Carroll County, Maryland#Commissioners

Prior to European colonization, the land that now makes up Carroll County was inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years. Numerous Native American archaeological sites and archeological artifacts have been located across the county. Native Americans used the land for permanent settlements, seasonal visits and journeys, and as hunting grounds.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/cct-arc-26e670f3-0997-525d-8a56-78c4b95e8fbb-20120812-story.html |title=Carroll's Yesteryears: Native American tools found all over Carroll |date=August 12, 2012 |publisher=Baltimore Sun |access-date=August 24, 2019}}

At the time of European colonization, the Susquehannock and the Lenape were the predominant indigenous nations in the area. They spoke Iroquoian and Algonquian languages, respectively. Present-day Manchester, which was inhabited by the Susquehannock nation until around 1750, was where the two important Native American trails intersected.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/cctnews-town-tidbits-manchester-20161011-story.html |title=Town Tidbits: Manchester |date=October 11, 2016 |publisher=Baltimore Sun |access-date=August 24, 2019}}{{cite book| last=Sarah Trump, Adda L. Trump, Kathryn L, Riley| title=Two Hundred Fortieth Anniversary of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church| year=2000| page=31}}{{cite web| last=Ashcraft| first=Mary Ann| title=Manchester a Strategic Travel Location| date=March 23, 2009| url=http://www.carrollcounty.com/articles/2009/02/23/features/in_focus/columns/carroll_yesteryears/yester955.txt| access-date=August 24, 2019}} An ancient trail that was used by Algonquian and Iroquois nations, named the "Patapsco-Conewago (Hanover) Road" by colonists, stretched from the Susquehanna River to the Potomac River.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/lifestyles/ph-cc-carroll-living-hampstead-20170621-story.html |title=Hampstead: Main Street community continues its evolution |date=June 21, 2017 |publisher=Baltimore Sun| access-date=August 24, 2019}} Main Street in Westminster was built on a portion of the trail between the two rivers.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/lifestyles/ph-cc-carroll-living-manchester-20170621-story.html |title=Manchester: Home to the first church building in Carroll |date=June 21, 2017 |publisher=Baltimore Sun |access-date=August 24, 2019}}

By the end of the 18th century, most roads in Carroll County followed trails that had been established by Native Americans.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/opinion/cc-lt-yesteryears-060919-story.html |title=Carroll Yesteryears: Roadwork requires relocation of historic milestone |date=June 7, 2019 |publisher=Baltimore Sun |access-date=August 24, 2019}}

Maryland Route 26 (Liberty Road) was built over what was originally a Native American trail, which passed through the Freedom area of southern Carroll County and was used by Native Americans to travel from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Chesapeake Bay. The trail was developed as a road and renamed "Liberty" by an act of the Maryland General Assembly in the early 1800s.{{cite web|url=https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/Carroll/CARR-167.pdf |title=Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church |publisher=Maryland Historical Trust |access-date=August 24, 2019}} The land of what is now Sykesville was used by the Susquehannock and the Lenape as hunting grounds.{{cite web |url=https://www.sykesvillemainstreet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/SykesvilleWalkingTour001.pdf |title=Small Town with a Big History |publisher=Downtown Sykesville Connection |access-date=August 24, 2019 |archive-date=September 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920074640/https://www.sykesvillemainstreet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/SykesvilleWalkingTour001.pdf |url-status=dead }}

Taneytown was inhabited by the Tuscarora people during the early to mid-1700s. The Tuscarora, also Iroquoian speakers, hunted deer, wolves, wildcats, and otters in the woodlands of what is now Taneytown.

Due to the Six Nations land cessions, the Tuscarora were expelled westward by European Americans across the South Mountain of the Cumberland Valley.{{cite web|url=http://www.taneytown.org/residents/taneytowns_history/index.php |title=Taneytown's History |access-date=August 24, 2019}}

Carroll County was created in 1837{{cite web |url=http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/default.asp |title=Carroll County Government |publisher=Carroll County Government |access-date=September 25, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928034217/http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/default.asp |archive-date=September 28, 2012 }} from parts of Baltimore and Frederick Counties. The county was named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, who was one of 56 delegates to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia who unanimously signed the United States Declaration of Independence.{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n69 70]}}

