B-27 Federal Hill Survey District
Architectural Survey File
This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse- chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation such as photographs and maps.
Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment.
All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust.
Last Updated: 03-10-2011 ' - •. t STATE: e -~1 ._: + Form 10-300 UNITED , ~ , T r . s DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR .. ·\ . • ;Dec. 1968) ti ON Al PARK SERVICE Maryland ' COUNTY: .. - - NATIONAL RcGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Baltimo re City. . INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY ' . ENT RY NUMOER I DATE (Type all entries - complete a pplicable sections) I ... ·.~ ~ . ... :.~:~ ...... j 1<• '. f4Ji>.iE ·v ·:=:,: <=.;."·' ·: -..".'::<_,;_'··;: · .:· •·" ,--· ·: ·•· ...... :o.v' . .. " .;_ ; ''· ' . .. . " ...... ,: : ' . COMMON: ·t Federal Hill Historic District AND/ QR HISTORIC ; Federal Hill Historic District : ...... 12. ·.· LOCi\i'tON" .. ' . . I J STREET ANO NUMBER : See attached (location map with boundaries) '"-i CITY OR TOWN: ' ' Baltimore City . - STATE CO DE jCOUNTY: CODE ' · I J. ! Maryland I 19 I Baltimore City 510 ' ' .--; .1 ;·:·: <:;:'. .. ·,:·/:: · ,:=:;_ _ _,,/"/::>' .''"',.\'·:.. "· -''(:';"' ·~·.):<':·~ ... =.. ;. '; . .; 1$: -~c:LASSJ.F.ftAt10N. ., : ': ·:c:;: /-y;:·· ""' :=;v.~ ::. ·r /-'.':-~. ,.. " '· CATEGORY •' ACCESSIBLE ~~"' V> OWNERSHIP STATUS '1 (Checll One) TO THE PUBLIC "., z ·~ District Q9 Bui lding 0 Pub.li e Kl Public Acquisition: Occupied ~ Yes: I 0 . Site 0 Structure 0 Privote ~ In Proce ss ~ Unoccupied 0 Restricted Qg Both Being Considered 0 Preservation work Unrestricted 0 t' •• ·1 Object 0 119 I t- In progress (?g No: 0 .. •·~1 f - .' u o r /If as Appr<>prlale) :·i, PRESENT USE (Check One ore ·-T :::. Agrlcu lturol 0 Government 0 Park 0 Transportation Q9 Comments 0 0:: Commercial i;J Industrial gg Private Residence Othe r (Speclty) .,.·~ 0 0 t- Educotlonol ~ Military ~ Reli-gious ~ Entertainment ~ Museum 0 Scientific 0 ., 1 V> ... ,, ~ l ~N '.OW~ER\di: _ P.RO.~i:~.1'.Y'> · ,·,<·;~~;.J.( >·i;~ '. ~:~~:?;~~~·~:·:.'"' 7.;-:::~;~t~·:~ :,.:_:r.:;:·~·.:>. ;. ..~~~-:~ ... /?:-. ·4f?.;;~·if'::;~··~:· -::.',-,·_..;. . ;" -~'. ).:,;«,.. "d.: .£':' v_'.·:'.A. L " f}:{':~-:·): ';,! z . ' ·"· !:f "' ·.;! OWNERS NAME: ~ Multiple public and pri,vate, City of Baltimore ,:j w STREET AND NUMBER: . '. 'i.. w ...... · .. J V> CITY OR TOWN: I CODE ...."' J IsTA;;~ryland s: > .. Baltimore City I 19 Pl -1 .j' fTI -:;·~: ~;?'.::~ ~v.::t~~ ~ ~~·.:~~~~=;:. :~· ».'= :.:::·:i·==: '.: ;:'~::~. ' ·1·:j·:.:'.: :~~:. ·;~<· f-1 J f 5. }JiQC.AtJ O~ :oF.j .:E:GAL b.ESCRlP-TiON\;:·:··<·Y'?¥:\::;\•· .. ..:" ::;.r~ .:~; ·~;:t·J .. ~.= . .· ~ ~ COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF OEEDS, ETC: I-' PJ Baltimore City Court House - 6th Floor :::s STREET ANO NUMBER: p. West block of Calvert St. Between Fayette & Lexington Sts. • CITY OR TOWN; ' 'S TATE I CODE ot:x£ Baltimore City Maryland 119 1-'·P-><0 I cT~ APPROXIMATE ACREAGE 0 1" NOMINATED PROPERTY: t.:::: cT< 50 ... p : : ,:. :. .. , .. ,6. i
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F~deral Hill Historic District
#6 . REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS Information for 36 East Montgomery Street, Federal Hill Baltimore, Maryland, Code : 19/510 [36 Montgomery Street3 will be found in the following survey: Historic American Building Survey
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,. ,_ _ - . ··· - - '-- -· ... ~ ~· - . !> . - ' :.. " :~ . \ •. I Dt:SCRIPTION f '· (Cli ocl< f:>nt>) . ( . ' CONDITION ,______,_E_x _ce_ll_en_t_O_ d QQ Foir 0 Det.. rior.:ited 0 Unexposed 0 (Check One) (Check One) INTEGRITY Altered 13;1 Unaltered 0 Move.d 0 Original Site Qg DESCRIBE THE PRESENT ANO O R IGINAL. (II known) PH.f!!:ICAl. A P;.>£,\AAN C E: An original 1752 wash drawing by John Moale at the Maryland Historica~ Society, Baltimore , Maryland, is the fi.rst known recorded view, from Federal Hill, of "Baltimore ToV'm." Other views show ca:ttle grazing on raw, steep, eroded, open land sloping to the wa ter. The property was first developed on the harbor at the end of the eighteenth century primarily as a commercial and industrial enterprise relating to the seafaring trades. On 'the Hill, i. " .f ••• on May 9 , 1797, David Porter notified the com r mercial port of Baltimore that his observatory rooms were I . - then ready ••• at an elevation of one hundred and fifty .. .'. feet above the tide ••• the signals that notify of approach l ing craft identifying the thousands of vessels that make Vl I up the commerce of this city. m ·.: ~ m i' In the early 1880 ' s the Signal Observatory was re t placed with an ornate mid-nineteenth-century tower and t. pavilion. The signal service was discontinued when the z i . ~ :observatory tower was felled in 1902 by high winds . The Vt t t pavilion existed until the 1950 ' s when it was razed for -t ' the construction of the present bandshell. :::0 f ' Beneath Federal Hill, from Hughes Street to Cross c Street, from the harbor on the east, to Camden Station on n ·-· the west , is a large complex of tunnels , caves, and storage -f rooms . Some are brick- vaulted and others are earthen. '· Most were formed from th~ excavation for clay and white 0 sand which began o~ Henry Street in ·1799. During the z Civil War the Union Army. rebuilt some of these tunnels for escape routes and for storage. They were rendered use Vt ' . less with explosive mines until the end of the nineteenth , . century. After the mines were removed the tunnels were used by breweries for beer storage and in the early .1· twentieth century were abandoned commercially. The city backfilled certain dangerous tunnel entrances due to cave d .,·1 ins. Federal Hill Park, an almost perfect square, is an elevated plateau, 82 feet above its base, 150 feet above tidewater, bounded by Hughes , Warren, Covington and John son Streets. The base covers 8! acres and the plateau surface measures 4! acres . The existing six-foot high stone. walls were constructed in 1881 on Hughes , Warren and Johnson Streets. In 1881, the historian, J. Thomas Scharf, described the slope angle as one and one half to one foot and " On the north side , Hughes Street .... tVlo slopes with a terrace between before the upper terrace is reached, which is four hundred feet long and twenty feet wide . •• the other
[see Continuation Sheet] ~··
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~. .1 Form 10-3000 UNITED HATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE • • . J '(Dec. 1968) NA TrONAl. PARK SERVI CE Maryland COUNTY NATION. 1... REG ISTER OF· HISTORIC PLACES Baltimore City INVENTORY • NOMINA TION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY E:NTRY NUMaER OATE (Continuation Sheet)
'Federal Hill Historic District #7 . DESCRIPTION (continued) (page 2) sides will be similarly arranged •.• " The plateau today is divided into walk- ways landscaped with shrubs and flowers and has many specimens of large trees. The stone walls also remain. Baltimore City surrounds the Hill. Immediately north and to the east of the Hill is the harbor of Baltimore City .. which is deep enough to serve large cargo vessels. The ' . Baltimore Drydock Yards of the Bethlehem Steel Company occupy • l the length of the waterfront to the east of the Federal Hill i area. Several hundred early dwelling houses remain from the ! I .. ". eighteenth century and mid- nineteenth century. These were I. originally, and are still, occupied by merchants and seamen j ' associated with waterfront industries. Some examples of .:· these are: ~ ,•. 14 West Montgomery Street (c. l ate 18th century) An excellent exa.Iilple of a small townhouse. The architecturally im ....;:~· portant front door frame has been removed to the Baltimore i":· .. _~· .... Museum of Art , Baltimore, Maryland, for exhibit. A ., .. ~ . :..-. carved wood cornice remains with other woodwork and f trim. It has a brick belt course and water tabl.e of •·~,, early design. t.: ·;.' . ~ . , ' 118 East Montgomery Street (c. 1780) is considered the .... : .. earliest brick house in the area, structurally sound -. .. -· but in need of renovation • ~ '' 110 Montgomery Street (c. 1845) is a brick house l aid in ' . Flemish bond; has interior woodwork of the period. 105 East Montgomery Street (c. 1830) is a transition to1J1m -' . house, small in size with a Federal style, characterized ,. by the use of some Greek Revival motifs. Greek Revival ·•. style medallions are used at frequent intervals as orna ments on the window lintels. The dormer details are noteworthy. ,·~,. · ' An increasing number of the·se houses are being restored. -.. Examples are 413 Hamburg Street, 125 East Montgomery Street •. - . , l . and 104 East Montgomery Street •
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. ~ ·i ·l ... $ ~ - -· - - -··,... ·- ~-... - ~ - ~ ~ • -· .. .. -- --.- ----·- -···-- . . - --- . ~·.-- -·-- ---·- -·----..- - - :--r--·-- --·- --;-- ·.·· ._! - · - ~· : ... ~ .. - . . ' .Form 10-3000 (July 1969)
NATIONAL REG ISTER ot~ HISTOR IC PLACES COUN TY Be:lltirnore City INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ON LY 1--~~~~~~-~~~~~ ENTRY NUM6 C R O ATE (Continuation Sheet)
(Number n il entries) (pg . 1 ) Federal Hill Historic District
#7 . DESCHIPTIOI\ :" At t he present time the historic di strict of Federal Hill consists of Federal Hill Park and the houses on the streets facing and sloping away from the park to the west and south. The hill is bounded on the north and east by the waterfront. That part of Federal Hill which i s now a park of about eie;ht acres is the focal point of the historic dist rict. It is planted with large trees and grass and contains a curving drive, wal ks , a pavilion , and many benches f a cing west, north, and east. From the hill, about eighty feet above the water, there are panoramic views of the city and har·bor. The majority of houses date from the mid to l a t e nine teenth century with a scattering of earlier structures . All are of brick construction with extensive use of white marble t r i m. '11h e ma jori ty are attached rowhouses of two or three stories, approximately fifteen feet in width . Dorme r windows are common on the older houses and :provide considerable variation in roofline within a block. With the exception of those f a cing the pa rk , these are modest houses with little exterior ornamentation. As evidence that the Federal Hill Historic District is a v iabl~ and a ctively developing area, we cite that : 1. Within the last ten years there have been approxi mately twenty houses r estored or renovated in keeping with the architecture of the building. This include s nine houses on Warren Avenue , two houses on East Hamburg Street , and nine houses on East Montgomery Street. This do es not i nclude those which have been well maintained in approximately their ori ginal conditi on over the years or those which have been "improved and modernized" i n a manner not in keeping with the period of t he house. There are houses immaculately ma i n tained by their owners and representing a continuing invest ment in the area. There are other houses which have been appropriately resto~e d during the last thirty years. 2. Local rea ltors confirm the rise in property va lues (i.e. purcha se prices) over the l ast decade in the area i mme diately around Federal Hill Park. Prices in t he 400 block of Warren Avenue facing the park have more than doubled during this period. The nearer the houses to the park , the gr eater has been its increase in value .
