To undersand why I love Harford County, Maryland so much, one would have to understand where I came from. I was born just outside of Philadelphia, lived most of my childhood in Delaware and most of my children's childhoods in upstate Pennsylvania (The Endless Mountain Region).
I moved to Maryland because my husband had roots in Maryland. Jobs were scarce in Pennsylvania. When the boys finished high school, we moved to the "land of plenty".
We decided to rent to get to know the area before we committed to purchase. The first area we moved to was Jarrettsville. I remember the name scared me. It sounded like a town I would find in the Ozarks. However, our backyard was almost an acre and over the fence was a horse farm I could view from my kitchen window. In the spring and fall, when the weather permitted open windows, You could hear the horses whinney from inside the house while eating your breakfast. I was in HEAVEN!
After a year and a half, we decided on a more modern house in Forest Hill. By October of 2006, I was getting quite comfortable with my surroundings and the culture shock had long worn off.
It didn't take me long to realize that you really could not find a better place to live. You are surrounded by rolling hills and farms no matter what part of Harford County you are in. You have upscale neighborhoods, you have first time home buyer neighborhoods, you have new homes and traditional.
You can drive to Bel Air and find everything you need from a good doctor to your choice of mattress stores. You have Walmart, Target and Macy's in one town! And if you want to see a change of shopping scenery, WhiteMarsh is 20 minutes away, Baltimore is 30 minutes away.
People in Harford County commute to APG (Aberdeen Proving Grounds), Bel Air and Abingdon, Baltimore and D.C. to work. Many commute using Light Rail and MARC trains to connect to the METRO. I have taken them many times to D.C. It's easy to plan a Saturday in D.C. using http://www.mtamaryland.com and http://www.wmata.com . It really takes a lot of stress off your trip.
If you would like to leave the metropolis behind and move in the other direction, try a drive through the hills of Monkton, Street, Whiteford. Get lost on some of those back roads that wind in and around Rocks State Park or Gunpowder. If you are into fox hunting country, the back end of Jarrettsville, Monkton and across the county border into Hunt Valley, Long Green Valley and Worthington Valley, home of baseball great Cal Ripken. Here you will see beautiful horse estates, white-fenced pastures and state of the art stables where the horses live in style.
Back home in Harford County, you too can live fit with any number of health and swim clubs that dot our county. We probably have more health clubs per capita than any other county in Maryland. (I could be off, but it sure seems like it).
We also hav the Ma and Pa trails, Anne's Playground which is a huge playground donated by the community of Fallston to commemorate a little girl who was killed by a drunk driver. This playground is in honor of her and other children who were taken too soon from their parents in tragedies. You can read more about this here http://www.anniesplayground.net/
We also have the Farm Fair every year at the Harford County Parks and Recreation, located on Tolgate Road in Bel Air, right next to the Harford Equestrian Center. This is a week of fun for everyone. If you own a business you can rent tables or tents and get to know some of your future customers. You can also just bring the kids, ride some animals and eat some great food.
Most important, I think, is the people I have met here in Harford County. After only being here five years, I feel like a native. People here are friendly, open and eager to help each other.
Anyone contemplating moving to Harford County will feel at home quickly. And if you are in need of a neighborly agent to make that happen for you, I know one!
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