In this view from the Baltimore County side, the OML can be seen over on the Howard County side of the Patapsco River. The crumbling remains of what was called Putney's Bridge mark where the Granite Spur split from the OML and immediately spanned the river. Downstream is to the left in this photo.

The bridge was named for either Putney & Swope or Putney & Riddle which was the company to operate the mine from about 1835 to about 1850. The company would change hands several times over the years, eventually ending operations in about 1925 while named the Guilford & Waltersville Granite Company.

In this view upstream, the bridge abutment on the Baltimore County side is similarly being eroded away by the river. The mound on the right is obviously of man made origin, and designed to match the height of the OML.

Because this spur was not built by the railroad, it was considered private. According to a B&O Station List from 1917, the Granite Spur had the largest car capacity of any private spur in the Maryland District. The table claims there was room for 762 cars, each 42 feet long. In fact, the 762 capacity is greater than that of ANY type of siding (private or B&O owned) in Maryland except for those at yards.

Here's the same mound as viewed looking downstream. This is what you'll encounter if you hike in about a mile from Woodstock via the horse trail that follows the north bank of the Patapsco.

Here's what you'll see if you hike up a bit from the bridge remains. It's a bit steep here for a railroad, but going uphill the trains were empty. They returned downhill with a heavy load of granite.

The disused right-of-way has the classic look: a shelf paralleling a small stream, and still limited tree growth. I don't know when the rails here were pulled up. My guess would be in the 1930s.

The steps of horses help keep the ROW cleared from plant overgrowth.

There's a certain irony to seeing these beasts follow an abandoned route of the "iron horse".

As we continue to hike further up the ROW, the shadows of a pair of trees echo the path of the steel rails that had once been here.

The spur is about to cross Davis Avenue (note the road fencing at upper left), but first spans a branch of the tiny stream which it has been following up from the Patapsco. This assortment of pipes was a crude, but quick way of building a bridge for the spur.

The spur crossed at the location of the fence at upper right, then curved left as it crossed Davis Avenue. This is almost half way to the quarry.

On the north side of Davis Avenue, the spur emerges from Patapsco State Park, and crosses into what now appears to be private property. Though it was not marked "No Trespassing" I decided to not hike further in, and encourage you to do similarly. Think about it: you probably would not be happy about a stream of strangers hiking through your back yard.

According to an old USGS map, about 3/4 mile from the prior photo, the spur snaked around and continued here at what has become Kemp Road, now a semi-private driveway.

Unlike the photos immediately above, this view looks backward down the spur.

Link to USGS map: 1906

Spin 180 degrees from the prior photo, and this is what you'll see.

As best as I can determine from the USGS maps, the spur followed what is now Melrose Avenue, then curved left ahead, probably shortly before the road rises in the distance. However, there was no obvious former ROW to the left along this stretch.

This marker sits at the northeast corner of Old Court Road and Sylvandell Avenue. According to the USGS maps, this location appears to be close to but slightly west of where the spur crossed Old Court Road.

The text reads as follows: "Granite National Historic District - Some of the finest granite on the North American continent was quarried in this area for over a century. The village of Granite was first named Waltersville after the Walters/Blunt family who founded the local quarrying industry circa 1820. The two largest quarries were Waltersville and Fox Rock. These and smaller quarries counted hundreds of stonecutters among their employees. One of the most important uses was for America's first railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio. This construction included the famous Thomas Viaduct, a vital link between Baltimore and Washington. The quality of this stone led to its use in such buildings as the Library of Congress, the inner walls of the Washington Monument, old Patent Office and the Baltimore Custom House. Local granite was the choice for foundations, gateposts, garden walls, cemetary monuments, churches and schools. Many homes, still seen nearby, housed the hardy workmen and their families forming a community proudly named for its most famous natural resource, granite. Granite was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. Erected by the Granite Historical Society - 1996."

Link to Granite Historical Society

Here, at what is now a private driveway, the Granite Spur crosses Old Court Road, which originally was an Indian trail. This location is a short distance east of the marker seen in the prior photo.

A little over 2 miles from where it began back at the Patapsco River, the spur reaches the quarry area. This is the view along the ROW looking from between the chain link fence gate seen in the prior photo. Quarrying activity ceased in the 1920s so the trees have had plenty of time to regrow.

Link to older pic: quarry ~1880