l l '' ~·,..,.,-.. ;:-; Federal supplement Form 10·300a UNITED ES DEPARTMENT OF THE IN TERI OR • ~ (July 1969) A TIONAL PARK SERVICE HATIOHAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES COUNTY Baltimore City IHVEHTORY • 1'40MIHATIOH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY
E'.NTFIY NUMBER OATE (Continuation Sheet) (Number 1111 entries) (pg. 2)
Federal Hill Historic District #7. DESCRIPTION (continued) 3. The Federal Hill Celebration, commemorating the 181st anniversary of the naming of the hill, held on May 11 , 1969 , was an outstanding success. Three aspects of the Federal Hill area were emphasized by the Celebration: its importance as a nautical and commercial center, its historical prominence , and an acknowledgment to those people in the community and city whose efforts preserved Federal Hill from destruction by the East- West expressway. This event was planned entirely by neighborhood residents, but attracted visitors from all over Baltimore. The historical marker recently erected by the Maryl and Historical Society was dedicated at this time. There were booths representing a var iety of community organ- . izations, a major exhibit of old prints and maps of the area sponsored by the Peale Museum , an art exhibit, children's events, etc. Five hundred tickets were sold for a tour of seven restored houses. The Celebration is planned as an annual event.
4. The extensive Inner Harb~r Redevelopment project plans of 1969 immediately to the north of Federal Hill eventually will include new office buildings, a hotel with marina, headquarters of the Maryland Academy of Sciences, restaurants , parks and promenades, and housing. The "U . S.F. Constellation, " a major tourist attraction, is permanently located in this area at Pier 1, Pratt and Light Streets. Federal Hill is one of the prominent features seen from its deck. The hill itself is to be enhanced in a later stage of the project, since warehouses and industrial 'buildings at the ~oot of the north slope are slated for clearance, to be replaced by open space and playing fields for Southern Hi gh School. 5. The South Baltimore Community Council was organized in 1968 as a non-profit association to promote through research education, public discussion, corporate action and other appropriate means , the rehabilitation, renewal and improvement of South Baltimore. The Council formally opposed the plans for .the interstate expressway which would have destroyed much of Montgomery Street and Federal Hill Park. It has actively encouraged development in the Federal Hill area and has helped through its sponsorship of the Federal Hill Celebration
' ~. -- -- -:----.--- .. - ~-~ .~;-:. ~-. l I • • ~ •• I> .,, ' •• '·:~., ) ... . ~ . .. I Federal ~. su pplem ent ( Form 10-3000 UNITED sl) s DEPARTMENT oF THE INTERIOR R _j • r' , • (July 1969) \ ..-. TIONAL PARK SERVICE . Jil"arylan Federal Hill Historic Di strict d/7. DESCRIPTION (continued ) and other 1Jro jects to gener ate local and city- wide a9precia tion for the area. 6 . The Soci ety for the Preservation of Federal Hill, Montgomery Street and Fells Point i s a city-wide group pledged to t ake every possibl e and necessary a ction to save and re store the heritage of Baltimore ' s early waterfront conmmnities of Federal Hill and Fells Point . Since its organization in 1967 , representati ves of the So ciety have met with federal, state, and city officials to enlist their support in savine these areas . Popular events , such as the annua l Fe11s l)oint Fun Festival, the Pederal Hill Celebration, and park band concerts sponsored by the Society have attracted. widespread favorable notice and support. 7. Southern High School which faces Federa l Hill Park is one of ten Community Schools in Baltimore . It is open to all adults and children in South Baltimore for educational and recreational services . The school has been made avail abl e year-round for use by the community a t no charge . This school on Federal Hill continues the long tradition of the Hill as a center for community activities . 8. Federal Hill is an attraction for tourists, es pecially during the summer. It is included i n bus tours of the city, is seen a.nd described on tours of Baltimore Harbor , and is featured in euidebooks of the city. The Hill has long been a favorite spot for school children, photogr aphers , and ·artists...... (a. SIGNIFICANCE . ' PERIOD (Chec k One or/. Appropriate) • Pre-Columbian 0 16th Century 0 18th Contury 129 20th Century 129 15th Century 0 \7th Century 0 19th Century Q9 ' . 1 AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More os A.pproprlate) Abor iglnol EducotT;,n 0 Political ~ U;bon Planning Prehistoric: 0 \ Engineering 0 Religion/Phi- Historic 0 Industry 129 losophy 0 Agriculture 0 Invention 0 Scie nce 0 Art Q9 Londscope Sculpture 0 Commerce Q9 Arc hitecture 12!1 Socio I/ Human- Communications Q9 Literature 0 i tori on Q9 " i Conservation Q'9 Military Q9 Theater 0 , Music gg Transportation 0 ~ . 4i STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE (Include Personages, Dates, Events, Etc.) f ~ The Maryland Historical Society marker to be dedicated , in May , 1969 , will read: ~.. .\ . :J· Vt FEDERAL HILL \ ..'~' '<. ~-I % ... ;- SINCE THE FOUNDING OF BALTIMORE , 1729, THIS HILL HAS BEEN ·*~ 0 . / ~ A ~OPULAR POINT FOR VIEWING THE CITY ' S GROWTH . HERE 4000 11 : PEOPLE FEASTED , 1788 , TO CELEBRATE THE RADIFICATI ON BY ~ I- MARYLAND OF THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION AND IN HONOR OF THE ' ·~j'• u NEW ·GOVER1\1MENT GAVE THE PLACE ITS NAME . AN OBSERVATORY, •l ~ :::> BUILT HERE , 1795 , SIGNALLED CITY MERCHANTS OF THE APPROACH '11• OF THEIR VESSELS , A SERVICE WHICH LASTED A CENTURY! r ;1 . a:: ..' :i.. SHIPYARDS HAVE LONG BEEN LOCATED NEAR THE HILL, AND IT i . I- ' HAS BEEN MINED FOR CLAY AND SAND . DURING THE CI VIL WAR ! ~1 Vt UNION TROOPS FORTIFIED THE SITE, AND IT WAS MADE A PUBLIC . t .,. 'Z PARK , 1880 . .~.., , j .. In May 1788, to celebrate :Maryland' s ratification of '.. ~ w ~ the Constitution, 4000 marchers accompanied Commodore . w Joshua Barney., Revolutionary hero , and his "Federalist, " A· ·1 a fifteen- foot model of a full- rigged ship, in a trium I "' phant parade up this hill from Fells Point where the "·· model was built • .~; ·: •A \1 The ·ship, followed by all the captains, mates , and seamen in the port of Baltimore at the time was .,) i " • •• finally anchored on the lofty bank southwest of j the basin, from which that occurance received, and has i ever since borne , the name of "Federal Hill." ~ i On the Hill the event was celebrated by. a banquet J for the 4000 accompanied by bonfires and fireworks. 'l After the pageant , the 'tFede~a.list " was navigated, by '( Commodore Barney personally, to Mount Vernon and presented t as a gift to General Geo~ge Washington. The original bil l I listing the banquet fare is in existence. Thanks to ; Wi l liam Goddard, then editor of th~ "Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser" and financier of the affair, untold gallons of grog and toddy were consumed as well as [see Continuation Sheet] ______,.I . ~·-· ------· ------·----·- ·-·- -- . ; , ' + I ' • ---- ! :· .!' f o rm 10-3000 UNITED STATES DE PARTMENT OF THE INTERI OR Sl"ATE (Qee. \968} • ATIONAL PARK SERVICE Maryland g-Jf- NATIONAL.: ._ GISTER OF HISTOR IC P L ACES COUNTY Baltimore Cit INVENTORY . NOM INATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER OATE (Continuation Sheet) (Number e ll entries) ·' ~ Federal Hi ll Historic District ., #8 . SIGNIFICANCE (continued) (page 2) tons of beef, ham and cheeses. - The Duke de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt visited Baltimore in 1796 . He was particularly impressed with the Signal Observatory, founded 1795, atop the Hill by Captain David Porter, father of Commodore David Porter, War of 1812, in cooperation with the Maritime Exchange. The Exchange was located adjacent to the Observatory in a broad- porched frame house in which resided Captain David Porter. His house may be seen in many of the 1861-64 . - . ,a; prints of the Hill. , . ~ I A constant watch over the lower Patapsco River was l .i- kept from the Hill. A flag was hoisted on the Observatory ' Tower to give advance notice of an incoming vessel approach int the merchants and owners in the Exchange downtown. " • •• this little establishment is not only grateful to the .. merchants •• • " but was also "already encouraged with many ~ subscriptions • •• " In 1799, the city' s first glass manufactory m~de the first recorded excavations in and about Henry Street. , Other prominent· industries.that owed their existence ,• ' to the Hill were brick- making and pottery. There is little , : doubt that the tunnels that criss- cross one another under the Hill , tunnels that periodically mystify the town when they cause cave-ins, or turn up during excavations , were dug by the clay quarriers. For about 50 years the area was extensively mined for its excellent red clay and fine white sand. In the 1850 ' s, Rittenhouse ' s was the big pottery in the neighborhood, and may have been responsible for, at least, some of the tunnels . During the War of 1812 intensive digging was begun for a tunnel leading from "Barney' s Warfrt into .the northern side of Federal Hill. It was here that Commodore Joshua Barney ran privateers , a prototype of the renowned, swift Baltimore clipper-ships, out of Baltimore Town to attack British ships; and in the same tunnel he storm munitions. There were guns on the Hill in 1819 which fired a welcome salute to General Andrew Jackson. Five years later, in 1824 , the guns were fired again to welcome the Marquis de Lafayette. . ~ ;-.. •• ,.lo. __.... .: • ·tt. --··· • + - ;-~ - .., ~ . .... --...... - ·------4·· ------·------ ·.. .. ' ' Form 10°3000 UNITED ST ATES DEPARTMENT OF TH C: IN i!:RIOR STATE (Dec:. 