Fallston, Maryland Real Estate & Community Info
Fallston, located in Harford County, Maryland, was a small Quaker settlement originally known as White House. In 1848, the first post office was established in the location where Little Falls Friends Meeting House as moved in 1749 from Little Gunpowder. There are also tales that the name of the town came from the proximity of falls on the Little Gunpowder River. It was called Falls Town for a bit before becoming Fallston. By 1878, the small town had not grown much, no more than a country settlement with a few houses, three stores, two shoemaker shops and a blacksmith shop.
A schoolhouse was built by the Little Falls Friends in the early 1800s. The schoolhouse had an arched ceiling, something one of the teachers insisted upon so he could properly teach astronomy. A public school house was built in the village in 1873. In 1887, St. Mark’s Catholic church was established and the church built a school in 1914.
Fallston was the first stop on the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad as it left Baltimore County headed for York, Pennsylvania. Today, Fallston is a bedroom community for those who work in Baltimore City and County. On the 2000 census, there were 8,427 people living in Fallston with a median income of $84,296. Under two percent of the population of Fallston live below the poverty line.
At one time, Billy Ripken, brother of Cal Ripken, and a former Baltimore Orioles player, lived in Fallston as did Gerry Sandusky, Channel 11 News Sportscaster and Ravens radio broadcaster. Two Orioles broadcasters, Jim Hunter and Fred Mantra also lived in Fallston as did Melvin Mora, a retired professional baseball player.
Annie’s Playground
While leaving a circus in Baltimore, five-year old Annie Cumpston was struck and killed by a drunk driver while in a crosswalk with her parents. In an effort to create a positive from this tragedy, friends and family created the Annie Cumpston Playground Foundation. The group was given several acres of land on Edgely Grove Farm in Fallston and, after two years of fundraising, began construction on the largest playground on the East Coast in 2005. The playground has many unique features including a treehouse, amphitheater/outdoor classroom, puppet theater, dragon and elephant slides, baseball area and Memorial Garden. There are walking trails and picnic areas as well as a sports complex surrounding the playground. The Memorial Garden is paved with bricks placed in honor and memory of family or friends. There is also a pavilion that may be reserved and the park is open from dusk until dawn all year long. The playground is located at 864 Smith Lane, Fallston.
Veronica “Roni” Chenowith Center
Veronica “Roni” Chenowith represented the Fallston, Upper Crossroads and Emmorton areas on Harford County Council until she passed away from leukemia in 2009. In her honor, the town built the Veronica “Roni” Chenowith Center in her honor. The activity center opened in 2010 and quickly grew to more than 2,000 members. There are an average of 45 classes offered during various sessions throughout the year that range from fitness to Yoga to computers and digital photography. Members can also participate in bocce ball, pickleball, basketball, table tennis, carcs, bingo and other games available at the center. The center also hosts health education presentations, blood pressure screenings as well as music and cultural performances. The center is operated through a partnership between the Harford County Department of Community Services Office on Aging and the Department of Parks and Recreation.
Gunpowder Falls State Park
Gunpowder Falls State Park was founded in 1959 in an effort to protect the Gunpowder River as well as the Big and Little Gunpowder valleys. It is now one of Maryland’s largest state parks, taking up over 18,000 acres in Harford and Baltimore Counties. The park consists of tidal wetlands as well as steep, rugged slopes. There are more than 120 miles of trails, protected wildlands, historic sites, fishing and canoeing streams as well as a swimming beach and marina. Visitors can choose to stay in the Mill Pond Cottage and it is the perfect area for weddings or special events.
Housing Data
The estimated median household value in 2013 in Fallston was $367,144, up from $208,900 in 2000. That is higher than the median value for the rest of Maryland which is $280,200. Detached houses have a value of $440,229 while townhouses have a value of $304,907. The average rent in Fallston is $1,813 per month.
Schools in Fallston
Students in Fallston attend Harford County Schools. Elementary school students attend Youth’s Benefit Elementary School. More than 56 percent of the students at the school met math expectations while almost 20 percent exceeded math expectations in 2015. More than 63 percent of students met reading expectations while 15 percent exceeded reading expectations. Middle school students attend Fallston Middle School where 49 percent of students met math expectations while 13 percent exceeded math expectations. More than 48 percent of students at the school met reading expectations while almost 10 percent exceeded reading expectations. High school students attend Fallston High School. Over 23 percent of the students met math expectations while almost 50 percent met math expectations. Over 28 percent exceeded reading expectations at the school. The high school has a graduation rate of more than 95 percent and almost 88 percent of students attend institutes of higher learning after high school.
Most of the people who live in Fallston work in Baltimore County or City. They have a higher than average annual income which has helped increase the housing value in the area. The town is small, mostly residential, but offers several outlets for recreation and activity. It is very close to the Big Gunpowder River and all the amenities offered at Big Gunpowder State Park. If you are considering a move to Fallston, Maryland, contact Suzanne Burton to learn about the beautiful homes available throughout the Fallston region. Not only is it a wonderful town to visit, but it is also an excellent town to live in and raise a family.
