ates ▁from ▁which ▁the ▁town ▁would ▁be ▁formed . ▁Stre ets , ▁alle ys , ▁a ▁meeting house , ▁lots ▁for ▁small ▁business es , ▁and ▁ 1 0 0 ▁lots ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁homes ▁were ▁laid ▁out . ▁Ear liest ▁plans ▁showed ▁the ▁town ▁being ▁laid ▁out ▁in ▁a ▁grid ▁pattern ▁with ▁an ▁L ▁shape . ▁In ▁ 1 7 1 8 ▁residents ▁asked ▁the ▁county ▁government ' s ▁general ▁assembly , ▁then ▁based ▁in ▁Charles ▁Town , ▁via ▁pet ition ▁to ▁move ▁the ▁county ▁seat ▁to ▁Upper ▁Mar l bor o . ▁The ▁county ▁seat ▁has ▁been ▁there ▁since ▁that ▁time . ▁ ▁Res idents ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁were ▁not ▁happy ▁with ▁Green field ' s ▁initial ▁layout ▁and ▁pet ition ed ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁town ▁re pl atted . ▁In ▁ 1 7 4 4 , ▁the ▁new ▁survey ▁was ▁approved ▁and ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁new ▁name , ▁Upper ▁Mar l borough . ▁Upper ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁distinguish ▁the ▁town ▁from ▁the ▁community ▁of ▁Mar l bor o ▁( now ▁known ▁as ▁Lower ▁Mar l bor o ) ▁in ▁Cal vert ▁County . ▁ ▁Early ▁in ▁its ▁life , ▁when ▁the ▁western ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Pat ux ent ▁River ▁was ▁still ▁navig able , ▁the ▁town ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁port ▁town ▁for ▁to b acco ▁ships . ▁The ▁town ▁bl oss omed ▁into ▁an ▁agricult ural , ▁social , ▁and ▁political ▁hot ▁spot . ▁Far ms , ▁many ▁of ▁which ▁raised ▁to b acco