The earliest European settlers in Carroll County were predominantly Pennsylvania Dutch from southeast Pennsylvania and English from the Tidewater region of Maryland.{{cite web|url=http://www.mycarroll.com/history.htm |title=History |publisher=My Carroll |access-date=March 19, 2019}} German was the predominant language of Carroll County until the Civil War. German was most heavily spoken in the northern and western parts of the county. The towns of Hampstead, Manchester, and Taneytown had German majorities. English-speakers were a minority and were concentrated in southern Carroll.{{cite news |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/ph-ce-eagle-archive-1021-20121020-story.html |title=Eagle Archive: Strictly speaking, Carroll's predominant language was once German |newspaper=Baltimore Sun |access-date=March 19, 2019 |archive-date=April 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415142315/https://www.baltimoresun.com/ph-ce-eagle-archive-1021-20121020-story.html |url-status=dead }}

During the American Civil War, the population of Carroll County was sharply divided between supporters of the Union and the Confederacy.{{cite book|last=Fields|first=Barbara|author-link=Barbara J. Fields |title=Slavery and Freedom on Middle Ground|year=1985|publisher=Yale Historical Publications|location=Binghamton, New York|isbn=0300023405|pages=11–13}} In 1863, there were significant troop movements through the county as part of the Gettysburg campaign. On June 29, 1863, the cavalry skirmish known as Corbit's Charge was fought in the streets of Westminster, when two companies of Delaware cavalry attacked a much larger Confederate force under General J. E. B. Stuart.

During the 1970s, Carroll County was a stronghold of the Ku Klux Klan and the Klan regularly held rallies and cross-burnings.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1977/04/20/concern-spreads-as-cross-burning-grows-in-county/35b579cf-a502-4b43-ab90-bcbf3f7b4004/ |title=Concern Spreads As Cross-Burning Grows in County |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=March 19, 2019}} The KKK held rallies and handed out leaflets on Main Street in Westminster and in Manchester until the late 1980s.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/10/05/us/editors-at-school-give-klan-photos-to-county.html |title=Editors at School Give Klan Photos to County |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 5, 1987 |access-date=March 19, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-obama-community/white-community-adapts-to-obama-reality-idUSTRE4AH8BI20081119 |title=White community adapts to Obama reality |work=Reuters |access-date=March 19, 2019}}

In 2012, two minors were charged for a cross-burning in Westminster.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Two-Minors-Charged-in-Westminster-Cross-Burning-184684351.html |title=Two Minors Charged in Westminster, Md. Cross Burning |date=December 24, 2012 |publisher=WRC-TV |access-date=March 19, 2019}} In 2018, the KKK distributed fliers in southern Carroll County.{{cite web|url=https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/kkk-fliers-found-sunday-in-carroll-county |title=KKK fliers found Sunday in Carroll County |date=November 19, 2018 |publisher=Fox 45 News |access-date=March 19, 2019}}

In 2013, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners voted to make English the official language of the county.{{cite news |first =Fredrick |last =Kunkle |url =https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/carroll-county-makes-english-official-language/2013/01/24/9d79be4a-6659-11e2-9e1b-07db1d2ccd5b_story.html |title =Carroll County makes English the official language |newspaper =The Washington Post |date =January 24, 2013 |access-date =January 30, 2013 |archive-date =February 17, 2013 |archive-url =https://archive.today/20130217003445/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-24/local/36521106_1_official-language-carroll-county-county-seat |url-status =live }} In 2018, the Carroll County Public Schools announced that Confederate flags and Nazi swastikas would be banned from Carroll County schools, along with Ku Klux Klan and Aryan Nation symbolism and other messages that promote hatred or intolerance.{{cite news|url=http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/education/cc-boe-confederate-flag-talk-continues-20180213-story.html# |title=Carroll County Public Schools to ban Confederate flags, swastikas in schools |newspaper=Carrollcountytimes.com |publisher=Carroll County Times |access-date=August 25, 2018 |last1=Chappell |first1=Emily }}

File:CarrollCountyMD.jpg

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|453|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|448|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.1|sqmi}} (1.1%) is water.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_24.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913171515/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_24.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 13, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=September 12, 2014 |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files }}

Topographically, Carroll County is located within the Piedmont Plateau region, with characteristic upland terrain of rolling hills and deciduous forest. The most prominent relief is Parr's Ridge, which bisects the county from southwest to northeast. The highest point is an unnamed {{convert|1120|ft|m|adj=on}} hilltop a half-mile south of the Pennsylvania state line in the northeastern part of the county off Harvey Yingling Road.

