Pikesville Arsenal

 (1819-1879) - A U.S. Army arsenal established in 1819 in Pikesville, Baltimore County, Maryland. Abandoned as an arsenal in 1879.

History
The Pikesville arsenal was built in the outskirts of Baltimore along the Reisteratown road on a 15 acre track purchased in 1816. The arsenal was far enough away from the harbor to be safe from enemy fire and close enough to support the coastal forts. The arsenal building was completed and open for business in 1820.

During the first weeks of the U.S. Civil War the arsenal was briefly seized by local confederates known as the "Garrison Forest Rangers" until Union troops arrived to put down the seizure. At the outset of the war the commandant of the arsenal, Colonel Benjamin Huger, who was a South Carolina native, resigned his commission on 22 Apr 1861 and joined the Confederates.

The arsenal remained active until 1879 when it was offered to the State of Maryland who accepted it in 1880. The arsenal then became a home for needy Confederate veterans. By the 1930s the number of veterans was significantly reduced and the home and the property became a general purpose facility utilized by a number of groups. The buildings were later renovated by the state and are currently in use by the State Police.

Current Status
Pikesville, Baltimore County, Maryland

Sources:

Links:
 * North American Forts - Pikesville Aresnal
 * Wikipedia - Pikesville Arsenal
 * Marker
 * Maryland Historical Trust - Pikesville Arsenal