Ruxton, Baltimore County, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Ruxton and Riderwood are unincorporated areas in Baltimore County, Maryland
. They are sometimes considered a part of Towson
and are part of Towson's census area
.
The boundaries of Ruxton have been established largely by local custom. Both the eastern boundary, Charles Street
, and the western, Falls Road
, are generally agreed upon. The northern and southern boundaries are somewhat imprecise. To the northeast, Ruxton and neighboring Riderwood are bounded by the Baltimore Beltway (I-695); to the northwest, affiliation with Ruxton follows West Joppa Road
, the Old Court Road
extension alongside the Baltimore-Harrisburg Expressway (I-83), and finally Ruxton Road to the intersection with Falls. A southern boundary can be discerned by drawing a crude line from the southerly intersection of Bellona Avenue
and Charles to the intersection of West Lake Avenue and Falls.
, Guilford
and the Falls Road corridor. Many of the original estates still remain, though there have been many new homes built between them.
The St. John's Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1982.
In 1994, the movie Serial Mom
was filmed in Ruxton at the Church of the Good Shepherd, on Boyce Avenue.
In 2005, Australian actress Nicole Kidman
moved into Ruxton, renting a house in the
Four Winds neighborhood, on Boyce Avenue, as she filmed her movie The Invasion
in downtown Baltimore opposite Daniel Craig
.
with the Jones Falls Expressway (exit 12). The road begins as a physical continuation to Old Court Road (though an extension to Old Court exists following a left turn), and ends at Bellona Avenue
following a crossing over the track of the Light Rail
. There is no stop along the Light Rail at this point.
is visible, though there are no stops. A small number of apartments and historic shopping districts can be found along Bellona Avenue, though the remainder of the road is mostly undeveloped.
and Brightwood Nursing Home http://wikimapia.org/2224244/Brightwood_Nursing_Home.
When the Light Rail was initially proposed, stops were considered in the Ruxton and Riderwood areas, but these were fought by area residents http://www.city-data.com/forum/baltimore/114259-everything-relative.html. Since the light rail began operating, stops have been considered there at times, but never constructed.
, and Towson High School
, all Blue Ribbon Schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools
system. However, a large majority of Ruxton students attend area private schools such as St. Paul's School, Gilman School
, Roland Park Country School (RPCS), Friends School, McDonogh, Bryn Mawr School
and Garrison Forest School in Owings Mills.
is located in Ruxton.
Robert E. Lee Park stretches from Roland Park to Lutherville, covering a large area in and around Ruxton. The park provides a large, densely wooded area containing hiking trails, a stream, and Lake Roland.
Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
. They are sometimes considered a part of Towson
Towson, Maryland
Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 at the 2010 census...
and are part of Towson's census area
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
.
The boundaries of Ruxton have been established largely by local custom. Both the eastern boundary, Charles Street
Maryland Route 139
Maryland Route 139, known locally for most of its existence as North Charles Street, runs through Baltimore City and through the Towson area of Baltimore County. On the north end it terminates at a traffic circle with Bellona Avenue near Interstate 695 and at the south end it terminates in Federal...
, and the western, Falls Road
Maryland Route 25
Maryland Route 25 , locally known for nearly its entire length as Falls Road, is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. It begins north of downtown Baltimore, just north of Penn Station, and continues north through Baltimore County almost to the Pennsylvania state line...
, are generally agreed upon. The northern and southern boundaries are somewhat imprecise. To the northeast, Ruxton and neighboring Riderwood are bounded by the Baltimore Beltway (I-695); to the northwest, affiliation with Ruxton follows West Joppa Road
Joppa Road
Joppa Road is a road that runs across the northern suburbs of Baltimore, mostly parallel to the Baltimore Beltway. Joppa Road today is used by motorists as an alternative to congested I-695 traffic, which often causes the road to become congested itself....
, the Old Court Road
Old Court Road
Old Court Road is a major cross-county road in the central region of the U.S. state of Maryland, running east–west for approximately through Baltimore County, Maryland from just inside Howard County, Maryland at Woodstock on the Patapsco River to Maryland Route 25 near Towson...
extension alongside the Baltimore-Harrisburg Expressway (I-83), and finally Ruxton Road to the intersection with Falls. A southern boundary can be discerned by drawing a crude line from the southerly intersection of Bellona Avenue
Maryland Route 134
Maryland Route 134 is the state highway designation for a portion of Bellona Avenue in Baltimore City and County within the U.S. state of Maryland. Bellona Avenue begins at York Road in Baltimore City and passes through Rodgers Forge in Towson before it reaches Charles Street...
and Charles to the intersection of West Lake Avenue and Falls.
Brief History of Ruxton
Ruxton was once the location of the country estates of Baltimore's wealthy landed gentry. Though the area became suburbanized during the course of the twentieth century, Ruxton is still considered one of the premier neighborhoods in the Baltimore area, along with Roland Park, HomelandHomeland, Baltimore
Homeland is a neighborhood located in the northern part of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is bounded roughly by Melrose Avenue on the north, Bellona Avenue on the east, Homeland Avenue on the south, and Charles Street on the west....
, Guilford
Guilford, Baltimore
Guilford is a neighborhood located in the northern part of Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is bounded roughly by Coldspring Lane on the north, York Road/Greenmount Avenue on the east, convergence of St. Paul Street and Greenway Street at University Parkway on the south, and Charles Street...
and the Falls Road corridor. Many of the original estates still remain, though there have been many new homes built between them.
The St. John's Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1982.
In 1994, the movie Serial Mom
Serial Mom
Serial Mom is a 1994 American dark satire written and directed by John Waters, starring Kathleen Turner as the title character, Sam Waterston as her husband, and Ricki Lake and Matthew Lillard as her children. Despite statements to the contrary in the movie, the story is completely fictional...
was filmed in Ruxton at the Church of the Good Shepherd, on Boyce Avenue.
