In 1866, the Maryland State Normal School opened its doors in downtown Baltimore with the goal of training its 11 students to teach in the state's public school system. From then on, the school underwent dramatic transformations of name and program, eventually becoming Towson University in 1997. The collected images in this volume depict the 140 years of Towson University's growth, including the campus's architectural gems, such as Stephens Hall, built in 1915, and the university's students, faculty, staff, and alumni, who are the heart of the academic community. Towson University, Maryland's metropolitan university, is nationally recognized for its excellent programs in the arts and sciences, communications, business, health professions, education, fine arts, and computer science. The university attracts its diverse 17,600 students from 48 states and more than 100 countries, and offers more than 100 degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences and the applied professional fields. Towson University commemorates the school's 140th anniversary, celebrating a rich history and dynamic future.

Before the birth of our nation, brothers William and Thomas Towson forged a hamlet north of Baltimore on the trade route to York, Pennsylvania, at its junction with a Native American trail known as Joppa Road. In 1854, Towsontown was established as the county seat by popular vote, and the cornerstone of the Baltimore County Courthouse was laid.

Before the birth of our nation, brothers William and Thomas Towson forged a hamlet north of Baltimore on the trade route to York, Pennsylvania, at its junction with a Native American trail known as Joppa Road. In 1854, Towsontown was established as the county seat by popular vote, and the cornerstone of the Baltimore County Courthouse was laid.

Before there were beltways and byways, there were fields and farms. Towson was situated on an increasingly busy route used by farmers, travelers, and merchants heading to the port of Baltimore. The community's idyllic setting began to change when, in 1854, the local populace voted Towson the new seat of Baltimore County. The neighboring communities of Ruxton and Lutherville once consisted mainly of farmland but also became popular summer retreats. Both areas have since made the shift from vacation spot to suburb, but many of the charming, historic houses found there capture the spirit of an earlier time and have been preserved for posterity. With images culled from such sources as the Baltimore County Historical Society, the Baltimore County Public Library, the archives of Towson University and Goucher College, as well as the cherished albums of local residents, this pictorial retrospective documents the people and places, events and organizations that have helped to shape these three vital communities.