MARYLAND WEATHER SERVICE 317 



section of the Province were so favorable that Cecil County was 

 erected in 1674, lying between the Susquehanna and the Chester 

 Rivers. The settlements along the Delaware, especially Phildelphia, 

 gave impetus to the construction of roads in the north-eastern sec- 

 tion of the Colony not present elsewhere, and this was also in the 

 route of the north and south travel, from south of the Potomac to 

 New York, or beyond.* 



Roads. — The actual development of roads to facilitate the trans- 

 portation of agricultural produce, which is of chief interest to us, 

 did not begin until the country to the west of the Coastal Zone be- 

 came sufficiently well occupied to receive consideration by the County 

 Courts. Thus in 1712, under the authority of the Court of Prince 

 George's County, a road was opened between the Eastern Branch 

 of the Potomac and the country near the head of Rock Creek; that 

 is, across the region lying to the northeast of the District of Colum- 

 bia, and included now in the adjacent portions of Prince George's 

 and Montgomery counties. This was part of the route used by the 

 German settlers entering the Monocacy Valley, via Annapolis, pass- 

 ing south of Parrs Ridge to Frederick. From this part of the Col- 

 ony there were connections with the adjacent parts of Pennsylvania 

 along several routes, the most important one being the Monocacy 

 Road. This ran northward to Philadelphia by way of Lancaster, 

 and extended southward into the Virginias, crossing the Potomac 

 near Williamsport at the mouth of the Conocheague Creek. By this 

 road the settlement of the Monocacy Valley was stimulated. As a 

 result of the comparative ease of communication, together with the 

 genei'ally favorable farming conditions, the town of Frederick was 

 laid out in 1745, the first house having been erected in 1735. The 

 next step of importance to the agriculturist was the opening or lay- 

 ing out of routes between Frederick and Annapolis, and to Balti- 

 more; and also one to Georgetown on the Potomac, important as 

 being at the head of navigation of that stream. 



The establishment of settlers, and the accompanying growth of 

 towns in the interior sections of the Colony made the gradual ex- 

 tension of the routes a necessity and this later growth of existing 



*Por a detailed discussion of the roads of the State see Maryland Geological 

 Survey, vol. iii, 1899, 109 et seq. 



