Soon after the opening of Lake Roland when the first locomotive entered the Roland Run Valley in the 1830s, the area known as Ruxton — named after Revolutionary War hero Nicholas Ruxton Moore — became a popular resort destination.
Majestic pastures and rural valleys once given names like “Hector’s Hopyard” and “Bosley’s Adventure” were the country estates of Baltimore’s most prominent families.
The area remains one of the city’s most prestigious addresses today.
“It was originally intended as a summer residence for people who lived in Bolton Hill,” said former resident Dr. David Knox.
Ruxtonite Karen Bisbee spoke about the turn-of-the-century marketing campaign targeted at wealthy Baltimoreans that promised an escape from the heat of the city.
“The ads stressed that it was 10 degrees cooler,” she said. “Topographically, Ruxton is at a higher elevation.”
Bisbee is moving from her stone manse on Brightside Road and building a new house next door. She lived around the corner before settling into the manse, built in 1880 by the Cromwell family. A baron of industry with a pedigree that dates back to the famous British leader, William Cromwell grew up “with a love for the country and all the manly sports and amusements.”
Bisbee is only the third owner in more than 120 years.
“That’s what Ruxton people do,” she said.
Families stay for generations, and there’s no reason to leave.
“Everything you need is a mile and a half away,” Bisbee said. “It’s village life at its best.”
Ruxton Station has a grocery store, pharmacy, liquor store, upscale women’s shoe store, lingerie shop, post office and even a Lilly Pulitzer store called the Pink Crab.
It’s an easy shot when either city or country pleasures beckon.
“You’re 11 minutes from the [Inner Harbor] and seven minutes from Hunt Valley,” she said.
Housing prices range from the $600,000s to well into the millions. Residences from cottages to mansions have various architectural styles, and the lots are big with plenty of space between houses.
“There’s a rural aura to it,” said Knox, who still belongs to L’Hirondelle Racquet Club, a permanent fixture of recreational life in Ruxton that began as a boating club.
The community is strong. The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Association has been successful in keeping the neighborhood tasteful and without intrusion.
“This is old Baltimore,” resident Chris Hutchins said.
The public schools serving the area — Riderwood Elementary School and Towson High School — are excellent. People move to Ruxton for the great schools.
“It’s a familiar, friendly, familial place,” Bisbee said. “It’s the epicenter of the Baltimore universe.”
