View Full Version : Baltimore: Fell's Point, Inner Harbor, and Ridgely's Delight


xzmattzx
November 21st, 2006, 07:14 AM
Last Friday, I had a meeting outside of Baltimore. I decided to walk around some central Baltimore neighborhoods afterwards.

Fell's Point is the most interesting neighborhoods of the ones I visited. It was esteblished as an independent town and functioned as so until 1797, when it was unwillingly absorbed into Baltimore City. The famous Baltimore Clipper ships, privateer vessels, and the old USS Constellation and old USS Enterprise all came from this neighborhood. As larger ships came about over the decades, deeper ports were needed, and the neighborhood became obsolete. It slowly declined as port facilities moved downstream, and as immigrants settled into the area. The neighborhood was considered a slum for many years, and was slated for demolition to make way for Interstate 70 as it would cut across Baltimore until it met up with I-95. Much of the neighborhood was named a National Register Historic District and was eventually saved from being razed. The neighborhood still is used by some industries, especially tugboat companies, but is more known for its bars, restaurants, and shops.


Looking across the Inner harbor at the Federal Hill neighborhood from Lancaster Street.

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A new apartment complex on Caroline Street. This apartment complex was built on the old Lacey Foundry site.

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A look at some highrise development on the western edge of Fell's Point from Caroline Street.

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Looking across the Inner Harbor at Federal Hill from the tip of Fell's Point.

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The Bond Street Wharf. The wharf was originally known as the Terminal Warehouse.

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Henderson's Wharf from up the Inner Harbor.

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Looking at Baltimore's skyline from the old Allied Chemical site along the Inner Harbor.

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Across the Inner Harbor from Fells Point is the Domino Sugar factory.

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The intersection of Thames Street and Bond Street.

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Rowhouses on Bond Street.

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The intersection of Broadway and Thames Street. This was originally the southern end of the Broadway Market, which is much smaller now.

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Businesses on Thames Street. Note the railroad tracks amongst the cobblestone street; up until the 1980's, this area functioned not only as a residential neighborhood, but also as an industrial site. Fell's Point has the distinction of being one of the oddest railroad yards in US history; the sharp angles of railroad tracks on neighborhood streets, combined with a city ordinance that banned steam-power locomotives on most streets, meant that tractors with large inflatible tires functioned as "trains" and pulled railroad cars in sets of 2 or 3 along the tracks. Additionally, storage space for railroad cars was scarce, and so it was not uncommon to have your car boxed in by parked railroad cars for hours at a time.

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More businesses on Broadway.

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The intersection of Thames and Fell Streets. Ann Street is in the very foreground; Fell Street meets where Thames and Ann Streets intersect.

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More businesses on Thames Street, east of Ann Street.

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some houses and businesses at the intersection of Ann and Lancaster Streets.

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St. Stanisluas Roman Catholic Church on Ann Street. This church was the cultural community center for the large number of Polish immigrants that settled in the neighborhood.

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Businesses on Aliceanna Street.

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Businesses on Broadway near the Broadway Market.

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The Broadway Market on the meadian of the street. Businesses on the right are on the northbound side of Broadway.

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Houses on Shakespeare Street.

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1600 Shakespeare Street is known as "The Cottage", which was the kitchen area and slave quarters for the William Fell House.

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The William Fell House at 1609 Shakespeare Street. William Fell was the founder of Fells Point. The house, along with the other rowhouses, had a third story added in the early 1800's. When Fells Point began it's renovation, the house was remodelled, including removing the third floor, to looks like the Quaker-style house that it originally looked like when William Fell lived here.

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Looking north up Bond Street.

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Looking across a channel from Caroline Street at Lancaster Street and the developments along it in the Harbor East area. The building in the foreground is 701 South Eden Street, which will be a condo building.

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Looing north up President Street at Arrival Roundabout. The Marriott Waterfront Hotel is on the left in the background, and The future Four Seasons Hotel site in on the left in the foreground. 800 Aliceanna Street (The Vue Harbor East) is on the right in the background, and the Spinnaker Bay condo building at the left in the foreground.

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The Vue Harbor East on the left and Spinnaker Bay on the right.

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Looking at the Inner harbor and Downtown from a pedestrian bridge.

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Looking north up a channel to the Shot Tower. Condos are on the right.

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The Baltimore Public Works Museum.

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Looking at the Federal Hill neighborhood from Pier 5 in the Inner Harbor.

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Looking down the Patapsco River from Pier 5 at the Domino Sugar Factory and some marinas.

