Baltimore Off The Beaten Path

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Federal Hill is a neighborhood primarily of brick, late 19th Century homes. It overlooks the Inner Harbor. The first picture is one I found hanging in my mom's house which purports to be of the view from Federal Hill in 1830.

One of my friends had a rehabbed home on Federal Hill. It is a federal historic district, and the northern portion has strict preservation and urban renewal requirements. The Historic District has a lot of street festivals and other activities. These are organized through a very active neighborhood organization and business organization, as is the annual Shakespeare on the Hill series of summer performances in the park atop the actual Federal Hill.

From the harbor, my husband could walk to the Cross Street Market, which is a recently-renovated historic marketplace built in the 19th century, to get supplies when our boat was in the harbor. The primary business district is bounded by Montgomery, Ostend, Light, Charles and Hanover Streets. The neighborhood is also home to the American Visionary Art Museum and Maryland Science Center.

Significant and historic houses of worship include Christ Lutheran Church, Church of the Advent-Episcopal, Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, Light Street Presbyterian Church, Lee Street Baptist Church, Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, and St. Mary's Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church. I used to drive home from the office through that area.

During the war of 1812, on the evening of August 24, 1814 people on Federal Hill could see the glow in the sky of Washington burning fifty miles to the south. During the bombardment, Fort McHenry could be “…distinctly seen from Federal Hill, and from the tops of houses which were covered with men, women, and children…the whole awful spectacle of shot and shells, and rockets, shooting and bursting through the air. On the night of the bombardment, not withstanding his extreme indispodition bro’t on by excessive labor and indifference to the symptons of approaching illness, he insisted on remaining at the battery formed by himself [i.e. Leonard Hall] on Federal Hill.”

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My dad, who was a Professor of Anatomy at the University of Maryland Medical School, was very proud of Davidge Hall because it was the oldest building for medical education still in use. He took a lot of photos of it.

In "Terra Mariae medicus" in 1965, he wrote an article called

"ANATOMY: Its history and role in the evolution of the medical curriculum" which contained the following paragraph :
Obviously, the long battle for the acceptance of dissection as a necessary part of medical education had not yet been won. In spite of this, dissections have been carried out each year since 1807, and the University of Maryland was one of the first schools to make dissection compulsory (1833), even though there was no Anatomical Law until 1882. The winding stairways and escape hatches in the old building now known as Davidge Hall are mute evidence of the hazards and dangers under which the students and professors worked.

In 1974, Davidge Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1997, the U.S. Department of the Interior named the building a National Historic Landmark.

This city has some very beautiful monument. This one is dedicated to thirty-nine men who died in the Battle of Baltimore, when the British were defeated at North Point and Fort McHenry on September 12, 1814.

Located at Calvert Street at Fayette Street. It is designed by Maximilian Godefroy in 1825 and composed of Baltimore County marble at the base and column. The beautiful sculptures are of Lady Baltimore and the four griffins that were carved by Antonio Capellano of Italian marble.

Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association
100 Light Street, 12th Floor
Baltimore, Maryland, 21202

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The National Cryptologic Museum tells the fascinating story of cryptology--the science of codes and codebreaking. This ancient discipline has always played a key role in intelligence, which has throughout history helped decide the fate of nations. The museum begins during the early history of our country, tells the story of signal intelligence in the World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. It also has some vintage computers from World War II to the 1970s.

From the Washington-Baltimore Parkway, take Hwy 32 east. Then take the Canine Road exit, and go left over the highway. Take the next left, past the National Vigilance Park (with the aircraft on display), and go past the gas station. The Cryptologic Museum is at the end of the road.

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The museum just opened in 1993 and houses a wide variety of cryptographic gear used to keep the government's communications secure. 50,000 people visit the museum each year. Admission is free.

Nearby is Ft Meade.

Located near the intersection of Interstate 95 and Rt 32 south of Baltimore.

The Baltimore Zoo is a great place to visit, and the only reason I listed it as "off the beaten path" is because you will need to take some form of transportation to get there from the Downtown/Inner Harbor area (although it is only a few miles away from the downtown area!) If you wish to drive, don't fret...parking is free!

The Baltimore Zoo is opened every day, year round. Of course, a great day at the zoo depends on the weather, so you really need to plan accordingly. It really is no fun to walk around the zoo in the very cold winter months, but on that same note, the hot and humid summer days of Baltimore can lead to an equally disappointing visit.

Because our summers in Baltimore are often accompanied by very very humid days, many of the animals stay hidden in their nooks and crannies to avoid the blazing sun. However, because the zoo is opened each day, you can make a last minute decision on when to visit the zoo based on the weather.

The zoo opens every day at 10:00 a.m., and this is usually the most crowded time, as many schools, day care centers and youth groups visit at this time. I'd recommend visiting the park anytime after 12 noon, as most of these groups need to leave before school hours end. The park closes weekdays at 4:30, and I have found the hours between 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to be the least crowded. Just remember, the gates close 1 hour prior to closing time. (Closing time on the weekend is 6 p.m.).

The Baltimore Zoo boasts several distinct sections....with everything from African animals to Polar Bears and penguins. Don't forget to visit the Reptile House! Food stands can be found throughout the zoo, as well as shaded areas and picnic tables to take a break from all that walking! A free tram that takes weary visitors from the African village to the main entrance is also available!

The Baltimore Zoo is one of the many attractions in Baltimore that appeals to the young as well as the young at heart. Be sure to visit the zoo on your next visit to Baltimore!

This Polish Catholic Church at the southwest corner of Bank and Chester Streets in Upper Fells Point was constructed between 1927-28. The parish had its origins on Eastern Avenue west of Broadway as a split from the mother Polish Church of Saint Stanislaus. In 1926, some 400 pieces of property were purchased comprising one full city block. The magnificent church is constructed of greystone in the Romanesque-basilica style of architecture, and is 200 feet long and 100 feet wide with twin towers 125 feet high. In the north tower is a peal of four bells which have been 'modernised' so they no longer swing, but listlessly tap out their melody with hammers. The interior is unobstructed by pillars, and seats 2000. 2500 can be accomodated. The main marble altar stands 20 feet wide and 30 feet high and weighs 49 tons, of Carrara marble. The exquisite statuary is Spanish. The church still contains its communion rail of marble, and is 80 feet long. Fortunately, the post-Vatican 2 "church-wreckers" did not get ahold of this beautiful church, as it stands in its original glory. Masses in Polish and English are celebrated on Sundays and weekdays. Polish customs such as "Gorzkie Zale" in Lent, May devotions and Rosary devotions in May and October, continue. The Shrine to Divine Mercy is located in the church.

Davidge hall was built in 1812. It replaced the original medical school building which had been burnt down...by an angry mob. The source of discontent was that the medical school's practice of performing cadaveric dissection for teaching purposes.

Notice that Davidge hall has few windows as this was a safety consideration. Donation of bodies for dissection was illegal at this time, and bodies were procured from the local graveyard at Westminster Hall. (Where Edgar Allen Poe is buried) When Westminster Hall was renovated some years ago, many of the gravesites were found to be empty.

Davidge hall features several hidden staircases and secret passages used to hid the bodies. Today, it is still used for guest lectures and special medical school functions by the University of Maryland.