Stone Chapel Road Spring, Westminster, Maryland

## Overview The Stone Chapel Road Spring is a long-established natural water source located at the intersection of Stone Chapel Road and Avondale Road in Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland. A concrete pump house and springhouse collect water from a reported five separate springs situated uphill and upstream of the discharge point. The spring has reportedly supplied a nearby farmhouse with water for over 90 years, making it one of the area's enduring rural water sources. Some of the water is diverted for use in the adjacent farmhouse, while the remainder flows freely out of a pipe — once ceramic, now rerouted — into a distinctive claw-footed bathtub that serves as a collection basin. According to a longtime local resident, Tom Harbold, the spring was his sole water source for nearly 19 years (through 2007), and he has described the water as excellent-tasting with no ill effects during that time. Visitors over the years have reported the water to be clean and good-tasting, and it has historically been used as a drinking water source by the surrounding community. As with any natural spring, water quality can vary due to environmental and seasonal factors, so individual experience may differ. ## Directions 1. Navigate to **Shelter Systems, Ltd** at **633 Stone Chapel Road, Westminster, MD 21157** — this business is directly across Stone Chapel Road from the spring and serves as the primary landmark. 2. The spring is located at the **intersection of Stone Chapel Road and Avondale Road**. 3. Standing at Shelter Systems, look across Stone Chapel Road — the springhouse and bathtub collection point are directly across the road. The spring shelter is also directly across Avondale Road from this intersection. 4. Behind the spring area, you may notice what was once a **Christmas tree nursery**, which can help confirm you're in the right spot. **GPS Coordinates:** 39.555672, -77.033394 *(Note: These coordinates correspond to the Shelter Systems building across the road; the spring is directly across from this location.)* ## What to Expect The spring is a roadside, publicly accessible water source with no formal infrastructure beyond the concrete springhouse and the bathtub basin. Water flows continuously from the pipe, and visitors can fill containers directly from the outflow. There are **no posted hours of operation or access restrictions** — the spring has been visited at all hours of the day and night. After dark, the lights from the Shelter Systems facility across the road illuminate the area well, making nighttime water collection practical. The setting is rural Carroll County farmland. The area is easy to reach by car and is right at the road intersection, so no hiking or trail access is required. Parking is informal along the roadside. The spring is a no-frills, community-style water source — don't expect signage, benches, or maintained facilities, but do expect a charming piece of Maryland's rural heritage that has quietly served locals for generations.