1968) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Maryland NATIO N EGI STER OF ·HISTOR IC PL ACE S C O UNTY " Baltimore City IN VENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER DATE (Continuation Sheet) (Numbtu 811 enlrlea) ~ Federal Hill Historic District #8. SIGNIFICANCE (continued) (page 3) Frances Trollope visited Baltimore in 1830. She and a companion strolled along "a fine terrace of beautiful verdure (Federal Hill) which commands a magnificient view of the city, with its columns, towers , domes , and shipping; and also of the Patapsco River, which is here so wide as to present almost a seaview. This terrace is ornamented with abundance of evergreens, and wild roses innumerable ••• " By the early 1840 ' s the base of Federal Hill was ·' .' jammed with a hodgepodge of oyster- boat docks and shipyards. Ruark ' s , Bixler' s , Booze's, Waite ' s , Beecham ' s , Skinner' s ~,. and Woodall ' s were the famous yards in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Such vessels as the barkentines "Good News " and "White Wings" and such steamers as the "Tred Avon", "Emma Giles" , "Mason 1 . Weems"· and "Cambridge" were built in its shadow. Large ships from all over the world, having always drydocked for repairs in the ship yards at .the foot of the Hill, continue an activity prominent for over a century and a half. Sir Arthur Cunynghame , a colonel in the British · ~. Army visited Baltimore in 1850 and published an account of his travels. "During my walk to Federal Hill, which com mands a good view of the city and harbor, the noise pro duced by the co.nstant hammering a:t shipbuilding, and steamboilers, etc. etc. was quite deafening. I observed many pretty clippers in the harbor, for which class of schooner this town is celebrated." In 1851 a mob of several hundreds , angered at the execution of 50 Americans in a Cuban .revolution, marched to Federal Hill to burn in effigy the remiss American ,!. consul at Havana. -,. 4 :f·, During the Civil War, Union forces built and main ... tained fortifications on the Hill. -. Some of the turmels under Federal Hill were dis covered by the Army at the time of General Butler' s occupation of the Hill; and were believed to have been constructed by Southern supporters to blow up the fortifi . cation. This was disproven as further investigation re .~' vealed abandoned miners ' tools. The. tunnels were enlarged to form a route from Fort Federal to the Camden Railroad Station and also an esc~pe .route to an awaiting boat in .. \ ~ - ... - ...___ _ . .. __ .-~ ,,. t -. " . ... •• ~ I .. . . · '. . Form 10.3000 UNITED ES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STATE '. . (pee. 1968) TIONAL PARK SERVICE Maryland NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES COUNTY Baltimore City INVENTORY· NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER OATE (Continuation Sheet) ·, (Numb&t all entries) ' ~ Federal Hill Historic District #8 . SIGNIFICANCE (continued) (page 4) the nearby harbor. • When South Carolina seceded from the Union in 1861 , .. m1 ecstatic mob of Southern supporters raised an unidentified \. flag on Federal Hill and proceeded to fire salutes from a cannon which they brought; Union supporters battled them, .. burned their flag, and ran up the American flag, threatening to kill anyone who attempted to bring it down. •),, A month later, on the night of May 13, 1861, General Benjamin F. Butler led the 6th Massachusett s Regiment and elements of Cook ' s Light Artillery into Baltimore to occupy Federal Hill. The 6th Regiment was replaced three months ...... •t later by "Duryea' s Zouaves" who built the earthworks on r- Federal Hill. In the meantime , the signal service continued .-. -: ; ; uninterrupted throughout the Civil War. ~ . I . . ; ... .; •• • the post of Federal Hill was amply garrisoned, and strong fortifications , mounting upwards of fifty ·~ heavy guns, and commanding the greater portion of ' Baltimore and Fort McHenry , were thrown up by the ., Fifth New York Zouave Regiment •• • This fort inclosed the entire crown of the hill. The angles of the ,_ bastions were so arranged that the guns mounted on them could rake by an entire . filading fire all the streets by ·which the hill .could be approached. When completed the work· was a very ·strong one, its huge cannon in close proximity to South Baltimore •• • and the basin ••• below. After the war, Fort Federal , as it was known, was purchased by the city for use as a park'. Its present shape : ' is in part the result of the 1861 fort known as Fort Federal. J .{ In 1882 the Armistead Monument was erected on the i Hill to honor Colonel George Armistead, commander of Fort 1 ., McHenry when the British attacked in the Battle of Baltimore on September 13, 1814 . · · ·- ...... J J Since its origin, Federal ·Hill Park has always been "crowded with the pleasure-seekers of South Baltimore.'' It has long been a favorite rendezvous for sweethearts, a playground for children who slide down its slopes on large pieces of flattened cardboard (a South 'Baltimore tradition), and a leisurely promenade for strollers and tourists. .; . '··1 -·-----·-- ..... - .... - - ·------~- -· -- ···~- ---- · ---:·- - :··- - - -···- -· .... . ' . I Form J0.3000 UNITED STATES DEPARTMEN T OF THE INTERIOR STATE (D .. c. 1968) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Maryland 8 -~1- COUNTY NATIOH~ EGISTER OF· HISTO RIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM Baltimore Cit FOR NPS USE ONLY EN TRY NVMBER DATE (Continuation Sheet) (NuJnb ~ Federal Hill Historic District #8 . SIGNIFICANCE (contin~ed) (page 5) The ''Inner Harbor .. is no longer seething with sail ing ships and steamboats . Large modern cargo vessels - freighters , barges, and tankers , armed naval ships, numerous tug boats, and assorted pleasure craft - now support the trade and provide the romance for which the area is famous. Federal Hill has always afforded the best panoramic I . i ' view of Baltimore City and harbor. Visitors and residents ~ still are dravm to the park on the Hill to observe the everchanging downtown skyline and waterfront activities. ' ' .~ . . i ... ) .. r. ··. ~ - ~ . ... t • • • i· ,.~ . } ·' ·, '· ...... ~ .. ,1. . •,;. ~-· ..i .· ·. ~ I :,-:, '. - .. ..' .. . ·. "· , . " ...'· j .i # .____ _ - -· .. . -----·- ·· · ·------· "··------· -- ______.. __ ' . . - . . :.. ·' : I .....- ...... ·9 •. ~.\AJOFt.(ltBLIOGRAPHICAL r,~ RENCES ·.. r,ta -'- . Scharf, J. Thoma ... , His tor~ of Baltimore City & Count;y: , 1881 . Owens , Hamilton, Baltimore on the ChesaEeake , 1941 . Semmes , Baltimore as Seen b;y: Visitors, 1953 . The Baltimore Sunday Sun "faetrogravure" magazine, Feb . 3, 1957. Mar~land - A Guide -bo the Old Line State, American Guide Series. (WPA) Oxford Press, 1940, pp. 252. Hunter , Wilbur , Baltimore During the Civil Viar, The Peale 11.'Tn !=:Pl 1m . 1qh1...... I see Continuation. . Sheetl : : ~ ...... •. ,, ··.. · . ~-: : iO: GEOGRAPHICAL; DATA .. ·, " •' LATITUDE ANO LONGITUDE COORDINATES 0 LATITUDE ANO LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING l'HE PROPERTY '· DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PROPERTY R OF LESS TH~N Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Seconds Degrees Minutes Sec:on'ds Degrees Minutes Seconds 0 , NW 39 16· 49· 76 ° 36 . 59 • 0 . 0 . . ..· NE 39 0 16" 50· 76'0 36 . 20 .. SE 39 0 1 fr 39" 76 0 36 . 12 . SW 39 16' 35· 76 ° 36 . 49 . " Vt L.15T ALL. STATES ANO COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES .. STATE: CODE COUNTY CODE m i " m t STATE: CODE COUNTY:. CODE t :z: '. 5Tl\TE: CODE COUNTY: CODE f' ' . ·~.. V\ ,L ~TATE: CODE COUNTY: ~ " . CODE -f t. -. r ~ ./ : ·' . : ;;a ' ...... I • j ~it)~~''·~f. -ORM :;P.#·~:P.ARE ·D.:~'i:'.ti;::.,;·1;/:~fi~tf)fr§i~~~*f~::~iWifN¥::i- ,.·(':J . t'~T:f;~::f.'.::?~·:\;·i~~:·~~ifl:.l~t~·:~~~~~®'.i{~ll\~:~·f;:'.J~:;.:~i~~~.r. .;·~ ;::~1~i::·~~<: r~~~ !.:·:=:~.:··~~~:~=:.~:;:~f'.'::i-·:' c: 1· NA.ME ANO Tl TL.Et : I Mrs. Preston Parish, Keeper of the Maryland Regi.ster n t ORGA.NI Z.ATION -I ! .. .. · !°AT ~ ~· Maryland 'Historical Tru.st' . ' l STREET ANO NUMBER: a r P·. o. Box 1704 z ,. CITY OR TOWN: STATE CODE ~ - -! .. ,. Vt . i Annapolis Maryland . ·• 19 fl ~ :\.. STi.\:te,; ' tlAJ~O'~ Q.Ff'.'.1~~ ~ ' t.;,i;:~t£F,J~Ai':{Q.@~~%~~f#f:'« .··::·/5'/ NATIO}V(~ ::ke·c1sTER ..VSRjF{CAt1d11C .. :,!: " ! .(, . I . . - . .. ' ' ' . As the des i&nated State Liaison Officer for the Na- 1 herebv certify that this pro~rty is included in the ..., tional Historic· Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), l hereby nominate this property for inclusion National Register. ... in the National Register and certify that it has been t" evaluated according to the criteria and procedure~ set r forth by the National Park Service. Tbe recommended Chief, Office of Arch.J?ology and Historic Preservation level of significance of this noritina tion is: .. National . State· Local...... -I, ~ 0 D : .