Founded as a farming village and supply depot, Lisbon experienced its heyday as a resort town for summer visitors who enjoyed the country atmosphere and the escape from the city heat. Many of the residences in Lisbon were constructed prior to the Civil War, and some of these grand antebellum homes have been carefully restored. Some of the historic structures are unusually small, including three houses built 130 years ago that are only 13 feet wide. Nearly every house in Lisbon east of Woodbine Road was constructed before or during the Civil War. At least three homes that have survived the passing decades are log structures. Modern Lisbon offers residents a peaceful, small-town atmosphere where open countryside provides a pastoral backdrop to the rolling farms and historic churches. Lisbon is located just 15 miles west of Ellicott City, straddling the present day Route 144 that was originally carved by the Ellicott brothers to reach the markets of Frederick, Hagerstown, and Cumberland.