Carroll County is bordered on the north by the Mason–Dixon line with Pennsylvania, and on the south by Howard County across the South Branch of the Patapsco River. About half of the eastern border, with Baltimore County, is formed by the North Branch of the Patapsco River and by Liberty Reservoir, though the northern half near Manchester and Hampstead is a land border. Carroll County is bordered on the west by Frederick County, across the Monocacy River and Sam's Creek. Other major streams in the county include Big Pipe Creek, Little Pipe Creek, and Double Pipe Creek, Bear Branch, and the headwaters of the Gunpowder Falls. The Piney Run Reservoir is in the southern part of the county.

Three railroad lines cross Carroll County. The old Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Old Main Line crosses the southern part of the county from east to west, with former stations in Sykesville and Mount Airy. The original Western Maryland Railway (WM) main line track runs southeast to northwest through Carrollton, Westminster, New Windsor, and Union Bridge. The old Baltimore and Hanover Railroad (later acquired by WM) runs further to the east through Hampstead, Millers, and Lineboro. Two of these railroad lines are now operated by CSX Transportation; the former WM main line is now operated by Maryland Midland Railway.

Carroll County has two water reservoirs at present, Liberty and Piney Run; the county has also proposed a Union Mills Reservoir and Gillis Falls Reservoir.

The county is divided by the January freezing isotherm into a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa.) The hardiness zones are 6b and 7a.

{{Weather box

|location = Westminster, Maryland (1981−2010 normals)

|single line = Y

|Jan high F = 41.3

|Feb high F = 44.9

|Mar high F = 54.2

|Apr high F = 66.1

|May high F = 75.2

|Jun high F = 84.0

|Jul high F = 87.6

|Aug high F = 85.3

|Sep high F = 78.4

|Oct high F = 67.6

|Nov high F = 56.0

|Dec high F = 43.9

|year high F= 65.4

|Jan low F = 22.9

|Feb low F = 24.2

|Mar low F = 30.4

|Apr low F = 40.4

|May low F = 49.4

|Jun low F = 58.8

|Jul low F = 63.3

|Aug low F = 61.4

|Sep low F = 54.9

|Oct low F = 43.6

|Nov low F = 34.6

|Dec low F = 26.2

|year low F= 42.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.88

|Feb precipitation inch = 2.49

|Mar precipitation inch = 3.59

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.50

|May precipitation inch = 4.15

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.92

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.32

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.72

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.28

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.64

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.27

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.64

|year precipitation inch=43.40

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 0

|Oct snow inch = 0

|Nov snow inch = 0.9

|Dec snow inch = 2.5

|Jan snow inch = 7.3

|Feb snow inch = 6.5

|Mar snow inch = 2.7

|Apr snow inch = 0.1

|May snow inch = 0

|Jun snow inch = 0

|year snow inch=20.0

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 8.4

|Feb precipitation days = 8.1

|Mar precipitation days = 9.9

|Apr precipitation days = 10.6

|May precipitation days = 11.9

|Jun precipitation days = 9.8

|Jul precipitation days = 8.8

|Aug precipitation days = 8.4

|Sep precipitation days = 7.8

|Oct precipitation days = 7.2

|Nov precipitation days = 8.9

|Dec precipitation days = 8.9

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jul snow days = 0

|Aug snow days = 0

|Sep snow days = 0

|Oct snow days = 0

|Nov snow days = 0.3

|Dec snow days = 1.1

|Jan snow days = 3.0

|Feb snow days = 1.9

|Mar snow days = 1.2

|Apr snow days = 0.1

|May snow days = 0

|Jun snow days = 0

|source 1 = NOAA

{{Cite FTP |url = ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/1981-2010/products/station/USC00189440.normals.txt

|server = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|url-status = dead

|title = Station Name: MD WESTMINSTER

|access-date = October 25, 2020}}

}}

• York County, Pennsylvania (northeast)
• Baltimore County (east)
• Howard County (south)
• Montgomery County (southwest)
• Frederick County (west)
• Adams County, Pennsylvania (northwest)