-, t· ..;; t .. Date f' -.;. I i) .! Name Qt)9 aM!JiJ ~-J~ [., ·: ATTEST: ; :1 Orlando Ridout IV c.. · .. r Title State- Liaison Officer • t for ; M~r~~an-~ Kef!per of The National Regis~er . ( t April 16, 1969· Date :· Date i. "~. ~ ------STATE ~ ( ' . Form 10-3000 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Dec. 1968) -· .., .. ,. ' NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Maryland " ... NATIO N~ - KEGI STER OF HISTORIC PLACES COUN T Y Baltimore City INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS use ON Ly ENTRY NUM6ER . OATE (Continuation Sheet) (Number alt entrlee) i Federal Hill Historic District #9. REFERENCES Wetzel, George , Baltimore Subterranean, 1954 . "Enterprize" newspaper article by Donald Stewart , Aug . 1951 . The Peale Museum Collections of original illustrative material, Baltimore, Maryland. . .., Wilbur Hunt er Research Material (Federal Hill ) ; Peale Museum- municipal Museum of the Cit y of Baltimore; . ,, Wilbur Hunter, Jr., Director; Holliday Street , Baltimore, Maryl and. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Maryland Room , Baltimore , Maryland ...... Mrs . William C. Riedel, Jr. , The Society for the Preservation .-'.. • t of Federal Hill, Montgomery Street & Fells Point, !. I Box 6069 , Baltimore, Maryland, Feb. 1969 . \ } Scharf, J. Thomas , History of Maryland, Vol. I I I ,· pp. 400·, !. • f 422 . f ;. .. ·.'· Two Hundred Year s of the Maryland Gazette , 1727-1927 • ; ·: ~ 't"t '. .. G. M. Hopkins 1876 map of Baltimore , Vol. I , plate I ; Vol . I , ' .. ~ plate K; Library of Congress, Washington , D. C. '::.. .'. Maryl and Historical Society, 201 West Monument Str~et , .. · Bal timore, Maryland: .t. (1) John Moale views of Baltimore City. ... (2) Maryl ~d Historical Magazine , Vol . 44 #3, June 1949 , r '.. 'j pp. 101 . ~ , I ' ,, . . . ' ' ; .,_ ~. , r .-, !• . ;. .. .: I . i -."i ··.· v : ·~ ;.: .i;: ,;- .'· .. "': < -~.. ·--·-- - -·· ·--·---· ... .. ·: ··---··· ------·---. -----.-. - - ·:- - -- ·--·- -- .... _ ·-·-- -- -· ~ r------~· ~ ... - -.•.- a - 0 ...... + FEDERAL HILL NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT 4/17/70 18 - I 4J48 w STERN 1n .. 4J4] ,.. 520000 6 FEET II ,., M l DD L B .u BRANfH _ - ' -.s '• If ,,. 39°15' BROOKLYN 111141. ]6°3]'3()"0L£N BURN/£ " I Alt/. ' 4\~ Mapped by the Army Map Service Edited and published by the Geological Survey \~.,ri..,f:j~~ ~ l Control by USGS. USC&GS. USCE,and City of Baltimore * E::::.. Topography from aerial photographs by photogrammetric methods. Aerial photographs taken 1943. Field checked 1944 Culture revised by the Geological Survey 1953 Hydrography compiled from USC&GS Chart 545 (1951) Polyconic projection. 1927 North American datum 10,000-foot grid based on Maryland coordinate sys tem 1000.meter Universal Transverse Mercator grrd ticks, UTM GRID ANO 1966 MAGN (T1C NQ RfH zone 18. shown rn blue OECLINAllO N AT C( N IE ~ or S H[Ef Red t int indicates areas in whrch only landmark buildings are shown Rev1 srons shown rn purple comprlcd by Geo lo~ 1c dl Survey from ''·· aerial photograohs taic'!n 1966 Thr s rnforrn,lfron riot f,.,,,, ,..,,,r~ .. ' 0 Purple tint 1nd1cates extens on ol urb.Jn ~re1, ~ .. ... Federal Hill supplement Form 10-3000 TES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR E (July 1969) ATIONAL PARK SERVICE aryland NATIONAL EGISTER OF' HISTORIC PLACES COUN TY Baltimore City INVENTORY - NOMINATIOH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY E N T RY NUMBER D A T E (Continuation Sheet) (Number alt entries) (pg . 4) Federal Hill Historic District #9 . REFERENCES Recorder: Mr . Robert L. Baker 407 Warren Avenue Federal Hill Baltimore, Maryland # 12. STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION Orlando Ridout IV State Liaison Officer for Maryland National .Historic Preservation Act, 1966 January 8, 1970 1J ....: !r' • ' • J .....l ! •• · ....(.. . ' ~ \• Form 10-301 U N ITEDG~ES DEPARTMENT OF THE IN TERIOR STATE (Dec. 1968) ATIONAL PARK SERVICE Maryland 15 -d-?- COUNTY NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Baltimore City PROPERTY MAP FORM f FOR NPS USE ONLY •, • (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with map) ENTRY NUMBER I DATE ~ . I !' :z JI·· N,\M~ .. .. 0 COMMON: Federal Hi:hl Historic District AND/OR HISTORIC: Federal Hill Historic District :·: ,, t 12: 1,;0CA'floN· ~~· .. : 5 TREET AND NUMBER: u .See attached (location map with boundaries) 'f ( ) ::> Cl TY OR TOWN: •.. 0:: Baltimore City f:, t- STATE: I CODE I COUNTY: I CODE 'j,. Maryland I 19 I Baltimore City I 510 .. ... ,.·, : .. :~ ...... ,: .. · ,., .·· . :z 13.-.· 1-\AP : RE! FERENCE ,• ··.•· .. : SOURCE: ' J.~ Baltimore City Bureau of Surveys , Calvert Bldg., Room 208 l~;' w !SC A LE: 1 " = 2UU ' 1l •.. CATE: Hevised January 1964 w .. ,. :•.•' ; -::~ . "' ..··'·· .:;:, 'l:::··· ·:·-:: ,." ' .~ : ;... , ...... t . µ;:.,REQUI REMENTS . .. . .·... · . ''.·:·''''..,:' : ·.. •; ·.,:: ... . ·:.. · -~.' TO BE I NC LUDED ON ALL MAPS r: Property broundories where required. f I 1. ~ .. 2. North a rrow. ~.,I' • I 3 . Lo'i'ude and longHude reference. .; ..~ . • '\..' .· .• '. ( . . . ~ ~. ·" I I . ~ ·•,,. . '. ~ . '. , .. , .... . , . . ... , .. •I .., ., .. , .. ' .• . ·,. • • ; I•" ..· · .. . I • j ••• ... t • •• . .... \ .. , \' ... ..·:. • :::--... ,: :'·. t " : ."· • • , : • .. 1• • ,. ,· .·... .:-...· .. I • .... '· ( ,,f' { ...... , . I ' ·'• :,· • '.' .. '! t . . . ' i. •• i:~. .. . i ·,\ ; l I, ·~ I ,, ...... · . . ;. ·.. .. t':: ,I . ... J . . . \. ' ... ~, ' ' ~. ~ '" ..·· : :· ·~~ ,.~.\ ·' . r. . . . , . ' .. ., f' - ~· ~ - ··- - --. 1: 7.:.TE t:. _;:,11 _ ;_; - : A; L:; i:lt.PA: S TA TE: I cooE j couN TY: I COOE Maryland I 19 I Baltimore City r s1 o % 13..· PHOTO REFERENCE J PHOTO CREDIT: Maps Inc. - Photogramme~ t ri c Enain·eers OATE OF PHOTO: January 1 'jb f w NEGATIVE Fl L.EO AT: Maps Inc., Dundalk Marine Terminal, Baltimore , Maryland 21222 w .. 14. IPE~Ti i= iC!\ TlO'N . . 0 OE:SC RIBE VIEW. DIRECTION, ETC . Aerial photo of Federal Hill area, keyed to location map with boundaries (see attached map). ·I ~I • • •.' & ··. . .. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Maryland COUNTY NATION~ EGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IOH Baltimore City PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM . FOR NPS USE ONLY (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photoaraph) ENTRY NUMBER STREET ANO NUMBER: Federal Hill CITY OR TOWN: Baltimore City t- STATE: COOE COUNTY: 19 Baltimore Cit ,( "' -~ ....~· ,. ¥ :.:~ .. PHOTO CREOIT: c Riedel DATE OF PHOTO: 9 w EGATIVE FILEO AT: w 224 E. Montgomery St., Federal Hill, Baltimore Md . 21230 ·-t~:itQ¢$Tifi)C~!1b.t{ ~~ .::.. \\~.::;;t~::1::f.r: ~-;.\-:·:.r{?::f~:~~~::\·~·:=t;~:r.: ~)~~:.. '.~lJ.Jt·~: ~l{--~\~:·~~~:r;;:; ·}':';~~t~~ -~)~ ::~t, ::·..... _~·:\· :';:.. 1:: , . ·~ ;·· -·-~=:~: .• :-,~~;t~=~ ·~::: . =~ DESCRIBE VIEW , DIRECTION, ETC. South Elevq.tion "tT A T C ·"'": •. . _,. •t.~ u u >1.1;1w.t.NT o r ;i,;: 11·n ic:.tGR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Mar yland fS-J.1--l COUNTY HATIOt·IAO GISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES 0 Bal timore City PROPERTY PHOTOGRA·PH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMSER DATE (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photo~raph) I I % 11 . NAME· .0 COMMON : 14 West Mont,gomerv Street ANO/ QR H I STORIC: 14 West Mont,gomerv Street t 12. t,.OCATION . ') u STREE T AND NUM6ER : Federal Hill => CITY OR TOWN: Q:! Baltimore City t- STATE: I cooe: !couNTV: I CODE Maryland I 1q I Baltimore City I 510 z 13 : f'.'HQTO REFE;RENCE , PHOTO CREDIT: Mr . William C. Riedel . Jr. DATE O F PHOTO: Januarv 1g6q w NEGATIVE FILED AT: w 224 E. Montgomery St., Federal Hill, Baltimore, Md . 21230 .. ·:· 14~ .ib~NTif:1¢~j1bt--i DE SC.RI 13 E VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. rrorth Elevation 1 ' "l ..... ' .~ COUNTY EGISTER OF HI STORIC PLACES Baltimore City PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM A FOR NPS USE ONL y (Ty pe all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) ENTRY NUMBER DATE % 0 COMMON: 105 East Mont AN DI OR HISTORIC : 105 .East 2• .t,.OCA 1' ION ": '. STREET AND NUMB ER: Federal Hill CITY OR TOWN: Baltimor e City CODE Maryland 1 Baltimore City 10 :z PHOTO REFERENCE I P HOTO CREDIT: Mr . William c. Riedel Jr. t: CATE OF PHOTO: Januar w EGATI VE FILED AT: w 224 E. Mont St. Fe deral Hill Baltimore Md . 2 12 0 4::""~DEtfnF1c&1,..... · 1._:.6N~ ·-.' ____,______;__.., ______-.j OESC.RIB E VIEW, DIRECTI ON, ETC. North Elevation ---· .. - - ....-... . ·- ~· -- · -- ...... ~ · ··· ·--· .... . ------.- --, - -.,.. ' • I· •l, . . •... · t• ' ' ' . .... ~ (. '. · •' :'. . I . .. ' .... "·· .. ,1 .: \ f.: .I. .o{ ; .' .. ~ • \'. ,,... . ,• ~. .. \.·-·:... .. ' , ,.' /. ·.. .. < ' . ' .,, :· " . :.. . ' . 1: 1. ,. : t • , .. •: . ';; . · · :-, .·... ::. . • • •• 'f _.. : . :t . .. . '. ... . ·- .· ' .. ... " , . .. " . ' .. .'·. ' \ "f,, I " ,. ~ ' . " .· \ " ., ... ; ~ .· '. ~- " . '· . ' I ' ',~ I '" •'i;..' .• ~' -- _,,.. .. ______;, I AT E ~ 8 1\;;.1 ~., ATE ~ L)El'ARTMf NY OF TME IN rt: RIO~ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Maryland f).-~1- COUN TY HATIOHO EGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES ( .... Baltimore City PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY NUMBER CATE (Type a ll entries - attach to or enclose with photo~raph) I 1 % p.· NAME 0 COMMON: 224 East Mont~omerv Street ANOI OR HISTOR I C: 224 East Monte-omerv Street 12. l,.OCATION . ~ STREET AND NUMBER: Federal Hill CITY OR TOWN: Baltimore City STATE: I CODE [couNTY: I CODE Maryland I 19 I Baltimore City I 51o z 13. PHOTQ REFERENCE , PHOTO CREDIT: Mr. William c. Riedel . Jr. DATE OF PHO T O: Januarv 1969 · w N EGATIVE F I LED AT: w 224 E. Montgomery St. , Federal Hill, Baltimore, Md. 21230 ,.. 