Mount Airy, Railroad town in Mount Airy, Maryland.
Mount Airy is a town spanning Carroll and Frederick Counties in Maryland, located along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad route. The settlement sits at an elevation of about 238 meters on Parr's Ridge, where a major railroad tunnel built in 1895 passes beneath the ridge.
The settlement emerged in the 1830s with houses and stores along Parr's Ridge, named after an Irish railroad worker troubled by the harsh winds. The location became an important point along this early rail route.
Pine Grove Chapel, constructed in 1846 as Ridge Presbyterian Church, served both religious services and education needs through its basement school for twenty years.
The tunnel area beneath Parr's Ridge is a notable sight, but access is limited since the railroad remains active. Visitors can explore the town and observe historic buildings to understand the early settlement pattern along this rail route.
During the Civil War, residents held southern sympathies while Maryland remained with the Union, leading to deployment of a New Jersey regiment nearby. Pine Grove Chapel became a focal point during this divided period and remains a symbol of those conflicting loyalties.
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