The town of Bel Air is the hub of Harford County and one of the most vital towns in the state of Maryland. Developed as the county seat in 1780, Bel Air began as an area of about seven blocks by two blocks with a courthouse directly in the center. Today, after tremendous growth, Main Street and the courthouse still lie at the heart of the town. From Bel Airs beginning to its incorporation in 1874 and through the 21st century, growth and change have presented challenges and opportunities for this storybook community.

Situated in southeastern Harford County and edged by the Chesapeake Bay and the Bush and Gunpowder Rivers, the U.S. Army bases known as Aberdeen Proving Ground, Edgewood Arsenal, and Fort Hoyle have
been home to ordnance, chemical, technology, and artillery commands. The photographs in this volume include scenes of the fertile farmlands of Aberdeen, Edgewood, and Michaelsville, and their transformation, which began in 1917, into the military base known today as Aberdeen Proving Ground, or APG. Views of daily life on base include the "Toonerville" Trolley, a small-scale train that shuttled...