The first lots in Westminster were laid out by William Winchester in 1764. There was no particular reason for locating a town there—there were no major crossroads, navigable waters, or significant natural resources. Winchester simply created and sold lots located along a road that went to Baltimore.

With no driving force for growth, Westminster’s population increased slowly. Scotch-Irish and Palatinate Germans and Swiss moved to the area from Pennsylvania; English and Scotch-Irish came from Maryland’s tidewater areas.

The first major instance of growth in Westminster resulted from the building of the Baltimore and Reisterstown Turnpike in 1807 to facilitate trading between Baltimore and Pittsburgh. The road was routed through Westminster only after considerable lobbying by the town’s residents. Westminster quickly developed into a transportation center. Conestoga wagons and mule drivers constantly passed through the town. Horse-drawn buses provided passenger service between Westminster and nearby towns. Numerous businesses opened along Main Street to serve the travelers and the town’s increasing population.

The creation of Carroll County and the designation of Westminster as its county seat in 1837 was the next spur to growth. Public and civic buildings were erected; the Court House was completed in 1838. The Order of Odd Fellows constructed an Opera House. Religious denominations began to construct churches.

In the year after the creation of Carroll County, Westminster was incorporated as a town under the name of the Burgess and Commissioners of Westminster. That charter was amended in 1856 to designate the municipality as a city, changing the name to The Mayor and Common Council of Westminster and giving the municipal corporation separate and distinct powers from those of Carroll County.

The citizens of Westminster have always been conscious of the link between transportation and the prosperity of their city. After many years of business lobbying and strong public support, the Western Maryland Railroad was constructed through Westminster in 1861. The expected growth followed. In like manner, construction of Maryland Route 140 in the Westminster area in 1952 and completion of Interstate 795 in 1987 attracted commercial enterprises to Westminster and brought the employment and commercial markets of the greater Baltimore area into easier reach of Westminster residents and businesses.