Sykesville:

Sykesville was first settled by Henry Shaffer in 1858. Therefore, the town was originally named Shaffer Town. The Sykes family moved into the area in 1864. Their son Jacob built a lumber mill which was the first industry. In the early 1900's the name changed from Shaffer Town to Sykesville. Legend gives two reasons for the name change. 1) passengers on the trolley would state, "We're staying at Sykes tonight" referring to the Sykes Hotel or 2) Jacoab Sykes agreed to donate land for the railroad if they would name the station Sykesville in honor of him.

The discovery of coal in Sykesville caused the town to prosper. Mining operations began in 1903. There were coke ovens and a processing plant on the southern edge of town. By 1920, the population had reached a high point at 2507, consisting of many nationalities including Lithuanians, Polish, Greeks, Slavs, Russians, and Italians.

Transportation to the area was provided by the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad as well as the Union Traction Company Trolleys. Several businesses thrived including a brick works, the Sykesville Post-Dispatch newspaper, the Hotel Sykes, a Nickelodian, a glass plant, and the Ideal Shirt Company which manufactures hunting clothing. Rt. 119 thru Sykesville was paved in about 1928 providing excellent access to the comunity. Sykesville was the site of the Jefferson County Fair for many years until it recently moved up near Brookville (and closer to Interstate 80). There is still a fair held in the fairgrounds every year.