Community
Woodwardville
Woodwardville’s history follows a railroad station, a store and a changing post-office name. State and county history resources make the village’s buildings and street pattern easier to understand before a visit.
Read the village through its railroad
The Maryland Historical Trust’s district account connects Woodwardville’s growth with the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad, completed in 1872. The station was called Patuxent. A post office opened in Woodward’s store in 1875, linking the village’s commercial and railway histories. These details explain why a small settlement here developed around a particular set of buildings and routes.
Follow the names and buildings
The post office closed in 1927, and the Woodwardville name was restored in local use during the 1980s. The district record describes varied architecture, including Queen Anne houses, bungalows and American Foursquares. Use its historical photographs and building descriptions to understand the village over time. A historic designation does not make the houses or former commercial buildings public attractions.
Explore the county’s history resources
The county’s local-history page links to the Welcome to Historic Woodwardville booklet and a video from the preservation society. Those resources let readers study the streets and local stories before traveling. They also provide a better basis for a short history outing than assuming that a surviving building still performs its nineteenth-century role or accepts visitors inside.