The charming and rustic Ellicott City, Maryland, made the news today for both positive
and calamitous reasons. The tragedy was the deadly derailment of a CSX freight train
in the heart of the historic area, where overturned cars spilled coal and crushed
automobiles in a public parking lot. The scene was described as “chaos.” Two individuals,
who police said were on the tracks when the derailment happened, were killed.
Maybe, then, this good news will comfort Ellicott City residents: Their town ranked
high on a list of the 100 best small cities in the US. Money magazine ranked
Ellicott City, and nearby Columbia, eighth. They are not alone among local towns that
got good marks. The others included Reston, Virginia (7); Centreville, Virginia (17);
Waldorf, Maryland (20), Gaithersburg, Maryland (23) Germantown, Maryland (24); and
Ashburn, Virginia (30). No area small cities made the second 50, though Arlington
and Dale City, Virginia, were numbers 45 and 46, respectively.
Ellicott City was founded in 1772. It makes a big deal out of its connection to the
railroad. One of its popular tourist attractions is the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
Museum, described as the oldest passenger train station in the US.
According to Money, the towns on the list represent what “American families care about most,” including
good jobs, schools, and health care, and low crime rates. The small city that came
in first was Carmel, Indiana.
Ellicott City Makes Headlines for Both Good and Bad News
A train derailment, plus kudos for its quality of life, make contrasting news for the Maryland suburb.
The charming and rustic Ellicott City, Maryland, made the news today for both positive
and calamitous reasons. The tragedy was the deadly derailment of a CSX freight train
in the heart of the historic area, where overturned cars spilled coal and crushed
automobiles in a public parking lot. The scene was described as “chaos.” Two individuals,
who police said were on the tracks when the derailment happened, were killed.
Maybe, then, this good news will comfort Ellicott City residents: Their town ranked
high on a list of the 100 best small cities in the US.
Money magazine ranked
Ellicott City, and nearby Columbia, eighth. They are not alone among local towns that
got good marks. The others included Reston, Virginia (7); Centreville, Virginia (17);
Waldorf, Maryland (20), Gaithersburg, Maryland (23) Germantown, Maryland (24); and
Ashburn, Virginia (30). No area small cities made the second 50, though Arlington
and Dale City, Virginia, were numbers 45 and 46, respectively.
Ellicott City was founded in 1772. It makes a big deal out of its connection to the
railroad. One of its popular tourist attractions is the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
Museum, described as the oldest passenger train station in the US.
According to
Money, the towns on the list represent what “American families care about most,” including
good jobs, schools, and health care, and low crime rates. The small city that came
in first was Carmel, Indiana.
Most Popular in News & Politics
What It Felt Like for a Virginia Marching Band to Win Metallica’s Contest
Meet the 2023 Washingtonians of the Year
What’s IN and OUT in DC Restaurant Trends for 2024
Introducing 8 of DC’s Most Stylish
Washingtonian Magazine
May 2024: Great Getaways
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
13 Major Concerts and Music Festivals in the DC Area This Spring
Mary Timony on Her Emotional New Album, “Untame the Tiger”
The Beatles in DC: A New Exhibit in Maryland Looks Back on Early Beatlemania
Northern Virginia High School Wins Metallica’s Marching Band Competition
More from News & Politics
Former Fiola GM Convicted of Murder Is Now in a Netflix Docuseries
These 5 DC Traffic Cams Are Issuing the Most Tickets Right Now
Farewell to Crystal City Underground, the DC Area’s Strangest Mall
Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People of 2024
Inside the Urgent Effort to Preserve Black Newspapers
Maryland Has Renamed an Invasive Fish. Will It Matter?
Meet the 2024 Washington Women in Journalism Award Winners
In the Doghouse: Kristi Noem and 5 Other Canine Political Scandals