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The Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse on the right, and the Baltimore Aquarium and Baltimore skyline on the left. The Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse was originally located at the mouth of the Patapsco River.

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The Baltimore Public Works Museum from the top of the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse.

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Baltimore's skyline from the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse.

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The upper end of Federal Hill from the lighthouse.

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The USCGC Taney, docked at Pier 5. The Taney is the last ship still floating from the Pearl Harbor attack. In the background is Port Discovery.

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On the right is Power Plant, a building that houses a variety of stores and restaurants (including the first ESPN Zone).

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Some downtown skyscrapers from the Inner Harbor, including the Legg Mason Building at the very left, 100 East Pratt Street in front of the Legg Mason Building, and the Bank of America Building peeking out on the right.

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The Legg Mason Building, Baltimore's tallest building at around 530 feet, with 100 East Pratt Street on the right.

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The USS Constellation, the last Civil War ship still floating, with the Baltimore World Trade Center in the background.

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Some of downtown Baltimore from Harborplace.

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The Baltimore Aquarium on Pier 4 in the foreground, with the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel in the background.

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The USS Constellation, with the Baltimore World Trade Center, the tallest equilateral five-sided building in the world.

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Looking across the harbor at the Baltimore Aquarium, Power Plant, and the Lightship Chesapeake.

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The Bank of America Building from Lombard Street.

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The US Commerce House on Commerce Street. 414 Water Street is being constructed in the background.

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The old US Appraisers' Stores building on Gay Street, now the Department of Veterans' Affairs building.

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Power Plant on Pier 4.

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Vue Harbor East under construction at the corner of Felicia and Aliceanna Streets.

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Looking down Aliceanna Street from Arrival Roundabout. Vue Harbor East is on the left, and Spinnaker Bay is on the right. All of the skyscrapers along Aliceanna Street in the picture were built in the last few years.

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Looking at downtown from Washington Blvd. just north of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

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The Zenith, under construction at 600 West Pratt Street just north of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

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Part of downtown, with 250 West Pratt Street in the foreground and the Bank of America Building in the background.

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The B&O Warehouse outside of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. This building is the longest building on the East Coast. A statue of Babe Ruth is on the right.

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The Sports Legends Museum on Camden Street just outside the gates of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

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A gritty apartment building behind some bars on Washington Blvd.

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Bars on Washington Blvd, with The Zenith in the background.

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Law offices at the corner of Portland Street, Greene Street, and Washington Blvd.

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Rowhouses on Washington Blvd.

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Looking at the Melvin Drive and Emory Street split.

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A couple houses on Washington Blvd set back away from the sidewalk.

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Some houses on Paca Street in the shadow of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

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Rowhouses on Paca Street.

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More rowhouses on Paca Street.

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An end house on Washington Blvd. Penn Street and Fremont Avenue meet together on the left but do not meet with Washington Blvd.

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A variety of houses on Washington Blvd.

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A rowhouse and an old warehouse on Washingotn Blvd.

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Rowhouses on Washington Blvd.

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A corner house at Washington Blvd. and Emory Street.

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Rowhouses on Melvin Drive.

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Rowhouses on Portland Street.

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Some rowhouses converted into warehouses on Portland Street.

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The Babe Ruth Birthplace on Emory Street.

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Babe Ruth's Birthplace is the one on the very left.

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Here are some pictures of some other areas I plan to photograph another time.

A statue of Christopher Columbus in a small park at the western end of Eastern Avenue. The park is on the western edge of Little Italy.

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The western entrance to Little Italy, where Eastern avenue meets President Street.

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Some rowhouses on Exeter Street in the Jonestown neighborhood.

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A mix of architecture in downtown.

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Some downtown buildings from Fayette Street.

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wada_guy
November 21st, 2006, 07:58 PM
Nice. The "US Commerce House" is actually the back of the "US Customs House". The Appraisers Store was where Customs Agents at one time appraised merchandise that was being imported to make sure it was classified correctly for tariff purposes.

The old town photographs nicely doesn't it? On your next trip, walk north on Charles into the Mt Vernon and the Bolton Hill Neighborhoods. You'll be blown away by the architecture.

Very good job!

Macman722
November 21st, 2006, 08:21 PM
Great pictures! Looks like a nice wonderful to live. Do you know if any trains still run down that street? Is there any place I could find more information about the trains in the Fell's point area? Thanks.

waj0527
November 21st, 2006, 09:16 PM
Great pictures Matt. When I read the thread title, I thought...oh no...here's more of the same. Glad I was wrong. Cant way to see your next set.

xzmattzx
November 21st, 2006, 09:42 PM
Nice. The "US Commerce House" is actually the back of the "US Customs House". The Appraisers Store was where Customs Agents at one time appraised merchandise that was being imported to make sure it was classified correctly for tariff purposes.