14:· IDENTl.FIC~TIOl\I .. OESC.RISE VIEW. DIRECTION, S:TC. South Elevation ~ I ' • I" I '" ·' UNIT[') ·· • A T E~ u EPARTM[ NT or THE llHf RIOR ATIONAL PARK SERVICE COUNTY NATIOHA ~ .• EGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Baltimore City PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM lfOR NPS USE ONLY (Type all entries - attach to or enclose with photograph) NTRY NUMBER DATE % 0 et STREET ANO NUMBER: Federal Hill CITY OR TOWN: Baltimore City STATE: COOE C O UNTY: CODE Maryland 19 Baltimore Cit 10 z Riedel Jr Oii.TE OF PHOTO: w EGATIVE FILEO AT: w 224 E. Montgomery St., Federal Hill Baltimore Md . 21230 Northwest Elevation .... ------... ~ ' ' . ,, -.. . -- .. ~ · ·. . ··· ...... I • .· . , .. ;'; .. . '.·.. "' 'J ·...... " ,I ·~ ··..... t . ':- ...... • ...... '· · ... "· .. .. . • . '.l " I I .. • 1 ... .. - ,.. I. .·• ,. ' .-. .I . . •;..... # •• , .· .. ' . . .. •,...... ~ .. 'I~ ,-• ' ' I • 1 i: : ~· .. . :-- .• -~ .' . . ' ' •~I . ., ' !' I ·.·1,, . .~ " B-J t-- PHorocRAPH BY MAP S, INCORPORA TED PHOTOGRA \-;MCTR1.: f N '.~ l. EERS 08N8ALI< MARINE TERMI NAL BALTIMORE, MO. 21222 Fts .DSR4 L 1-11 LL. I ~ }' I A~oM tf 111:.S--<;;-/Lf s FEB, I 96g • 1 ~ Fo"n No 10 300 ',1'·"" ,o "' lliAG-141:0 'IDO 2.1 \Cf"" i r I li0:1111>:-.l\ll~l>ll' . \Rll\11\ll()I llll· IJ'.lll{IOI{ fORNPSUSEONLY ------NI• l IQNJ\1. 1'/\nK $[11VICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES RECEIVED DATE ENTERED INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM -- - -·------ SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS ( E}NAME H1s10R1c Federal Hill-Riverside Park Historic Di strict (Survey District) ANO/OR COMMON Federal Hill Historic District ~ LOCATION STREET & NUMBER See attach ed boundary map _ NOT FOR PUBLICATION CtTY.10WN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Third i Baltimore _VICINITY OF STATE CODE COUNTY CODE I Baltimore City 510 ·\ Maryland I EfCLASSIFICATION CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS PRESENT USE ~DISTRICT _PUBLIC X OCCUPIED _AGRICULTURE __M USEUM _ BUILDINGIS) _PRIVATE X.UNOCCUPIEO X coMMlRCIAL -25PARK _ STRUCTURE ~BOTH _WORK IN PROGRESS .XE DUCA1 IONAL KPRIVATE RESIDENCE _ SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIB LE _ENTERTAINM ENT .10'lELIGIOUS _ OBJECT _IN PROCESS )(_YES. RESTRICTED -GOVERNMENT _ SCIENTIFIC _BEING CONSIDERED X YES: UNRESTRICTED XtNOUSTRIAL -.ZfRANSPORTA TION XNO _ MILITARY _OTHER: [if OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME The City of Baltimore and various Private Owners STREET & NUMBER CITY. TOWN STATE Baltimore _ VICINITY OF Maryland it IJLOCA TION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION ii COURTHOUSE. REG rsTRY 01= DEEDS, ETC. Baltimore City Courthouse STREET & NUMBER Calvert and Fayette Streets CITY. TOWN STATE Baltimore Maryland f:I REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS ~tTLE Maryland Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks DATE 1969 _ FEDERAL X-STATE -COUNTY _ LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Maryland Historic Trust CITY. TOWN STATE Baltimore Maryland -- ·-··---· - - . - I lJESCRIPTION CONDITIO N CHECK ONE CHECK ONE ~EXCHlENT X_ OE.TEHIORAH O XvNALT( RlO _)()HIGINAL SITE OATf _____ .x-GOOO _ RUINS ~AllERtO _ MOVE O X-FAIR _UNEXPOSED '' DESCRIBE THE PRESENT ANO OHIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE In relation t o the dramatic slopes of Federal Hill and Ri verside Parks , the topography of the district appears to be level but is i n fac t composed of low ridges and shallow valleys which are integral elements of the l a ndscape . The rise of Federal Hill , which descends abruptly o n the south to Cross Street, is matched by that of Riverside Park, whose highpoint , marked by a Victorian gazebo , is approximately ten fee t above its more elaborat e counterpart . Running between the two hills is a ridge which falls off abruptly t o the east and west. It is the vestige of a bluff which once formed the west bank of the Patapsso , and was graded to facilitate r esidential deve lopment . on the east of the ridge is the waterfront and its attendant industries and port facilities ; to the west is the interior plain of the Sout h Baltimore Peninsula, and the northeastern shore of the Middle Branch of the Patapsco . The principle effect of the ridge is that of closing eastern vistas along the east-west streets, and of providing dramatic views of harbor activity from its crest . The closing of vistas is the princi ple visual asset of t he district, providing several int imate and small-scale residential spaces. The arterial street, Light Street , which is intensively commercial in the vicinity of the Cros s Street market , is kept from opening into interminable views to the south by small jogs . Charles and Hanover Streets conform more strictly to the grid a nd function as traffic corridors along the district's western edge . Ge nerally, streets either do not conform strictly to the grid a nd are terminated at angling intersections, or follow the grid , but terminate at 11 T 11 intersections . Several one-block streets are visually cl6sed at both e nds (1400 block of Belt Street) providing intimate, quiet spaces . The avenues to the east are terminated by the two parks, but the high ground at either end provides i mpressive views of downtown development across the inner harbor. The two most I I important l andmarks of the district, the spires of Holy Cross and St. Mary ' s churches, are visible from many vantages, but not along the axis of any street, always rising out of the low-scale I residential development. ! The block bounded by Fort/Webster /Harvey/and Boyle Streets is bi sected from north to south by the 70 ' elevation line , the land falling I away rapidly to the east. This provide~ a n interior b l ock of . . I l dramatic topography. Portions of t he ridge are held by stone retaining j wall s , most significantly that on the south end of the central alley (Hyson Street) . I The mass of structures in the district is residential , and i s unified I to t he extent that it may be classified by type as follows : gable , i See continuation sheet il !. Fozm No 10· 300a \ Rov 10· 741 U NllLDSrAll.\l>l·.1' :\l CONTINUATION SHE ET Maryland ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE 1 DESCRIPTION (.continued) of 2, 2~ or 3 stories, with or without dormers ; a nd flat roofed houses of the same number of stories , which may be further divided into " Italianate" or "Beaux Arts " stylistic categories. These latter categories are adopted solely for the purposes of this description and should not be construed as genuine styles . The gable-roof houses are generally similar to that category of Baltimore rowhouses which has been called "Late Federal." Late Federal pertains more to the houses of the Otterbein and Montgomery Street areas than to those i n the rest of the district which a re too far removed from the Federal period t o warrant any association with it. The axiom that Baltimore builders were reluctant to relinquish a style which had long been in practice accounts for this atavistic use of gable roofs . In the gable house ridges are parallel to the street with the exception of a few houses with perpendicular ridges on the 1 300 block of Battery Street. Dormers are infrequently used , although an enti re row of dormered houses appears at 107-139 Gittings . Facades are two b ays , with entrance off-axis . Fenestration is of t a l l proportions , 2/2 double hung sash being the norm. Houses with and without basements are equally common; numerous basements are n·early tall enough to serve as a ground story, especially in houses built along sharp grades {100 block of East Gittings Street). An extremely unusual variation on the predominant Late Federal style is the pair of houses at 1124 a nd 1126 Riverside Avenue . The street facades of these houses are one story, two-bay with entrance at grade . Jrhe pitch of the roofs is very steep , and each house has a central gabled dormer . Original fenestration appears to have been 4/4. The "Italianate" houses comprise the bulk of residential construction. These are flat- roofed structures of two or three stories and two or three bays in a wide range of stylistic pretention, from genuine Italianate houses with elaborate wooden cornices and entrances to simple flat- roofed houses. Fenestration is 1/1 or 2/3. The larger houses, usually those with a stronger decorative commitment, are found on the wider avenues and principal thoroughfares , while the smaller, more modest versions are found on side streets and alleys. The l arger, more heavily decorated houses tend to be the oldest, built during the period when the Italianate was a current style, the 1870's and l' See continuation sheet #2 } I Fo1m No \0 J OOe iAev \ 0 74) 1 U Nlll DSl 1\ll S DU :\Rl :\ll t..; I 01 1111-.l t\ ll l\ IU R FO R NPS USE ONLY NA rlONAL PAllK SERVICE RECEIVED NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES i DATE ENTERED l INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM ! Federal Hill-Rive rside Park Hist oric District Baltimore City , Maryla nd CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBE R 7 PAGE 2 I DESCRIPTION (continue d} 1880 ' s . These often appea r in small terraces (3-5 units) . Smaller houses are retarditaire versions of their large r predecessors . In general, s mall rows and isolated h ouses of t his type , espe cially those which a ppear on irregular streets or in are as wh e re develop l)' . me nt is known to have a pp e ared e arly , are as old as their larger 1 i counterparts . Those in block long rows are part of