The owner of the Elkridge Furnace Inn made a radio appearance recently.

Dan Wecker, the executive chef and owner of the Elkridge Furnace Inn, spoke about the history of Elkridge on WAMU 88.5, the radio station for American University.

Every week, WAMU’s program Metro Connection runs a segment called “Door to Door,” when people from various parts of the Washington metro area call in to discuss the flavor of their neighborhoods.

Wecker, a chef by trade and resident of Elkridge for more than 20 years, delivered a brief history of the area.

Elkridge, which is the oldest settlement in Howard County and used to be a seaport, got its name because "this area used to be covered with herds of Elk," said Wecker.

Today, he added that there's still plenty of wildlife, noting that behind his restaurant on Furnace Avenue in Elkridge, he can see kingfishers and bald eagles and beaver.

But, he said, much has also changed.

"It really has grown up from something industrial to something a little more cosmopolitan," said Wecker. “The community has I think found a new sense of itself, and there’s a lot of pride in this community.”

Want more? Hear Wecker on WAMU for yourself.

How do you think Elkridge has changed over the years? Tell us in the comments!