarium was established on North Main 
Street, so children from Baltimore City could benefit from the pure, 
dry, cool air during the summer months.
  Mount Airy was founded by Henry Bussard who was its principal land 
owner, developer, and first merchant. The rapid growth of the town can 
be attributed to the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. 
Work began in the 1830's and moved west from Baltimore with a spur line 
reaching Mt. Airy near the end of the decade.
  As the area grew the local residents applied and received the right 
from the Maryland Legislature to institute its own local government. 
This act was approved in 1894 and signed into law by Governor Frank 
Brown, a Carroll County native. The first mayor was Byron S. Dorsey, 
owner of the local hardware store.
  The town's history is not without tragedy. Mt. Airy has been 
devastated by three tragic fires. The first, in 1903 destroyed the 
south end of town except one building which remains today. In 1914 
another fire burned buildings north of the railroad tracks with only 
the feed mill left standing. In 1925 the same north area was destroyed 
by fire and this time the mill burned.
  With sheer determination the citizens proceeded to rebuild their 
beloved town after each fire and by the 1930's, Mount Airy had one of 
the largest canning factories in the country, one of the largest flour 
mills, and was the chicken hatching center of the United States with 
over 1 million chicks hatched each season.
  I would like to congratulate the citizens of Mt. Airy as they 
celebrate their centennial. They will be celebrating this wonderful 
occasion with a parade on September 24. The entire town has joined to 
make this event a success and I wish them well.

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