the specul a tive development of the large unbuilt areas on the south just before the !.,t turn of the century , and represe nt a "mode rn" survival of the _ j, Italia nate into the early 20th c e ntury . Decorative details in these "1 ~l houses , aside from cornices , include courses of terracotta sill , molded bric k voussoirs in the ent rances , jig-saw cut outs along the window frames and simulated wood-grain paint on e xposed wood . A significant aspect of the Italianate house s is the treatment of corner buildings. Often the sites for store f r onts , these are normally wider than the rest of the row , whe ther or not they were intended as a compositional part of the row. They are , furthermore , l much deeper, at l east double the depth of the normal row building , foresaking the amenity of a backyard or drying y a rd in order to take t advantage of additional frontage . The exposure of this elevation made possible an entire wall of windows, eliminating the lighting l factor which sharply circumscribed the allowable depth of the normal 1 row building. The corner houses may or may not be an extra story 1 in height . i Italianate rows gave added visual interest to streetscapes when bui lt on a slope , which c reated a stepped line of cornices in sharp contrast to the rigid horizontal lines of cornices along the avenues. The successor to this style is the "Beaux Arts" category . These houses rarely occur larger than two bays and two stories and are almost universally found in long rows of terraces . The title "Beaux Arts " is especially appropriate in the numerous instances where the ends of the terraces are marked by three-quarter round turrets of ten capped by tall conical roofs with a wide flare at their bases. The se rows are unified by a common pressed-metal swag cornice . Occasionally an amalgam of a metal cornice and a simple brick cornice occurs . Most " Beaux Arts" rows we re built during the first decade of the 20th centur~ With the arrival of the style came a penchant for protruding bays , See continuation sheet #3 I Form ·~o 10 30011 ! Rev 10 741 lJ~ lll l>Sl 1\IJ SJ)l.1' .\Rl\11 :\I 01 1111 l:".11 IUUR FOR NPS USE ONLY l NA f lONA L PARK Sl:RVICE , RECEIV ED NATIONAL REGISTER OF HlSTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED Fe deral Hill-Riverside Park Historic District Baltimore City , I CONTINUATION SHEETMaryla nd ITEM NUMBER 7 PAG E 3 ..l DESCRIPTION (continued) either curved or flat with rounded corners . These are the ful l height 1 of the house , and differ from Italianate bays i n being integral to the facade , rathe r than applied . The curved e xamples continue smooth transitions to the fac ade , making a n undulating rhythm of vertical units a l ong the street. I n these cases ends are marked by a change in the style of t he terminating bays rath e r than with turrets (i . e . a row with curved b a ys will terminate with flat ones). This some times necessitates a mid-point change in the placement of entrances, i to provide symmetry for the rows . Occasionally t he unitary nature ••• l of the se rows is underscored by the placement of a cornerstone at l one end , with street n ames and date (e .g., 30-38 E . Ostend , 1897 , I the 1500 block of Patapsco, 1906). In the more substantial versions , stone basements are common, end pieces sometimes having stone first stories. / i Considering t he pains taken to achieve a k ind of modest monumentality, unusual especially for the class of residents which occupied them, it is not inap?ropr iate to use the term ')Beaux Ar ts~ , in r e calling l the "City Beautiful" ideas of Daniel Burnham which were ascendant I at that time , and had been since the Columbian Exposition (Chica go 1 1892) . The district contains numerous buildings of mo numental character , l a ll of which are s e rvice-oriented and focused upon the local community 't wi~h the exception of the former stre et railway carbarns (circa 1890) s which now serve the city at l arge as a school bus garage , churches , schools , library, police station , f ire houses and the Cross Street 1 1 Market. Not all of the monumental class of structures are architecturally distinguished , but they deserve mention as a group for the contrast they provide to the residential city-scape , or for the role they play in the community . l In the latter sense the Cross Street Market is pre-eminent. The I present structure is a modern one , the latest version of a local f institution founded in 1845 . In contrast to the uninteresting block-long one- story structure is the intense and colorful activi ty on the inte rior . The market is the hub and catalyst of the South Ij. Charles shopping district which contributes greatly to the self- · I contained character of South Baltimore. See continuation sheet #4 Fo•'"' No 10 :ioo. I Po 10 741 l i t'-o I 11 D S I :\ II S l>l I' \ R I ~II :-.. I OI I 111 Ii\ 11 RIO R FOR NPS USE ONLY NA rlONAL PARK Sm VICE RE CEIVED J NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES j INVENTOR y -- NOMINATION FORM loAT_E _EN_TE_R_ED______-4 Federal Hill-Riverside Park Historic District Baltimore City, Maryland CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE 4 DESCRIPTION (continued) .f Corner stores and firehouses belong in the former category. Truck Company #6 (1227 S. Hanover Street, first occupied 6 April 1888) 1 is of particular interest for its sculpted fireman keystone . The towers of the firehouses function as modest landmarks . Corner stores J are scattered throughout the district . The vast majority of these still posess original plate glass with cornice shop fronts of the kind in use between 1880 and 1910 . Among the monumental buildings , churches are by far the most numerous and visible high-style structures . The ma jority are in one or another 4 of the Gothic Revival .sty les popular in the latter half of the 19th ~ ) century . Three of these are notable for their tall landmark spires : i St. Steven and St . James , at the corner of Hanover and Hamburg Streets l (1884 ) , Ho ly Cross on West Street between Light and William (1861) and St. Mary Star of the Sea , at the corner of Riverside and Gittings (1868). All three are brick versions of High Victorian Gothic , with l fine details and stained glass windows . I The remaining churches are smaller in scale and are either brick Gothic Revival (Church of the Advent , at Birckhead and Williams , the o ld portion of the building dated 1890) , or stone Romanesque (Olive Branch , Fort Avenue and s . Charles Street) , 1879; Grace United Church of Christ, South Charles St . south of Clement , 1921) ; or of a vague Ren aissance Revival (Riverside Baptist Church, Fort Avenue and J ohnson, 1890, formstoned). The Church of the Lord J esus Christ of the Apostolic Faith , at the corner of Sh arp and Hughes, is a restrained Baroque Revival with very fine stained glass windows (there has been a church on the site since 1842 , but the current structure is either a replacement or renovation of 1881). I n addition to the churches , there are a large number of stru ctures of a miscellaneous nature with great visual character. The former Pabst Building , at 1834 S . Charles (now Maryland Mirror and Glass Co. ) i s a tiny Gothic castle, with crenellations , a tower and a pair of i carved stone heads as entrance corbels . The former Balti more El ectric Street Railway carbarn was, before its alteration , an e l egant and sophisticated building of restrained detail , including a ver y fine ll ~ terracotta cartouche contain ing the company ' s monogram. Denh ard's ? Drugstore, a business owned by the same famil y for several gen erat ions , See c ontin uation sheet JS I Form No 10 300a LR tv 10 741 L;Nlll.DSl :\11 Sl>l.l'.\Rl7'-11 r..;1 ()} 1111.11'-ll RIUR FOR NP$ USE ONLY l' NA flONAL PAHK SERVICE RECEIVED NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED Federal Hill -Riverside Park Historic District Baltimore City , CONTINUATION SHEET Maryland ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE 5 DESCRIPTION (continued) is an example of the best corner row-buildings , and a well preserved rel i c of the appearance of small scale commerci a l buil dings in the ) late 19th century . Its tall , narrow prism shaped display windows : • are unusual details. The old Pratt Branch Library (1884) and Publ i c i school 33 , both in the 1400 block (east side) of Light Street, are ( high sty l e buil dings i n light-colored brick o f a Richardson ian •l * character . The Pratt , especially {now a Boy's Club) h a s many fine j detai ls : the terracotta panels i n its chimney, entrance d etails, and ~' eyebrow ven til ation in t h e slate roo f . It is very similar t o a nd •l probabl y contemporary with a number of other Pratt bran ches around ~ the c i t y. The architect for the library was Charl es Carson . The J ! p o l ice station at 28 Ostend (1896) i s a larger stone and bri ck ' Ri chardsonian Romanesque structur e , roughly c ubic , with wall dormers f l anked b y torch-like tourel les o f sandston e . To the west of this , o n Ostend Street, i s school #9 2, a large ahd simpl e Renaissance Re vival building wi t h round and segmental arched windows and g i ant-o rder pilas t e rs. The forme r school b uilding o f Holy Cr o s s Church {18 99) is a mo r e e l a borate version of a Re n a i ssance p alazzo, a nd h a s a ground s tory o f finely r usti cated granite wit h a classic entra nce aedicule. Of t he dozens of l esser structures o f note which lie wi t hin t he distric t , the v a st major i t y fall i n t o t he s tylistic cat