Ijamsville

Ijamsville is an unincorporated community located 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Frederick, in Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The town was founded by Plummer Ijams, a descendant of Welsh immigrants, from whom the town took its name. The discovery of high-quality slate in the area led to the town's brief era as a mining town. In the mid-to-late 20th century, large quantities of land in the town were purchased by developers, and the town became primarily residential as a suburb of Frederick and D.C. Many small shops grew up towards the center of the town, catering to the needs of residents. The most notable of these was K. Williams's General Store, which housed the post office B&O ticketing office for over one hundred years before being finally demolished in May 2015. In May 1887, Ijam's Women's Missionary Society established a "Young People's Circle" which drew teenagers and young adults from the countryside into town that time. In 1874, the McComas family sold the Romas family home for $6,900 to the Riggs family (sold to the original Romas for $4,900 in 1874). The Romas' family moved to the area around 1874 and built a gristmill, a sawmill, and a stable. By the time that the town could boast a coppershop, carpenter's shop, wheelwright, stable, and boarding house, it had a population of around 2,000.

History

In 1785, a Maryland native named Plummer Ijams moved to Frederick County, having purchased a tract of land called the "Paradise Grant" from the government. His family was originally from Wales and emigrated to the Anne Arundel region sometime during the 17th century. Plummer Jr. built a gristmill along nearby Bush Creek (which stood until demolished in 1994) while John enlisted in the War of 1812 and rose to the rank of captain. On March 13, 1832, four horse-drawn railroad cars traveled through the town on their inaugural journey from Baltimore to Frederick. In May 1887, the Women's Home Missionary Society established a "Young People's Circle" which drew teenagers and young adults from the countryside into town. By that time, the town could boast a coppershop, carpenter's shop, wheelwright, stable, boardinghouse, shoemaker, milliner, and a sawmill. The building itself stood for over one hundred years before being finally demolished in 2015. The church building was rebuilt in 1890 after a fire, but one of the original buildings still standing today is the local school. The town's name was shortened to "Ijamsville" in 1832 after the U.S. Postal Service shortened the name of the community to that of the town's post office. In the early 20th century, the area became known for its slate quarries, which were used as roofing material throughout Frederick and even Washington, D.C.

Education

Frederick County Public Schools operates area schools. Schools with Ijamsville postal addresses include Oakdale Elementary School, Oakdale Middle School, Urbana Middle School and Windsor Knolls Middle School. Oakdale High School is also in the area, as is Urrana High School. The school district has a total enrollment of 6,000 students, according to the 2010-11 school year. The district also has a high school, which has a population of 2,000. The high school has a combined enrollment of 3,000, the 2011-12 school year report says. It is the largest high school in the county. The elementary school has 1,200 students, and the middle school has about 1,100. The middle school also has about 100 students, the report says, and it has an enrollment of 1,300. It's the largest school district in Frederick County, with a total population of 4,500, the school district says.