What Should Happen to the Old Thistle Mill Site?

For some, writes Ellicott City Patch blogger Veronica Salisbury, the abandoned site of the old Thistle Mill is a “dangerous eyesore.”

For others, like herself, Salisbury said the site is a source of fascination.

“What will become of the site? It is not known yet, but there are many of us who are hopeful that perhaps the large piece of land might be sold to the State Dept. of the Environment to become a part of the Patapsco State Park system, a nice green space perhaps?” she writes. “[I] would hope that the property that overlooks the Patapsco River would not get into the hands of developers.”

The site Salisbury is referring to is the former Thistle Manufacturing Company, a site that is part of 62 acres at 201 River Road in Catonsville. Parts of its property are in both Howard and Baltimore counties.

The Thistle Manufacturing Company, beginning in 1820, originally wove cotton fabric for sails, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment.  In the 1920s, it was purchased by a paper product manufacturer. Paper manufacturing by Simkins Industry Inc. stopped in 2003 after a fire destroyed the mill, according to state officials.

It was been vacant ever since. Demolition of the old buildings there began in June.

State environment officials told the Baltimore Sun in June that Simkins is also expected to submit a plan to fix the soil in the area, which has evidence of contamination near the old mill and power plant buildings. 

What do you think should happen to the site? Tell us in comments.

To see Salisbury's full post and several photos of the abandoned mill, click here.

Interested in local history? Blog about it. Email Community Editor Lisa Rossi at lisa.rossi@patch.com to get started.