{{US Census population

|1840= 17242

|1850= 20617

|1860= 24533

|1870= 28619

|1880= 30992

|1890= 32376

|1900= 33860

|1910= 33934

|1920= 34245

|1930= 35978

|1940= 39054

|1950= 44907

|1960= 52785

|1970= 69006

|1980= 96356

|1990= 123372

|2000= 150897

|2010= 167134

|2020= 172891

|estyear=2023

|estimate=176639

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 3, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790–2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=January 24, 2022}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=September 12, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|archive-date=August 11, 2012}} 1900–1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/md190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 12, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031010914/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/md190090.txt|archive-date=October 31, 2014}}
1990–2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 12, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218203824/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|archive-date=December 18, 2014}} 2010 2020

}}

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 167,134 people, 59,786 households, and 45,163 families residing in the county.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US24013

|title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data

|access-date=January 22, 2016

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213014552/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US24013

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}} The population density was {{convert|373.4|PD/sqmi}}. There were 62,406 housing units at an average density of {{convert|139.4|/sqmi}}.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US24013

|access-date=January 22, 2016

|title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213233638/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US24013

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}} The racial makeup of the county was 92.9% white, 3.2% black or African American, 1.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 33.8% were German, 19.1% were Irish, 14.0% were English, 8.4% were American, 8.2% were Italian, 5.3% were Polish, 2.8% were French and 2.3% were Scottish.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US24013

|title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

|access-date=January 22, 2016

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213021523/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US24013

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}}

Of the 59,786 households, 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 24.5% were non-families, and 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.15. The median age was 41.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $81,621 and the median income for a family was $95,825. Males had a median income of $62,322 versus $46,170 for females. The per capita income for the county was $33,938. About 4.0% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web

|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US24013

|title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

|access-date=January 22, 2016

|publisher=United States Census Bureau

|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213034947/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US24013

|archive-date=February 13, 2020

|url-status=dead

}}

As of the census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 150,897 people, 52,503 households, and 41,109 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|336|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 54,260 housing units at an average density of {{convert|121|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 95.69% White, 2.28% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 0.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 30.5% were of German, 14.0% Irish, 11.1% United States or American, 10.7% English and 7.3% Italian ancestry.

There were 52,503 households, out of which 39.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.50% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.70% were non-families. 17.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.70% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $60,021, and the median income for a family was $66,430 (these figures had risen to $78,912 and $90,376 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $44,191 versus $30,599 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,829. About 2.70% of families and 3.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.00% of those under age 18 and 4.90% of those age 65 or over.

As of 2007, Carroll County was the tenth wealthiest county in the country in its population range of 65,000 to 250,000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/acs-09.pdf|title=Incomes, Earnings, and Poverty Data|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505163232/http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/acs-09.pdf|archive-date=May 5, 2010|access-date=December 7, 2017}}

As of the 2010 census the population was 167,134. The racial makeup was 91.20% Non-Hispanic whites, 3.19% blacks, 0.20% Native Americans, 1.45% Asians, 0.03% Pacific Islanders, 0.09% Non-Hispanics of some other race, 1.33% Non-Hispanics reporting two or more races and 2.61% Hispanics.

JoS. A. Bank Clothiers has its headquarters in an unincorporated area in the county, near Hampstead."[http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/ContentView?langId=-1&storeId=11001&catalogId=10050&contentKey=CAREER_OPPS Career Opportunities] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413201221/http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/ContentView?langId=-1&storeId=11001&catalogId=10050&contentKey=CAREER_OPPS |date=2010-04-13 }}." JoS. A. Bank Clothiers. Retrieved on May 15, 2010."[http://www.townofhampstead.us/downloads/zoning_0104.pdf Town of Hampstead Zoning Map] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118164942/http://www.townofhampstead.us/downloads/zoning_0104.pdf |date=2016-01-18 }}." Town of Hampstead. Retrieved on May 15, 2010.

Carroll County Public Schools is the largest employer in Carroll County.

According to the county's comprehensive annual financial reports, the top employers by number of employees in the county are the following. ("NR" indicates the employer was not ranked among the top ten employers that year.)

Carroll County differs from most counties in the Baltimore-Washington area in that it is strongly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has carried Carroll County since Lyndon Johnson's 1964 landslide, and even LBJ won by a mere 119 votes out of 16,783 cast in that election. No Democrat since then has even won 40% of the county's vote. Since World War I, the only other Democrat to carry Carroll County has been Franklin D. Roosevelt, who managed to achieve this only during his initial 1932 campaign. Before World War I Carroll County had considerable Confederate sympathy and hence leaned Democratic,Levine, Mark V.; ‘Standing Political Decisions and Critical Realignment: The Pattern of Maryland Politics, 1872-1948’; The Journal of Politics, volume 38, no. 2 (May 1976), pp. 292-325 although it did vote twice for William McKinley.