egories of those d e scribed abov e. This is demonstrative of the constricted period of time d u ring which t h e major str uct ures, those which establish t, a ne i ghborhoo d's cha r a cte r, we r e b uilt. In this s e nse the Be aux Arts hou ses are inf ill, lat e t o arrive on the s c e ne , h aving no counterparts in the mon umental c ategory of structure s. The period character of the district is easily discernible despite both the occasional intrusion of a 20th century light-industrial building, and the prevalence of formstone. Intrusions are limited to block interio (mo st no t a bly t hat of t he We stjWilliam/Oste nd/Light block) and in the vicinity of the Cr oss Str eet marke t, where many earl y 19th century buildings have acquired modern shop-fronts. The formstone is much more conunon and widespread , but does not obscure the general configuration of the houses; styl es and types remain obvious. Oft en one element of a row will remain in its original condition , enabling infe r e nce s to be made on the rest of the row. The area is in fact unusual in having numerous survivals of late 19th century types which have not been in fashion in recent restoration See continuation sheet #6 f o1m "'" 10 JOOa 11~. y 10 / 41 lJ f'.' I II I> SI t\ 11 S l>I I' :\ I\ I \ 11 :-. I OI I 111 I;-..; 11 l It I l :' SIGNIFICAN CE PERIO D AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE ·· CHECK AND JUSTIFY BE LOW _ PRE HISTOR IC _ARCH~U L Ul.i Y · PRE H IS TOR IC _COMM UNITY PLANNING - LA NDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _ RELI GION •_ 1400- 14 99 _..ARCHEO l OGY-HISTORI C -CONSERVATION _ LAW - SCIENCE _ 1500· 1599 _ .,AGRICULTURE _ ECO NOMICS _ LllERA TU RE _ SCULPTURE _ 1600 · 1699 -2f.RCHITECTURE _ rnuCAllON _ M ILITARY ~ SOC I A VHU M AN IT AR A N ){_I 700 · I 799 -ART _. ENGIN((RING _ M USIC _ lHEAT(R X...1soo.1899 _ CO M MERCE _ EXPLORATIONt SETTLEM ENT _ PHI LOSOPHY _ lRANSPORl ATION >L1soo. CO MMUNICA TIONS _ INDU STRY _ PO LI TICSt GOVfANMENT _ OTHER (SPECIFY) _INVENTION S PECIFIC OATES BU ILDER/ A RCHITECT STATEMENT OF SI GNIF ICANCE The Federal Hill-Ri ver s ide Park Historic Di s trict is the product of l ; the southwa r d thrust o f expansion from Bal timore ' s c o re , e xpe r i e n ced d uring t he city ' s e vol ution f ro~ a shipping a nd harbor trade town ! to an industrial c ity. While conforming t o t he archite ctural and development trends o f Baltimore t h e Federal Hill-Riverside Park are a is furt h e r distinguis hed a s the only remaining cohe r e nt neighborhood which p resents a complete una l tered p ~ct u r e of working class reside ntial developme nt through o ut the 1 9t h century. The dive r s e array o f rowhousing ranges from the sub stan t ial Late Fe deral r owh ouses of t he Ot t e r bein Homesteading District, to the long terrace s of "Beaux Arts " houses which a rose suddenly at the turn of the century along Riverside Park . Set into this landscape is a fine colle ctio n of mo numental buildings , erec ted to serve the religious , l social a nd cultur al needs of t he c onununit y . Neighborhoods within the distri ct were p eopled primarily by i mmigrant populations wh.ich settled the area in response to the gradual d e velop ment of the water front industr ies which b ind t he district on its flanks. Unlike populations which establis hed other Baltimore " fringe " neighborhoods , many of these p e ople have r emained in Federal Hill Riverside areas . Often the same family has occupied a particular property for five g e nerations . Through the 18th and much of t he 19th c enturies , whe n foreign and I domestic trade formed the b a sis of Baltimore 's economy , the city ' s l •:1 physical and commercial growth was directly related to development I of the waterfront. The construction of quays and shipping facilities I on the harbor basin at the turn of the lBth century marked the first i stage of southward expansion from Old Town which reached no farther than Pratt Street. Shortly afte r the cre ation of the conunercial strand on the north and west banks of the basin came the establishment of the first residential neighborhood in South Baltimore , centered on the-Otterbein Church Ll.7851 at Conway and Sharp Street. This community extended from Pratt Street to Lee Street and was bounded roughly by Howard and aanover Streets . The area just south of the Otterbein neighborhood was intermittently See continuation sheet #7 E-:;rr- form l'> o 10 J OOa Pev 10 741 t; ~II l.D S rA 11 ~ l>l.J> .\ KI :'\11 :---1 01 1111 I.'\ II I\ IOK FOR NP5 USE ONLY NA rlONAL PAR K SERVICE RECE IVED NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM lPATE ENTERED Federal Hill-Ri versid ~ Park Historic District Baltimore City , Maryland CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 7 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE (continued) settled in the late 18th c e ntury with residences and commercial buildings. On the northeastern corner of the peninsula was Federal Hill , a steep eminence , o n which the observatory and residence of Captain David Porter was built in 1795 . The observatory was used to signal the docks upon the sighting of ships c oming up the Patapsco River. At the foot of Federal Hill on the south bank of the b asin was the Amelung Glass Works , founded in 1800. The hil l itself was mined , by tunneling for sand for the glassworks and clay for local potteries. The 1801 Warner and Hanna map of Baltimore indicates that the rest of the South Baltimore peninsula , below Warner and Montgomery Streets was countryside , occupied by small farms , and on Whistone Point , Fort McHe nry , built in 1794 . By 1816, wh e n the city annexed the entire South Baltimore peninsula , the settlement below Otterbein a nd just we st of Federal Hill had g rown considera bly and was beginning to merge with the Otterbein neighborhood , which had also expanded, down to Hill Street. Both the Federal Hill and Otterbein neighbor hoods were served by the Hanover Market at Hanover and Camden Streets. Poppleton ' s 1823 map shows that the south bank of the basin had been developed into quays , and quay construction was beginning to spread along the southern shore of the Northwest Branch . Light Street , which ran southward to t he ferry crossing the Middle Branch , had intermittent I development along it. A major feature on Light Street was a pair J of ropewalks located below West Street at the present Ropewalk Lane . The major thoroughfares in the Federal Hill neighborhood were Hughes , l Montgomery and Henrietta between William and Hanover Streets . ' The early neighborhoods of South Baltimore were typical of contemporary urban Baltimore. They contained a diversity of economic groups, rangi ng from prosperous citizens who occupied the houses fronting o n the main streets , t o artisans , laborers and free b l ack s who l i ved in more modest houses on the alleys and block interi ors . The Ott er bein area especially contained a high percentage of b l ack residents . This black settlement pattern spread southward into the Sharp Leadenhall area duling the mid-19th century , where it has persisted up to the present . The Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Chu rch , 20 West Montgomery Street , is the oldest black congregation in Baltimore and has been a bulwark of the community for over one hundred years. The existing edifice was erected in 1865 but t h e ' founding of the congregation has been dated at 1816 . •< I• 'i Over the next two decades , the Federal Hill a nd Otte rbein neighbor hoods See c o nti nuation sheet # 8 f or m No \Q.JOO • l Rev 10 74) L !'. ll L D S I i\ I I. S U I. P ·\ K I '.\ I I :\ I OI I I 11. I N II R I U R FOR NPS U SE ONLY 1 NATIONAL PA RK SER VICE I "1 RE CEIVED NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY --NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED j Federal Hill-Riverside Par k Historic District Baltimore City , Maryland I CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 8 I STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE (continued) gradually solidified and expanded . Federal Hill settlement extended ' southward , while development went westward from Otterbein toward Ridgely ' s Delight and Poppleton . l! j The construction of Cross Str eet market at Cross and Light Streets in 1845 , marked the maturation of a South Baltimore residential l neighborhood . Traditionally, city markets were constructed in • neighborhoods which had expanded beyond the range of the existing market and were expected to continue growing . Whe n the market was erected, Cross Street represented the southern limit of Federal Hill ; little li or no concentrated developme nt existed below Cross Street, except for i a few blocks on Light Street. In the same year , another major develop ment occurred , which presaged the influx of industry into South l Baltimore. