Not too far away from the hustle and bustle of Charm City proper, rests a small town with little homes, converted mills, great antiques and a serious streak of bad luck.

Ellicott City, formerly Ellicott Mills, was established in 1771 (and still houses the operative Wilkins-Rogers Inc. Flour Company, which makes Washington brand cake and brownie mixes). Since then, it has provided residents and tourists with old-world hospitality and a strong sense of community. That is, when it's not on fire, under water or busy being a hotbed of paranormal activity.

The town was rebuilt after its most recent fire, on Nov. 9, 1999. Five businesses on Ellicott City's Main Street were destroyed by the six-alarm blaze, which started at Main Street Blues, a popular restaurant and local music venue. With charm and history, it seems, come bad wiring and buildings unable to support sprinkler systems.

The historic district has endured a number of fires. Arson was blamed for a fire in 1992 and a six-alarm blaze in ravaged the town in 1984. Only the town's frequent flooding rivals the destruction caused by these disasters.

Bridge over Tiber River: Like a child's growth chart, this bridge marks Ellicott City's many floods. (Sun photo by Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)

Situated along the Patapsco River, the town boasts a railroad bridge at the mouth of Main Street, the base of which is marked with lines reminiscent of a child's growth chart, chronicling the floods that have plagued the town since its inception. In addition to an 1868 flood that claimed close to 40 lives, Hurricane Agnes in 1972 left the town underwater and destroyed many of the remaining landmarks. The town's death count numbered 25; 15,000 residents had to be evacuated, and Ellicott City sustained $55 million in damage.

Despite these disasters, the community has thrived, and continues to attract tourists by catering to a broad range of tastes. The addition of body-piercing shops, hippie stores, inexpensive eateries and cozy coffeehouses has lured patrons of all ages and backgrounds.

In place of the now-only-a-memory Main Street Blues, Jordan's Steakhouse has opened. This upscale restaurant has a wide selection of appetizers, fish and poultry, but you didn't come here for that. Get the big hunk of meat and enjoy.

At the foot of Main Street, hipster haven Star Rocket offers the finest in body modification. If you're not in the mood to become perforated, Star Rocket has a wide range of jewelry and accessories, including nifty cigarette cases bedecked in fake fur and emblazoned with the image of late Baltimore cross-dresser Divine.

Mainstream on Main Street? There's a little something for everyone in this happening hub. (Sun photo by Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)

Need new threads? Main Street offers vast choices. My Papa's Garden is filled with soft, flowing, art-inspired clothing, crystal jewelry, candles and incense. Vintage clothing stores boast swingy dresses from the 1940s and not-so-P.C. fur stoles. A handful of hippie boutiques offer hemp jewelry, batik Indian-made clothing, Nag Champa incense and a glut of posters, T-shirts and buttons sporting thinly veiled marijuana references.

Also reopened since the fire is Discoveries, now located near the bottom of Main Street. Discoveries has glamorous vintage (and vintage-look) dresses and jewelry, as well as candles, glassware and trinkets that make great gifts. Picture frames, beaded lampshades and little handbags are sure to inject a little bit of va-va-voom into your life.

This historic burg is also the perfect spot for treasure hunting and antiquing. Main Street is home to several antique stores, including Caplan's Antique Mall, Maxine's Antiques and Collectibles and Cottage Antiques. Also, the Oella Flea Market and the Shops at Ellicott Mills are nearby. If you like to browse, check out these stores for old trinkets, furniture and collectibles. In addition to the authentic antique shops, the town has an abundance of country stores offering gingham-clad bunnies and bears, "home is where the heart is" signs and other crafty items.

Through the looking glass: In addition to antiques, Ellicott City shops boast a wide assortment of clothing, gifts and toys. (Sun photo by Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)

Main Street is now home to several art galleries, including the Sheppard Art Gallery and Margaret Smith Gallery and Framing. Both add an urban touch to this tiny town.

If it's great gift ideas you're after, Main Street has a hearty smattering of odd specialty shops. Annie's has handmade pottery and candles, and boasts wares made entirely by American artists (the owner says she wants all artisans to make a decent working wage). Handmade cards, flower arrangements and jewelry complete the store's art gallery-caliber offerings.

Great Panes Stained Glass has beautiful, functional artwork that you can have made, or learn to make yourself. Books and friendly salespeople abound to help you improve your windows.

Want to spice up your home with zany doorknobs or sexy stemware? Head to Su Casa. This store has a sister location in Fells Point, and you can find everything from beautiful furniture to novelty kitchenware, in a wide range of prices.