In the 2012 presidential election, 65 percent of the county's vote went for Republican candidate Mitt Romney. In Maryland's 2014 gubernatorial race, Carroll County voted for Republican Larry Hogan over Democrat Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown by sixty-six percentage points (82 to 16 percent).{{cite web|url=http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/electionboard/docs/electionresults/2014/2014-g-summ.pdf?v%3D20141114%26x%3D1435724617941 |title=Archived copy |access-date=July 1, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701093808/http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/electionboard/docs/electionresults/2014/2014-g-summ.pdf?v=20141114&x=1435724617941 |archive-date=July 1, 2015 }}

Carroll County is governed by five county commissioners, a "commission" being the traditional form of county government in Maryland.

Several times in the past, Carroll County voters have rejected charter amendments that would call for a government consisting of a County Executive and a County Council.

{{PresHead|place=Carroll County, Maryland|whig=no|source1={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 4, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|archive-date=March 23, 2018}}|source2={{cite web|url=http://geoelections.free.fr/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051118120032/http://geoelections.free.fr/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 18, 2005|access-date=January 13, 2021 |title=Géographie électorale, France et États-Unis }}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Republican|62,273|36,867|3,511|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|2020|Republican|60,218|36,456|3,653|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|2016|Republican|58,215|26,567|7,066|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|2012|Republican|56,761|27,939|2,836|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|2008|Republican|54,503|28,060|2,197|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|2004|Republican|55,275|22,974|1,100|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|41,742|20,146|2,139|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1996|Republican|30,316|17,122|5,559|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1992|Republican|28,405|15,447|11,078|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1988|Republican|31,224|12,368|155|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1984|Republican|27,230|8,898|71|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|19,859|10,393|2,688|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1976|Republican|15,661|9,940|0|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|16,847|4,408|553|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1968|Republican|11,888|4,658|3,085|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|8,332|8,451|0|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1960|Republican|11,445|5,763|0|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1956|Republican|11,749|4,423|0|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|11,563|4,934|25|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1948|Republican|8,003|4,226|104|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1944|Republican|8,999|4,483|0|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1940|Republican|8,300|5,833|45|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1936|Republican|7,383|6,496|78|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|5,732|6,482|92|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|8,644|3,731|44|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1924|Republican|5,301|4,616|346|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1920|Republican|5,784|4,273|68|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|3,602|4,016|156|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|2,546|3,616|1,054|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|3,406|3,641|170|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|3,357|3,527|143|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1900|Republican|4,103|4,022|215|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1896|Republican|4,047|3,841|252|Maryland}}

{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|3,328|3,721|225|Maryland}}

|}

In 2004, Carroll County voters approved legislation that expanded the number of County Commissioners from three to five. The five Commissioners are elected from five Commissioner districts, as opposed to three Commissioners elected at-large. The change occurred with the 2010 elections, since the Maryland General Assembly did not agree on the districts in time for the 2006 elections.

Commissioners elected in 2022—all Republican—were:{{cite news |last1=Greenfield |first1=Sherry |title=New Carroll Board of County Commissioners sworn into office Monday |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/news/cc-swearing-in-20221205-y46o4wtsanazva6hlfejtgkbze-story.html |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=December 5, 2022}}

• Joe Vigliotti, Commissioner, District 1
• Kenneth Kiler, Commissioner, District 2
• Tom Gordon III, Commissioner, District 3
• Michael R. Guerin, Commissioner, District 4
• Ed Rothstein, Commissioner, District 5, President

Supporting the commissioners is a cabinet, composed of the following departments:

{{cite web

|title=Cabinet

|publisher=Carroll County Government

|url=http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/commiss/cabinet.asp

|access-date=October 25, 2011 |url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101135508/http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/commiss/cabinet.asp

|archive-date=November 1, 2011 }}

• Administrative Services
• Citizen Services (Celene Steckel, Director)
• Comptroller (Rob Burk, Comptroller)
• County Attorney (Timothy C. Burke, County Attorney)
• Economic Development (Denise Beaver, Director)
• Fire & Emergency Medical Services (Michael Robinson, Director/Fire & EMS Chief)
• Land & Resource Management (Chris Heyn, Director)
• Management and Budget (Ted Zaleski, Director)
• Office of Public Safety Support Services (Scott R. Campbell, Administrator)
• Public Works (Jeffrey Castonguay, Director)

