731 Oklahoma Ave
731 Oklahoma Avenue, photograph taken 2025 by Gate House staff.
History
This interlocking tower today serves as a visitor's center and post office for the Town of Sykesville.
From 1910 until 1988, this structure served an active role on the B&O railway near Penn Station in Baltimore. Interlocking is a process in railroad management of signals that trains can only proceed if the route is proven safe. By 1910, this was done through a mechanical process controlled within the tower.
In the early 1990s, as the light rail of Baltimore developed, moving the tower was necessary. Although in poor condition, the City of Bowie made an effort to retain the historical structure by relocating the pieces.
In 1999, Matt Candland (Sykesville Town Manager at the time) and other train enthusiasts worked with Bowie to rescue and restore the pieces, which align somewhat in style with our historic train station.
The site has been open as a visitors center and post office since
For information about rentals and current use, see the Town of Syksville government-administered page for this location.
See the photos below to learn more!
Architectural Details
(Awaiting from SHDC)
1937
This cropped image from an aerial photograph by Curtis Flying Services shows the Maryland Milling and Supply company grounds. Various sheds and other outbuildings were here at times.
c. 1980
The Morrow Company's outbuildings occupied the space where the tower now sits.
c. 1995
The interlocking tower at its original site near Penn Station in Baltimore.
1999
Reconstruction of the Interlocking Tower at its present site in Sykesville.
1911 Sanborn Map
Excerpt of a map showing the track alignment and no structures at the interlocking tower site at the time. A High resolution of this full map is available at the Library of Congress through this link.
1924 Sanborn Map
Map showing a storage building (labeled "Grain and Feed Store") in 1924--the same structure seen in the 1980s image above. Copies of the pages of these maps can be found at the Maryland State Archives through this link.
Site Use
Research is ongoing to confirm the historical use of this property. If you see any errors or have additional information, please contact the Museum through the methods at the bottom of the page
Confirmed Use as of May 13, 2025:
pre-1924: the area between the Warfield track line and the Old Main Line of the B&O is used as a green for community gatherings
c. 1924:A different structure for housing Grain and Feed sits at this site. (1924 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map; https://mdhistory.msa.maryland.gov/msa_sc2907/scm/html/msa_scm2866-0355.html)
c.1980: The Morrow Company (see: 7560 Main Street) continues to use the original Grain and Feed building at this site.
1999: The interlocking Tower originally located near Penn Station is moved from its intermediary location in Bowie to this site and is reconstructed. (Town documents)
2000: Renovated Interlocking tower groundbreaking, March 24, 2000 (Carroll County Times, March 23, 2000, p. A9)
2002: the site opens as a contract Post Office Nov. 25, 2002. Sykesville had been without a local post office for two years. Jean Maher, Connie McKay, and Kathy Gambrill serve as the first town-employed postal clerks at this location. (Carroll County Times, Dec. 19, 2002, p. A1). Town meetings and occasional rental space is available at this time in the upstairs room.
(present) 2025: The site continues to be run by the Town of Sykesville as a Visitors Center Post Office, restroom area, and meeting room space.