PERRY HALL

Learn More About Perry Hall, Maryland

History/General Information

“Hundreds of years ago, northeastern Baltimore County was explored by nomadic Indians who came south from present-day Pennsylvania to hunt for game in the bountiful Chesapeake Bay region. These tribes were dominated by the terrifying Susquehannocks, who intimidated smaller Indian clans and held dominion over the area until Europeans settled Maryland in the Seventeenth Century. The Susquehannocks moved frequently through Perry Hall, using present-day Joppa Road as a trail to the west.

The Civil War accelerated the end of plantation life in the United States. The Perry Hall estate was sold in 1875 to Eli Slifer of Philadelphia, who divided the property into farms of various sizes and sold the lots to immigrant families, many of whom were from Germany. That is how the tiny village came to be known as ‘Germantown.’ These farmers raised ‘stoop crops’ like celery and carrots, and as the Twentieth Century opened, many families opened nurseries and flower shops.

The period after World War Two transformed Perry Hall from rural hamlet into a suburban community. Recognizing the inevitable surge in development, the Perry Hall Improvement Association was established in 1945 to lobby for the necessary infrastructure to support the community. Its most successful endeavor was the Northeast Library Association, formed to acquire a new public library in Perry Hall. That effort culminated in 1963, when the Perry Hall library was dedicated by Baltimore County Executive Spiro T. Agnew, Congressman Clarence Long, and dozens of local leaders.”

School System

“Perry Hall now has five elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school within its boundaries. Chapel Hill Elementary School was built in 1962, Gunpowder Elementary School opened in 1970, and Seven Oaks and Joppa View Elementary Schools were first used in the 1990 school year. There are also several private institutions, the largest of which is Perry Hall Christian School. At all of these places, strong PTA’s are the bedrock of a successful learning environment.

The ‘community school’ is making a comeback throughout the country. Leaders recognize that teachers, students, parents, businesses, and civic groups should be integrated within the learning process. Perry Hall, of course, has had that all along.”

Area Attractions 

From sports bars to playgrounds, BBQ to Indian food, you’ll find what you’re looking for in the Perry Hall area and in its surrounding cities. Farmer’s markets, bowling, and recreation centers can all be found here so that those who live in this part of Maryland can get the most out of their days without going far from home.