The current elected Sheriff is James T. DeWees.{{cite web

|publisher=Carroll County Government

|url=https://sheriff.carrollcountymd.gov/

|title=Sheriff James T. DeWees

|access-date=February 3, 2020

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203154258/https://sheriff.carrollcountymd.gov/

|archive-date=February 3, 2020

}} The longest served Carroll County sheriff was LeRoy Campbell.{{Cite web|last=Sun|first=Baltimore|title=H. LeRoy Campbell|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2007-01-07-0701070093-story.html|access-date=April 16, 2021|website=baltimoresun.com|date=January 7, 2007 |language=en-US}}

The current elected U.S. Representatives are Democrats Johnny Olszewski of the 2nd District and Sarah Elfreth of the 3rd District.

File:2019-05-20 12 17 52 View west along Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40 (Baltimore National Pike) at Exit 68 (Maryland State Route 27, Damascus, Mount Airy) in Mount Airy, Carroll County, Maryland.jpg

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• {{jct|state=MD|I|70|US|40}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|26}}
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• {{jct|state=MD|MD-Bus|30}}
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• {{jct|state=MD|MD|84}}
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• {{jct|state=MD|MD|91}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|97}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|140}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|194}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|407}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|482}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|496}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|808}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|832}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|833}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|852}}
• {{jct|state=MD|MD|854}}

{{div col end}}

Carroll County operates its own bus public transit system, known as the Carroll Transit System. After 40 years of service, the Carroll Area Transit System (CATS bus) ended its transportation services in the county at the end of July 2016. CATS was replaced by the Carroll Transit System, which is operated by Ride With Us. Carroll Transit Service offers five fixed-deviated routes that were previously operated by CATS, as well as demand-response, door-to-door service.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/news/ph-cc-cats-dissolved-20160822-story.html |title=CATS ends 40 years of transportation services in Carroll |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=August 22, 2016 |access-date=January 11, 2020}}

The Owings Mills station of the Baltimore Metro SubwayLink in nearby Owings Mills, Baltimore County, is a short drive by car from Carroll County and provides subway access to downtown Baltimore. Due to longstanding opposition to mass transit from local residents and politicians, there is no inter-county bus or rail transit linking Carroll County to nearby suburban communities of Baltimore County.{{cite web|url=https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/news/carroll-county-wants-nothing-to-do-with-mass-transit-system-that-could-connect-it-to-montgomery/ |title=Carroll County Wants Nothing to Do with Mass Transit System that Could Connect it to Montgomery |date=October 22, 2014 |publisher=Bethesda Magazine |access-date=January 14, 2020}} Due to a resolution passed by the Carroll County Board of Commissioners, the Carroll Transit System is prohibited from offering bus services into or out of the county.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll/news/ph-cc-mass-transit-resolution-20141020-story.html |title=Resolution shuns the implementation of a mass transit system |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=October 21, 2014 |access-date=January 14, 2020}} The Baltimore Sun editorial board has condemned Carroll County's "transit phobia" and excoriated the mass transit resolution as "thinly veiled racist provocation." The Baltimore City Paper declared the resolution "racist" and suggested adding toll booths for cars entering Baltimore County from Carroll County.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-carroll-20141029-story.html |title=Carroll's transit phobia |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=October 29, 2014 |access-date=January 14, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/citypaper/bcp-carroll-county-you-dont-want-our-public-transit-we-dont-want-your-cars-20141031-story.html |title=Hey Carroll County, you don't want our public transit? We don't want your cars |date=October 31, 2014 |publisher=Baltimore City Paper |access-date=January 14, 2020}}

The Carroll County Public Schools School system is the ninth largest school district in the state of Maryland.

McDaniel College, a small private liberal arts college, is located in Westminster.

Carroll Community College is a two-year community college serving the residents of Carroll County. It is located in Westminster, Maryland.

The newspaper of record is the Carroll County Times.

Carroll County has one AM radio station, WTTR, located in Westminster.

