Half of Bowleys Quarters’ homes were built after 1982
More historic than 14% of U.S. towns · #204 of 261 in Maryland. What drives it
Most of Bowleys Quarters was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1982. Below: maps from 1893 on and the census since 1990.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bowleys Quarters is more historic than 14% of U.S. towns, #204 of 261 in Maryland. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
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HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bowleys Quarters’ overall grade.
Few Maryland towns list much on the Register (a typical Maryland town has 0.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bowleys Quarters’ 0.0 sits below most of its state (20% of Maryland towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±2.5 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: our sources. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Bowleys Quarters’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bowleys Quarters. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1893Gunpowder sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bowleys Quarters.
Places that used to be
Old corners
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Hamlets and corners on the map
Carroll IslandCarrollwoodCarrollwood ManorLong Beach EstatesMiami BeachSeneca Park
Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Bowleys Quarters was named for Daniel Bowley, a merchant and sea captain who owned some 2,000 acres (8.1 km2) around Baltimore in the mid-18th century. Bowleys Quarters was used to house his slaves. The area later became a game preserve for waterfowl and a place where presidents and others, including Babe Ruth, came to hunt ducks. The area eventually became known as a vacation spot, and many summer homes were built along the water. Many blue-collar workers were attracted during the industrial boom of the 1920s through the 1950s. Many worked at the nearby Glenn L. Martin company (now Lockheed Martin) and Bethlehem Steel. The community experienced an economic downturn with downsizing of the Martin facility and other area businesses, and Bowleys Quarters became a mix of middle-class homes juxtaposed with modern waterfront homes. Increased interest in waterfront property in the 1990s, combi…
Bowleys Quarters is more historic than 14% of U.S. towns, #204 of 261 in Maryland. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Bowleys Quarters?
4% of Bowleys Quarters’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.5 points), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1982.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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