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Before there were beltways and byways, there were fields and farms. Towson was situated on an increasingly busy route used by farmers, travelers, and merchants heading to the port of Baltimore. The community's idyllic setting began to change when, in 1854, the local populace voted Towson the new seat of Baltimore County. The neighboring communities of Ruxton and Lutherville once consisted mainly of farmland but also became popular summer retreats. Both areas have since made the shift from vacation spot to suburb, but many of the charming, historic houses found there capture the spirit of an earlier time and have been preserved for posterity. With images culled from such sources as the Baltimore County Historical Society, the Baltimore County Public Library, the archives of Towson University and Goucher College, as well as the cherished albums of local residents, this pictorial retrospective documents the people and places, events and organizations that have helped to shape these three vital communities.