Oakland Mills Blacksmith House and Shop
The Oakland Mills Blacksmith House and Shop, also known as Felicity, is a historic property at 5471 Old Columbia Road in Oakland Mills, Maryland.

Buildings 
The Columbia Road was contracted on 6 January 1810 by the Maryland General Assembly to establish a toll road from Ellicott City to Georgetown. The property includes a 1.5-story wood-frame house, built c. 1820, a single-story blacksmithy, a smokehouse, and the remains of a spring house.  The buildings are set close to the south side of the road.  The house was built by the Ridgely family, who owned the original Oakland Mills flour mill complex that appeared on the Anne Arundel County tax list in 1798.  The wood stable was used to raise Percheron workhorses for local farms. Both the house and smithy are extremely well preserved; the smithy, which ceased operation in 1950, houses one complete forge and parts of a second.

Subsequent owners 
In 1878, Samuel F. Whipps (1831–1909) moved from his father William Whipps' house at "Rebecca's Lot" (now Whipps Family and Public Cemetery) to Felicity. He operated the Oakland Mills post office and blacksmith shop with his son William Whipps. Future Circuit Court Judge James A. Clark Sr. worked for a Mr. Whipps on-site in the late 1800s. The property was later purchased by a Mr. and Mrs. Frank Collins. Most recently the property has been purchased by Genevieve & Thomas Engleman, who reside there.

21st century 
The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. A 2001 book, "Roads to Howard's Past ", boasted about the Maryland Department of Transportation circumventing the historic properties, but by 2014 the historic register was changed to declare the property was not historic. County Executive Ken Ulman was part of the 2010 ground breaking for a road-widening project in front of the historic structures. The project to increase traffic capacity and develop extra density in downtown Columbia reduced the property size, relocated Old Columbia Pike, and installed sound walls.

Gallery

See also
Oakland Manor

References

External links
YouTube conference announcing road widening project in front of the historic Felicity House
, including photo from 2007, at Maryland Historical Trust

Blacksmith shops
Houses completed in 1820
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Maryland
Houses in Howard County, Maryland
National Register of Historic Places in Howard County, Maryland