Community
Detour
Detour grew where creeks and rail transport met; its historic village and a county water-trail access point reveal that connection.
Detour’s name belongs to a compact village beside Double Pipe Creek. The Maryland Historical Trust’s district survey traces its beginnings to Joshua Delaplane’s mills in 1794. The railroad’s arrival in 1868 helped turn the settlement into a commercial center for surrounding farms, with buildings concentrated along Middleburg Road and near Circle Drive.
Reading the village’s history
The survey documents houses, a mill and other buildings that explain the relationship between water power, agriculture and transport. Its photographs and descriptions are useful for historical research. They do not establish public access to the individual properties or their present condition.
A creek access point with real constraints
Carroll County’s water-trail information explains how Big Pipe and Little Pipe creeks join at Detour to form Double Pipe Creek. Double Pipe Creek Park provides a designated launch, but its bank is steep and the access uses steps and a slide.
Review the county’s route notes before planning a paddle. They identify obstacles and a dam beneath a railroad trestle below Sams Creek that requires a portage. Choose a trip that fits conditions and your abilities, use designated access and respect private creekside property.