The old town photographs nicely doesn't it? On your next trip, walk north on Charles into the Mt Vernon and the Bolton Hill Neighborhoods. You'll be blown away by the architecture.

Very good job!

You're right with the Customs House. I knew it's name, but with two "C" words to remember, I called both "Commerce".

Mount Vernon is a neighborhood I plan on visiting next time. I'm gathering information on it now, so that I can give a good historical account when I make the thread.

Great pictures! Looks like a nice wonderful to live. Do you know if any trains still run down that street? Is there any place I could find more information about the trains in the Fell's point area? Thanks.

I dohn't think the trains run on the streets anymore, since most of the industrues are gone.

Great pictures Matt. When I read the thread title, I thought...oh no...here's more of the same. Glad I was wrong. Cant way to see your next set.

I figured that the Inner Harbor was over-photographed, and that you've seen plenty of it before, but I haven't been there in years. I actually haven't been to the Inner Harbor during daylight in about 15 years. Were you referring to the Inner Harbor when you mentioned "more of the same"? I'm glad I was able to offer a somwhat different viewpoint.

StevenW
November 21st, 2006, 11:53 PM
Unbelievably AWESOME photo thread, Matt! :eek2: :eek2:
I loved everyone of them! :yes: :)
I look forward to seeing more of your photo threads.

jeremai
November 22nd, 2006, 12:03 AM
Beautiful. I have pictures of some of the same houses. :) I miss those blue skies!

Maudibjr
November 22nd, 2006, 12:12 AM
Very nice photo's.


Fells point was actually threatened to be flattened first by 95, then 83. I-70 was the only one that wasn't going to flatten it.:)

Furiine
November 22nd, 2006, 01:46 AM
Great angles there. It's nice to see some new perspective of the city. I LOVE those shots of the Zenith and the neighborhoods.

IMPRESARIO
November 22nd, 2006, 04:34 AM
Nice shots xzmattzx, i love fells point!

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/8141/dscn2138ov7.jpg
me with b'more skyline

xzmattzx
November 22nd, 2006, 06:59 AM
Very nice photo's.


Fells point was actually threatened to be flattened first by 95, then 83. I-70 was the only one that wasn't going to flatten it.:)

I wasn't sure which ones would've gone where. My souce only said that I-70, I-83, and I-95 would all meet together in the central area of Baltimore. Thanks for clearing that up.

wada_guy
November 22nd, 2006, 01:51 PM
Check out these links before you go to Mt Vernon!

http://www.baltimoreguy.com/photogallery/02%20Baltimore%20Buildings/09%20Mt%20Vernon%20Square/Photo%20Album.html

http://www.baltimoreguy.com/photogallery/02%20Baltimore%20Buildings/08%20Mt%20Vernon%20Neighborhood/Photo%20Album.html

southbalto
November 22nd, 2006, 05:05 PM
Thanks for posting. The photos look great!

Baltimore is hopping with new construction. I'm really looking forward to seeing Pratt redesigned. I envision a nice stretch of retail all the way from the zenith to inner harbor east.

vivo
November 22nd, 2006, 08:06 PM
Where did you dine?

StevenW
November 22nd, 2006, 10:35 PM
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2185/dscf6315biz2.jpg
Wow!
The Zenith looks so HULKING in this pic. :yes:

:)

StevenW
November 22nd, 2006, 10:38 PM
Woah! :eek:
You really get a feel of the scale contrast/comparison of Water Tower up against Commerce Tower and all. :yes:
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/8141/dscn2138ov7.jpg

xzmattzx
November 27th, 2006, 04:56 PM
I messed up on one of the Fells Point pictures; I accidentally posted a picture twice with different captions each time. Here's the caption with the correct photo, which I never ended up posting:

"The intersection of Broadway and Thames Street. This was originally the southern end of the Broadway Market, which is much smaller now."

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/7299/dscf6263bpx6.jpg

tonyBmore
November 30th, 2006, 07:12 AM
Great pics...thanks for doing us proud!

wheelingman
January 30th, 2007, 03:49 AM
Fabulous photos of one of America's most urban cities.

Ty Doggie
January 5th, 2010, 09:08 PM
This takes me WAY back