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HistoryBel Air, the county seat for Harford County Maryland; is the location of an abundance of history that will make for days of sightseeing. When first visiting downtown Bel Air, you will more than likely get the feeling of traveling to "hometown, America".The town was first laid out in 1780 by a fellow named Aquilla Scott. Mr. Scott used a portion of his plantation to lay out a community, and called it "Scott's Improvement Enlarged". The locals also knew this as "Scott's Old Fields". In 1782, the courthouse was planned and in 1784 towns name was changed to Belle Aire. The Hays House was built in 1788, and is named after Thomas Hays. Though the home was not built by the Hays, it was named the Hays house because the Hays family owned the property the longest. Belle Aire's name was changed yet again in 1798 to it's present day spelling of Bel Air. I am not sure exactly why this change took place, but assume that when most folks spelled the name, they spelled it Bel Air, so maybe they just decided to make it easy on everyone. The courthouse that was planned and built in the 1780's burned down in 1858 and the present courthouse was built on the same spot. |
| Bel Air Statistics Total Population: 10,080 (2000 Census) |
| Bel Air Government The government of Bel Air consists of 5 Commissioners elected by the citizens of Bel Air and a Town Administrator who serves at the pleasure of the Commissioners. Below is the Bel Air Commissioners with a link for emailing them if you desire to. Terence O. Hanley - Chairman of the Board - Elected in November 2003. David E. Carey - Elected in 1997 and again in 2001 to the Board Robert M. Preston - Elected to Board in 2002, Grandson to C. Milton Wright, past superintendant to Harford County School system. Joan M. Ward - Elected in 2003 To visit the Bel Air Government website: Bel Air Government
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