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is a town in Carroll County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,197 at the 2000 census.
The land on which Sykesville sits started out as part of a 3000 acre Springfield Estate, owned by wealthy Baltimore shipbuilder William Patterson. In 1803, Patterson's daughter Elizabeth Patterson married Napoléon Bonaparte's brother Jérôme, but when she arrived in Europe as Jérôme's bride, Napoléon refused to let Betsy Patterson Bonaparte set foot on land. They both returned to Springfield Estate. Upon the death of William in 1824, his son George Patterson inherited the estate.
In 1825, George Patterson sold of Springfield Estate to his friend and business associate, James Sykes.
A tract of land on the Howard County side of the Patapsco River contained an old saw and grist mill. In 1830 Sykes replaced it with a newer Mill and constructed a five story stone hotel, to take care of railroad personnel and the tourist trade. In 1831 the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad extended the Old Main Line to "Horse Train Stop", since Sykesville had yet to be named. Other businesses moved into the area including two general stores, new mills, churches and a post office.
The town, in 1832, managed to gain control of a barn across the Patapsco River, the dividing line between Carroll and Howard County, but the citizens were forced to return the barn under threat of federal troops.