For the golf nut in your life, Mac Birdie has the answer to your stocking stuffing dilemmas. This store has everything for the golfer -- or, those who fancy themselves golfers but more often connect with the greens than with the ball.

For hard-to-find gifts, the Forget-Me-Not Factory is a multilevel hub of sensory overload. Offering everything from clothes and home decor to Christmas ornaments and disco balls, the store is a playground for young and old -- and deceased. If prompted, the help will spin tales of sightings of a little girl in a light blue dress, and a ghostly horse and carriage coming out of one (inside) wall of the building.

The owners called in a ghostbusting team a few years ago to inspect the former tavern, wayside house, opera house and Civil War-era provost marshal's office. They found nothing on the first three floors. However, the top floor set the team's detecting equipment in a tailspin. Digital pictures showed flashes of light (called "orbs"), and, although the room isn't wired for electricity or air conditioning, those involved felt a tangible blast of cold air rush past them. It was July. (According to the ghost catchers, this is normal when dealing with paranormal phenomena.)

In addition to serving up pastries, muffins, decadent cakes and endless java creations, the baristas at Bean Hollow Roastery and Espresso may regale you with stories of this former funeral home's inhabitants -- they're still there. A seven-foot space behind the counter is said to be a playground for Bean Hollow's resident specter, who likes to push utensils around on the counters.

This bud's for you: Beer awaits the inevitable trip to the tavern at Ellicott Mills Brewing Company. (Sun photo by Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)

If all these apparitions start to get to you, wash away the spine tingles by knocking back a few at one of the local pubs. Ellicott City has plenty of places to grab a pint. Ellicott Mills Brewing Company is located at the top of the hill, and the Phoenix Bar and Grill also can satiate your thirst and calm your nerves. La Palapa, located at the top of Main Street, offers live music and tasty Mexican grub. Cacao Lane is a sit-down eatery with a slightly more sophisticated (but still comfortable) atmosphere, offering cheap-to-moderately priced tasty food -- for impressing a date without going broke in the process.

Tersiguel's French Country Restaurant has an expansive menu of fresh, exotic fare. The restaurant features homegrown veggies and even cheese from Tersiguel's own goat dairy. Owners Fernand and Odette Tersiguel proved their commitment to the community by hosting a $100-a-plate dinner for those directly affected by the 1999 fire.

What if you're not in the mood for shopping, eating or drinking? The Howard County Council of Tourism attempts to give tourists the heebie-jeebies each weekend with the Haunting of Ellicott Mills ghost tours. Beginning in April with "Specters of Spring," the tours continue through November each Friday and Saturday night, with special tours for Halloween. The season tops off in December with the "Dickens of a Ghost Tour," which includes dinner and that twitchy-shuddery-look-behind-you feeling for all (for a small fee).

If you're not in the mood for the undead, head for the B & O Railroad Station Museum. This Maryland Avenue station holds the distinction of being the first and oldest commercial station in the United States.

Or, take a walk up Court Avenue, (once dubbed Mount Misery since the Howard County Courthouse was a cause of woe for many) and check out the stately courthouse (also supposedly haunted), the Emory Street Jail and The Patapsco Female Institute at the top of Church Street. Legend has it that young Anna VanDerLot died there from pneumonia (and quite possibly ennui) while waiting for her parents to retrieve her from the institute, which she hated. It should come as no surprise that her ghost still haunts the grounds, awaiting salvation.

Ghostly remains: The Patapsco Female Institute has been in ruins for 30 years. (Sun photo by Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)

The ruins of the institute became a popular hangout for high school kids as a properly eerie venue for scaring one another. An end was put to the mayhem and merriment when a fence was erected to preserve the remains of the building, which presently awaits restoration to transform it into an arboretum.

The one drawback of this sleepy little town -- at least for visitors -- is that it closes down at nightfall. With few exceptions, the shops close by 6 or 7 p.m. during the week. Despite the bad luck that's befallen the town over the years, it remains a favorite for both tourists and residents. Just as Californians refuse to leave earthquake-ridden homes, Ellicott City residents are proud of their town's proclivity for natural disasters.

Enalee Bounds, owner of Ellicott's Country Store since 1962, is active with the Historical Society and notes, "It's a very historical town." She acknowledges the town's frequent misfortune, citing several fires to her business and others, and an 1868 flood that washed away 30 people, but insists, "There's lots of good stuff, too."

This civic pride runs through the community. As sure as there will be another natural disaster, haunting or scorching, it's certain that the residents will band together to help Ellicott City remain a cozy historic district with a welcoming combination of shopping, eating and living.