Reisterstown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Baltimore and Carroll counties, Maryland, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 25,968.
Founded by German immigrant John Reister in 1758, Reisterstown is located to the northwest of Baltimore. Though it is older than the surrounding areas, it now serves primarily as a residential suburb of Baltimore. The center is designated the Reisterstown Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Also listed are the Montrose Mansion and Chapel and St. Michael's Church. The Maryland Defense Force is also headquartered at Camp Fretterd.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Reisterstown CDP occupies , all land.
The community stretches along Reisterstown Road (Maryland Route 140) and the Northwestern Expressway (Interstate 795) just north of Owings Mills. Its northern boundary lies near the junction of MD-140 and Hanover Pike (MD-30), which heads north towards Hampstead. MD-140 passes the northern end of I-795 and continues northwest as Westminster Pike, heading towards Finksburg and Westminster. The community of Glyndon is located adjacent to the northern portion of Reisterstown along Butler Road (MD-128), which connects Reisterstown with the Baltimore-Harrisburg Expressway (Interstate 83). To the east of Reisterstown is the community of Worthington, located around Greenspring Avenue and Park Heights Avenue (MD-129). To the west of Reisterstown is Liberty Reservoir.
History
Reister's Town
John Reister purchased a tract of land, which he called "Reister's Desire", along the Conewago Road on March 2, 1758. He built a tavern on the site, providing food, drink and lodging for travelers. Other businesses serving travelers soon followed, creating the settlement known as Reister's Town, and eventually Reisterstown. With the purchase in 1763 of another adjoining the original property, Reister began developing both sides of Conewago Road, later renamed Reisterstown Road.
The town raised money with a public subscription and replaced the log building with a brick school building in 1824, named Franklin Academy in honor of Benjamin Franklin. A cupola was added to the school in 1826. Franklin Academy became the first public high school in the county in 1874 and one of the earliest schools to join the Baltimore County school system.
The former Franklin Academy was converted into a public library in the early 1900s. It still stands beside the Reisterstown Community Cemetery, across the street from the present-day Franklin Middle School. Franklin Academy's cupola, known as the Franklin Bell, is in front of Franklin High School.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Reisterstown CDP, Maryland – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|15,976
|13,771
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10,076
|71.20%
|53.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |37.57%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|4,067
|7,455
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9,295
|18.13%
|28.71%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |34.65%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|42
|46
|style='background: #ffffe6; |44
|0.19%
|0.18%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.16%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|900
|1,623
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,112
|4.01%
|6.25%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.87%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|12
|16
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6
|0.05%
|0.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|48
|57
|style='background: #ffffe6; |168
|0.21%
|0.22%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.63%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|407
|678
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,227
|1.81%
|2.61%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.57%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|986
|2,322
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,894
|4.39%
|8.94%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.52%
|-
|Total
|22,438
|25,968
|style='background: #ffffe6; |26,822
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Reisterstown had a population of 26,822. The median age was 37.1 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 81.0 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 10,127 households in Reisterstown, of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 41.7% were married-couple households, 16.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
- The Bloomin' ArtsFest, at the Franklin Middle School grounds, held in May
- The Reisterstown Festival, at Hannah More Park, held in September
Music on Main Street
Every year the Reisterstown Main Street organizes free concerts on Friday nights through the late spring till early fall. All concerts are held at the Franklin Middle School (10 Cockeys Mill Road).
Reisterstown Farmers Market
The Reisterstown Farmers Market is held Sundays June 11 through October 29 from 9am – 1pm, rain or shine. Hosted outside Franklin Middle School at 120 Main Street, the Reisterstown Farmers Market focuses on local vendors with goods ranging from bread to produce, hand-crafted jewelry, and natural products. It is accessible from Main Street, with ample parking available at the middle school.
References
External links
- , including photo from 2006, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Photo of Franklin Middle School. Portfolio Historic Architecture. Rubeling & Associates.
- Reisterstown.com. Local Events Calendar; Shopping, Dining and Business Directory, maintained by the Reisterstown Improvement Association