▁house , ▁designed ▁by ▁E . ▁Francis ▁Bald win , ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁The ▁station ▁is ▁now ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁museum . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁rail road ' s ▁inaug ural ▁trip ▁from ▁Baltimore ▁to ▁El lic ott ' s ▁M ills ▁has ▁held ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 8 3 0 , ▁with ▁horse - dra wn ▁rail ▁cars . ▁Reg ular ▁passenger ▁service ▁began ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁B & O ▁demonstrated ▁its ▁first ▁locomot ive , ▁the ▁Tom ▁Th umb , ▁at ▁El lic ott ' s ▁M ills ▁in ▁a ▁famous ▁race ▁against ▁a ▁horse ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 0 . ▁The ▁rail road ▁began ▁using ▁locomot ives ▁for ▁passenger ▁trains ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁station ▁is ▁the ▁termin us ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁B & O ▁rail road , ▁which ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁re - est ab lish ▁Baltimore ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁termin us ▁of ▁in land ▁commerce ▁after ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁Er ie ▁Canal . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁meant ▁to ▁help ▁the ▁city ▁comp ete ▁against ▁regional ▁rival ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁where ▁construction ▁was ▁starting ▁on ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Canal . ▁ ▁From ▁El lic ott ' s ▁M ills ▁the ▁tracks ▁reached ▁Har pers ▁Fer ry , ▁West ▁Virginia , ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 4 , ▁C umber land , ▁Maryland ▁( the ▁event ual ▁termin us ▁of ▁the ▁C