INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE

FPVHG has participated in the development of interpretive signage within the Patapsco Heritage Greenway. In some cases, like with the signage for the National Road and the Civil War Trails programs, it was primarily in the coordination role needed to prevent duplication of effort. In other cases, FPVHG has taken an active role in creating text and locating pictures used for the signage. We worked very closely with the staff of the Patapsco Valley State Park and the Friends of the Patapsco State Park to create the signage for the historic sites in the Avalon section of the Park. At the present time signage has been emplaced along the Grist Mill Trail within the Park, the Catonsville library, the Old Post Office building in Ellicott City, the parking lot to the west of the historical section of Ellicott City and the Furnace Inn in Elkridge. Other interpretive signage is in various stages of development and funding.

HISTORICAL DISPLAY PANELS

One of the earliest projects FPVHG undertook was to develop material to help tell the story of the Valley. Working with GS Images, a Hagerstown company developing display panels for the National Park Service, ten possible themes were developed. Pictures and text were then incorporated into those themes. The completed display panels are currently located in two of the three Patapsco Heritage Greenway "gateway" communities. The first set is in the Avalon Visitor Center within the Patapsco Valley State Park representing the gateway community of Elkridge. The second set is in the Howard County Tourism Office in the Old Post Office Building representing the gateway community of Ellicott City. A third set is planned for the third gateway community of Catonsville. Pdf files with the text and pictures are provided below.

To see each interpretive sign, click on links below:
(Note: these are large pdf files)

• First Inhabitants - John Smith
• Colonial Settlements
• Ellicott's Mills
• Revolutionary War
• Maps
• Avalon Iron and Nail Works
• The B & O Railroad
• Bloede Dam
• Patapsco-Maryland's First State Park
• The Ages Play a Symphony of Sound

Sign panels were developed and prepared by GS Images - www.gsimages.com