Last Sunday we looked at the early history of the western end of Westminster. It was a little more than 80 years ago on Aug. 8, 1924 that the editor of the old American Sentinel newspaper wrote about the renaissance of the area known as "The Forks."

This ties in well with Westminster's current effort to study the Pennsylvania Avenue end of town.

For much of the 1900s, The Forks, Pennsylvania Avenue and West Main Street in Westminster were vibrant business and residential mixed-use areas.

For 100 years, from the 1870s up through the early 1980s, the Westminster business footprint included East Green Street, West and East Main streets and Pennsylvania Avenue.

Some of the shops and businesses on Pennsylvania Avenue included, Earhart Motors, O'Farrell Brothers Pontiac, The Avenue Barber Shop, Westminster TV and Radio Shop, Carroll Electric Service, Dutty's Beauty Salon, Everhart's Barber Shop, Wine's Sports Shop and Wilson's Garage to name just a few. (Any recollections of these are welcome.)

But it wasn't until after the Civil War that separate areas of Westminster began to coalesce.

What we know today as Westminster is very different from how our community began. Westminster actually began as five different "towns" strung along a major turnpike that took travelers west. This was our Main Street.

From east to west, first was the original town of Westminster from Manchester Road to Court Street. "New London" was situated from Court Street to Longwell Avenue.

Then on East Green Street an "Addition to Westminster" ran from Washington Road to Church Street.

"Bedford," from Longwell Avenue to John Street, was absorbed into Westminster in 1812.

The last of the five enclaves, "Logsdon Tavern," sprang up from Carroll Street to what we now know as McDaniel College.

Just before the Civil War, the original five towns consolidated. "Westminster was (now) divided into three distinct settlements known as 'Dead End,' 'The Forks,' and 'Irishtown.' The east end was dubbed 'Dead End' because it was the oldest of the three settlements," said the 1924 article.

"A number of merchants began business at 'The Forks.' A large hotel, or tavern, was built, and a business rivalry began between 'Dead End' and 'The Forks.' "

The 1924 article adds that "With the razing of old buildings, the erection of modern ones, the increased number of stores and the advent of the automobile and hard roads, 'The Forks' has regained its old time, and for a number of years lost, prestige as a business center of Westminster.

"The many hard roads leading from the north, east and west to 'The Forks,' and the advantage of a very large open space for parking machines are factors in the commercial advantages possessed by that part of Westminster."

Pennsylvania Avenue's journey to becoming the business center of Westminster really began after the Civil War when the city's economy began to gel into a successful regional mercantile center.

As merchants flourished, they moved out of their living quarters above the downtown shops and built impressive homes on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Question on the 'Level'

Speaking of geography, last week's Sunday Carroll Eagle trivia question asked: "In what Maryland county was White's Level, patented in 1733, initially situated?" The answer? Prince George's County.

No, the land didn't move, but boundaries did. Prince George's once extended to points north, but Frederick County was carved out of it in 1748 ... and later Carroll.

Harold Robertson, Vivian Laxton, Anna Walsh and Jamie Wehler all answered the trick question correctly. (Golly gee, since Laxton's family helped found Westminster she ought to know the answer!)

Local historian and genealogical expert Harold Robertson is the winner of last week's historic Sunday Carroll Eagle coffee mug.

For this week's question, we'll ask who were the two mayors of Westminster who served the community from 1916 until 1938?

Think you know? Drop me an e-mail at kdayhoff@carr.org with Sunday Carroll Eagle in the subject line, and thank you.

One last history note. Today is the anniversary of the best day in my life -- my wedding.

When he's not walking down the aisle, Kevin Dayhoff can be reached at kdayhoff@carr.org.

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