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad constructed a lirl(:> across South Baltimore , from its trunk line in West Baltimore to Locust Point , on the Peninsula extending east from South Baltimore. The track , which ran along Ostend , Race and Wells Streets, sparked the develop~en t of the Locust Point marine terminal . The terminal rapidly became a major depot for shipment of coal , grain and other commodities, and remains such today . Locust Point also served as a major port of immigration . The rising industrialism and the large scale immigration of Irish and then Germans combined to create a n industrial complex on Locust Point , manned by the inexpensive immigrant labor . This process , which continued throughout the 19th century , stimulated large scale settlement by the Irish and German immigrants first in Locust Point and then in the area south of Federal Hill. Shortly after the B & 0 line was constructed, Western Maryland Railroad established a similar line down to Port Covington , at the foot of Covington Street. The Port Covington terminal remains an active element in Baltimore harbor. The growth of the railroad affected the developed as well as the undeveloped territories in South Balti ~ore. In 1850-52, the Camden Station and yards of the B & O were constructed on Howard and Camden Streets , thus eradicating the western edge of Otterbein and severing the neighborhood from western extension into Ridgely's Delight. In 1856, the Spring Garden gasworks were established on the . western shore of the South Baltimore peninsula . The gasworks, which are -r See continuation sheet #9 j f o1m No 10 300 1 1Rev 10 74) U~ll l DS l ,\ 11 Sl>l .l'.·\R l :'-.11 :-,i i O l 1111 1:-,i ll IUOR FOR NP $ U SE O NLY l NI\ flON/\L l'An K Sl:RVICE l RE CEIVE D NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES DATE ENTE RED ,. INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM : Fe deral Hill-Rive rside Par k Historic Dis trict Balti more City , Maryland I C ONTINUATION SHEET ITE M NUMBER 8 PAGE 9 I STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE (continued) ; i bounded by Race Street o n the east , created a we stern boun dary f or r e sidential d e v e l opment in South Ba~timor e a l t hou g h this did not o ccur u ntil t hir ty years l a t e r . By 1 860, r esidential devel opment l in t he Federal Hill area was beginning to spread bel ow Cr oss Street, p articula rly a l o ng Light, Wi l liam , Batte r y and Johnson (River s i d e) St r e ets . Although building styles had changed, the previous pattern of develop ment pe rsisted. The large r, more ornate a nd s ubstantial houses we re I1 l ocated o n major av e nues; t he smalle r more modest houses were r e l egated I t to the minor s treets an d a lle ys. This mid-centu r y peri o d was . t he l ast time that the u pper mi ddle class was rep resented in housing t ype s of South Baltimore . The be ginning of the Civil War cau sed a general d isr up tio n of t rade j and stagna tion o f grow t h in Bal timore . Feder a l Hill was occup ied by the U. S . Army and conver ted into For t Fede ral Hill, e nclosed by e art h 1 works. The work of t he mi litar y e n g ineers is pa r t ially r esponsible for the Hill' s pres ent s h ape . By the close of t he war , Baltimore 's industry had revived , l argely due to i ncreas e d f eder a l spending. tI I ~ Following the Civil War , Ma r y land ' s economy u nderwent a major change . ; The state ' s position as an a gricul t u r al provi d e r wa s dra stically unde r ~ cut by the western states . Tra de and industry be c ame of paramount I ~ importance and Baltimore was the sta te's l~a der in both activities. As l a result , a large-scale migrat ion occurred from the country to ~he city j J accountin~ for 48% of Baltimore ' s population increase b e twe en 1870 and 1890. South Baltimore , with its e xte nsive undevelope d l and and t waterfront became a logical location for industry a nd the attendant i I resident~a l growth. ~ i An excellent picture of South Baltimore ' s develop ment up to 1869 is I given in Sachse ' s Bird ' s Eye View of Baltimore . This lithograph shows virtually complete development s outh t o West Street . Below West Street, several rows of houses are built on Johnson , Battery, William and LightStreets . To the East of Johns on, the ground falls away .. sharply in a series of bluffs . Below the bluffs , a long the southern shore of the Northwest Branch, wharves and docks proliferate , f rom qi Federal Hill to Locust Point. The City Wharves are located near the present junction of Clement Street and Key Highway. South of the : I See continuation sheet #10 ~ '? f orm No 10 J OOa l .R~v 10 74) l• Uf'-lll DSl ,\llSDl.l'\Rl~11:--;101 llll· li'-11 RIOR FOR NPS USE ON LY NA flONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVE D NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY·- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED Federal Hill-Riversi de Park Historic District Baltimore City, Maryland CONTINUATION SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 10 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE (continued) B & O Line on Wells Avenue there appear a large number of brick yards . At Winan's Cove, Winan ' s shipyard and depot is located, and just north of it is the Port Covington marine terminal . Except for these industrial sites and a handful of houses , the land is open. One significant new structure in Federal Hill in 1869 was the St. Mary Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church at Clement and Johnson (Riverside) Streets. This handsome church was erected to serve the t predominantly Irish congregation which had spread from Locust Point 4 into South Baltimore . I At Light and Heat Streets, the stables for the city passenger railway appear in the 1869 view. Thrs location was used continuously by the l city transit system into the 20th century and is presently occupied i by an old car barn . Although in 1869 large scale industrialization had not yet made its full impact on South Baltimore , the pattern of \ the future developme nt had crystallized. The railroad across Wells t Avenue was becoming a divider between heavy industry on the south and residential neighborhoods on the north . This division was accomplished l as a gradual transition. 1 i By 1876 , residential settlement had advanced south to Randall Street. i• At the foot of Riverside Street , below Randall , the city established f Riverside Park. The 17-acre park included the site of the Circular Battery, an earthworks erected during the War of 1812, and known as l Battery Square until 1873 . The new residences were generally two-story I . rowhouses built for mechanics and laborers who worked in the area • Blue collar housing continued to be the outstanding type of building erected for the rest of the century . The southern shore of the North west Branch had become a major location for packing and canning factories , as Baltimore was a leading producer of canned goods , primarily oysters and fruit . Other new industries included the B & 0 Riverside shops near Riverside Park , a coal tar works , and a chemical works , both on Race Street below the gasworks . By this time , Locust ~ Point had developed into a self-contained community , centered o n .j the marine terminal . 1 ' l Development continued so that by 1896 , rowhouses covered the undeve f l oped land between Race Street and Riverside Park, sou t h o f West ?. See c ontinuation sheet l~l . l'I Forni No 10 )00e (Rev lO· 74) U NllLDSft\ILSDl l'.\l{l'.\11 :--:i 01 1111 1:--..11 RIOR FOR NP$ USE ONl Y NA flONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVED NATIONAL REGISTER OF HlSTORIC PLACES j INVENTORY-- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED l Federal Hill-Riverside Park Historic District Baltimore City, Maryland j CONTI NUATlON SHEET ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 11 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICJl.NCE (continued) j Street. Within lS years the open land east of Riverside Park and west of Boyle Street had been graded and developed . In both areas , the houses were modest but substantial two-story structures , generally owned by their inhabitants .3 With the completion of this speculative building , circa 1910 , the development of South Baltimore north of Wells Street was virtually completed . The new blocks represented more modern and sanitary housing than existed in much of South Baltimore . The Otterbein, upper Federal Hill and Sharp-Leadenhall neighborhoods had undergone a gradual decline in prosperity and condition . It has only been wit hin the past two decades that restoration and rehabilitation have begun. Certain areas , particularly along lower Light Street and Hanover St=eet are in need of improvement . The richness of South Baltimore 's socio-cultural make-up is still apparent , although migration to the suburbs by upwardly mobile residents has weakened the ethic communities . An example of South r Baltimore 's ethnic variety is the longstanding division of the Roman Catholic congregations . Ho ly Cross Church has been traditionally l German , St. Mary Star of the Sea , Irish and Our Lady of Good Counsel 1 in Locust Point , now Polish, having been Irish and German i n the past . The most recent inunigration into South Baltimore was by Appalachian I people circa World War II . it South Baltimore ' s industry has remained relatively unchanged , except • t on the harbor basin. The gasworks on the west , the Bethlehem Steel shipyard on the east , the B & 0 shops and Port Covington to the south have all evolved into modern facilities. With the exception of 1 McCormick ' s plant on Light Street (which incorporates a circa 1880 tobacco warehouse) the harbor basin has been cleared of industry in . favor of urban highrise development . I l 1 Leona Truelove, '' Sharp- Leadenhall. Old Place - New Name ." i (..Neighborhood Design Center , Bal timore, 1975) pp . 2-13. 2Richard Walsh and William Fox, eds. Maryland : A History, 1632-1974 i {.Maryland Historical Society , Baltimore, 1974) p . 436. 3or. John Billings . Vital Statistics for t he District of Columbia I and Baltimore . (U.S. Census , Washin gton, D.C. 1890) P• 48 .