Law enforcement services for the county are provided by the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, Maryland State Police, as well as several municipalities having their own police forces. In addition to providing police services, the Sheriff's Office also acts as an agent of the courts: serving warrants, enforcing child support laws, ensuring courthouse security, transporting prisoners, etc. On October 4, 2007, the County Commissioners voted to create a police department for the county. The police department would handle primary law enforcement duties while the Sheriff's office would continue to act under the arm of the courts. This move would give the Commissioners power to appoint or fire the chief of police instead of having a popularly elected Sheriff being in charge of all law enforcement. This move falls in line with Maryland's more populated counties who have such a dual system of law enforcement (Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Prince George's, Howard and Baltimore Counties), as Carroll County has begun to have a population increase. Municipal departments, such as Westminster Police, would be unaffected by the change.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2007-10-10-0710100220-story.html|title=Improved pensions OK'd for Carroll sheriff's deputies|last=McCandlish|first=Laura|website=baltimoresun.com|language=en-US|access-date=February 7, 2019|archive-date=February 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124102/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2007-10-10-0710100220-story.html|url-status=dead}}

{{further|Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland}}

This county contains the following incorporated municipalities:

• Westminster (county seat)
• Taneytown

• Manchester
• Mount Airy (partly in Frederick County)
• New Windsor
• Union Bridge
• Hampstead
• Sykesville

• Eldersburg

{{div col|colwidth=12em}}

• Alesia
• Carrollton
• Carrolltowne
• Detour
• Finksburg
• Frizzelburg
• Gamber
• Gaither
• Greenmount
• Harney
• Henryton
• Jasontown
• Keymar
• Lineboro
• Linwood
• Marriottsville (partly in Howard County and Baltimore County)
• Mayberry
• Middleburg
• Millers
• Patapsco
• Pleasant Valley
• Silver Run
• Union Mills
• Uniontown
• Woodbine (partly in Howard County.)
• Woodstock (partly in Howard County.)

{{div col end}}

• Francis Scott Key, author of "The Star-Spangled Banner", was born at his family plantation of Terra Rubra, in what is now northwestern Carroll County
• Whittaker Chambers, former communist spy, testified against Alger Hiss
• Isaac Roop, first elected (provisional) governor of the newly proposed Nevada Territory; born in Carroll County
• Kyle Snyder, Olympic, World, NCAA wrestling champion
• Band Half Japanese was founded in Uniontown, Maryland by Jad and David Fair.

{{Portal|Maryland}}

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Carroll County, Maryland

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Carroll County, Maryland}}

• [http://usgenfiles.com/md/carroll Carroll County, Maryland Genealogy and History]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050625005412/http://ccgov.carr.org/ Carroll County Government]
• [http://www.carrollk12.org Carroll County Public Schools]
• [http://www.carrollcounty.com Carroll County Times]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20190707161750/http://www.carrollcountytoday.com/ Carroll County Today - Carroll County, MD News, Weather, More]
• [http://www.library.carr.org Carroll County Public Library]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927224912/http://www.maryland.com/civilwar.php/corbits2/Corbits%2BCharge%2BPage%2B1 Corbit's Charge]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100118065659/http://www.carrollcountybusinessdirectory.com/ Carroll County Business Directory]
• [http://www.city-data.com/county/Carroll_County-MD.html City-Data.com] Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Carroll County

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Carroll County

|North = {{Flagdeco|Pennsylvania|size=23px}} Adams County, Pennsylvania

|Northeast = {{Flagdeco|Pennsylvania|size=23px}} York County, Pennsylvania

|East = {{Flagicon image|Flag of Baltimore County, Maryland.svg|size=23px}} Baltimore County

|Southeast =

|South = {{Flagicon image|Flag of Howard County, Maryland (2025).svg|size=23px}} Howard County

|Southwest = {{Flagicon image|Flag of Montgomery County, Maryland.svg|size=23px}} Montgomery County

|West = {{Flagicon image|2023 flag of Frederick County, Maryland.svg|size=23px}} Frederick County

|Northwest = {{Flagdeco|Pennsylvania|size=23px}} Franklin County, Pennsylvania

}}

{{Carroll County, Maryland}}

{{BaltimoreMetroArea}}

{{Maryland}}

{{coord|39.57|-77.02|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MD_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1837 establishments in Maryland

Category:Populated places established in 1837

Category:Maryland counties