In 2005, Australian actress Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
moved into Ruxton, renting a house in the
Four Winds neighborhood, on Boyce Avenue, as she filmed her movie The Invasion
The Invasion
The Invasion was a professional wrestling storyline in the World Wrestling Federation that began shortly after the WWF's purchase of World Championship Wrestling...
in downtown Baltimore opposite Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig
Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert...
.
Ruxton Road
Ruxton Road is a 1½-mile road, bearing the name of the area, and is the main west-east road running through the area. The road is mostly lined with upscale housing, but also has an interchangeInterchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
with the Jones Falls Expressway (exit 12). The road begins as a physical continuation to Old Court Road (though an extension to Old Court exists following a left turn), and ends at Bellona Avenue
Maryland Route 134
Maryland Route 134 is the state highway designation for a portion of Bellona Avenue in Baltimore City and County within the U.S. state of Maryland. Bellona Avenue begins at York Road in Baltimore City and passes through Rodgers Forge in Towson before it reaches Charles Street...
following a crossing over the track of the Light Rail
Baltimore Light Rail
The Maryland Transit Administration Light Rail is a light rail system serving Baltimore, Maryland, United States, and the surrounding suburbs.In downtown Baltimore it uses city streets...
. There is no stop along the Light Rail at this point.
Bellona Avenue
Maryland Route 134, better known as Bellona Avenue is the main north-south road running through Ruxton and Riderwood. From the portion of Bellona Avenue through these communities, the track of the Light RailBaltimore Light Rail
The Maryland Transit Administration Light Rail is a light rail system serving Baltimore, Maryland, United States, and the surrounding suburbs.In downtown Baltimore it uses city streets...
is visible, though there are no stops. A small number of apartments and historic shopping districts can be found along Bellona Avenue, though the remainder of the road is mostly undeveloped.
West Joppa Road
West Joppa Road, a major cross-county artery, passes through Riderwood as it intersects with Bellona Avenue. The road is mostly lined with upscale housing. Joppa Road ends in the west at nearby Greenspring Station.Falls Road
Maryland Route 25, better known as Falls Road, forms part of the western boundary of these communities, leading to the Brooklandville area. Though the road has a mostly sparse appearance, a small number of landmarks are visible in this area, including The CloistersThe Cloisters
The Cloisters is a museum located in Fort Tryon Park, New York City. The building, which is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was reconstructed in the 1930s from the architectural elements of several European medieval abbeys...
and Brightwood Nursing Home http://wikimapia.org/2224244/Brightwood_Nursing_Home.
Charles Street
Maryland Route 139, better known as Charles Street, is said by many to form the eastern boundary of Ruxton. Several landmarks on this route, which intersects with I-695 in this area (exit 25), contain "Ruxton" in their name.Public Transportation
Prior to 1990, buses operated along Ruxton Road. However, bus service in the Ruxton area is presently very limited. Currently, bus Route M-10 operates on Falls Road on weekdays, though it is seldom used to reach this area. Route 11, which operates mostly along Charles Street, provides two daily trips along Bellona Avenue through Ruxton, though ridership in this area is very low, and it has sometimes been proposed for elimination.When the Light Rail was initially proposed, stops were considered in the Ruxton and Riderwood areas, but these were fought by area residents http://www.city-data.com/forum/baltimore/114259-everything-relative.html. Since the light rail began operating, stops have been considered there at times, but never constructed.
Schools
Ruxton is served by Riderwood Elementary School, Dumbarton Middle SchoolDumbarton Middle School
Dumbarton Middle School is a school located at 300 Dumbarton Road in the Rodgers Forge neighborhood of Towson, Maryland, just outside Baltimore. It is part of the Baltimore County Public Schools system.Dumbarton currently has almost 1000 students attending...
, and Towson High School
Towson High School
Towson High School is a high school in Baltimore County, Maryland, founded in 1873. The school's current stone structure was built in 1949. Located in the northern Baltimore suburb of Towson and serving the surrounding communities of Towson, Lutherville, and Ruxton, it is part of the Baltimore...
, all Blue Ribbon Schools in the Baltimore County Public Schools
Baltimore County Public Schools
Baltimore County Public Schools is the school district in charge of all public schools in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The nation's 25th largest school system as of 2005, it is managed by the Board of Education, headquartered in Towson. The Superintendent is Dr. Joe A...
system. However, a large majority of Ruxton students attend area private schools such as St. Paul's School, Gilman School
Gilman School
Gilman School is a private preparatory school for boys located in the Roland Park neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1897 as the Country School for Boys, it was the first country day school in the United States. Gilman enrolls approximately 978 students, ranging from kindergarten to...
, Roland Park Country School (RPCS), Friends School, McDonogh, Bryn Mawr School
Bryn Mawr School
The Bryn Mawr School is an independent, nonsectarian, college-preparatory school for girls from preschool through grade twelve. Founded in 1885, BMS is located in the Roland Park community of Baltimore, Maryland, USA at 109 W. Melrose Avenue, Baltimore MD 21210.-The Bryn Mawr School Community:In...
and Garrison Forest School in Owings Mills.
Recreation
The L'Hirondelle Country ClubL'Hirondelle Club
L’Hirondelle Club is a private social club located in Ruxton, Maryland, and is the oldest such club in the Baltimore region. It opened in 1872 as a boat club for rowing on nearby Lake Roland...
is located in Ruxton.
Robert E. Lee Park stretches from Roland Park to Lutherville, covering a large area in and around Ruxton. The park provides a large, densely wooded area containing hiking trails, a stream, and Lake Roland.