Historical Explorations, Baltimore

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This monument - also known as the Battle Monument - commemorates American victory over the British in the Battle of Baltimore, in the War of 1812. The Battle of Baltimore was significant in many ways: (a) the American repulsed the invasion by what was considered as one of the world's most powerful navies, the fleet of the British Empire; (b) defeat of British land forces, including the killing of their commander; and (c) perhaps the most significant, from this battle emerged America's national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, inspired by the American defense of Baltimore's Fort McHenry (to the tune of - irony of ironies - a popular British drinking song!).

Despite being dwarfed by surrounding skyscrapers, the Battle Monument still strikes a imposing figure right smack in the center of downtown Baltimore - perfect for photo ops!

This is Babe Ruth’s birthplace and now a museum in his honor. It's beautifully restored and has wonderfully done displays inside. I really enjoyed visiting this place and everyone there was really friendly. They have a museum store and do receptions for various types of parties.

At Camden Yards where Babe Ruth's Statue is and look for the very cute baseballs painted on the sidewalk and follow them. They're 60 of them to represent the home runs he hit in 1927 that set a record for home runs in a single season.;-) Thanks Mike;-))

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For most of its length it is a small, insignificant river, but in Baltimore the Patapsco River's tidal estuary forms the Inner Harbor. Outside of Baltimore the river had little historical significance except it served as the original route of the B&O Railroad. Of course, the most famous event to occur on the river was the War of 1812 battle where the British Navy shelled Fort McHenry, inspiring Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner.

The river drains just 53 square miles, most of which is urban land. Patapsco Valley State Park extends along 32 miles of the Patapsco River, and it offers hiking, fishing, camping, canoeing, horseback and mountain bike trails, as well as picnicking pavilions. A variety of fish live in the river including smallmouth bass, rock bass, redbreast sunfish, hog suckers and white suckers.

The river also has some whitewater rafting, crabbing, and ice skating.

With its cobbled stone streets and its waterfront location, Historic Fells Point has long been a favorite attraction for young and old alike. An eclectic collection of stores and boutiques offering gifts, flowers, home and garden accessories, candles, antiques, clothing, home furnishings, jewelry, toys, souvenirs, and much more are scattered throughout.

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By default, Edgar Allan Poe was my favourite writer as a teen. "Default", because I really hadn't read any of the classics and I thought that knowing a small handful of Poe's stories and declaring him as my favourite would add an air of "Gothic mystery" to me. In later years, after I had read the classics, I quickly changed my position on declaring him my "favourite".
For people not in the know, Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was a writer of poems and short stories. He wrote tales about mostly macabre and morbid themes and helped develop the genre that would eventually become known as "horror". He was born in Boston and through his adult years he suffered depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling addiction, madness, and suicide attempts before moving to Baltimore where he died at the age of 40 from unknown causes. His most famous work is a poem entitled "The Raven", and you'd better hit the books if you don't know the line "Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.'"
"Westminster Hall and Burying Ground" is almost an appropriate gravesite for the writer. It's a very solemn, small, and quiet site of crypts located in downtown Baltimore. His stone monument is within several steps through the front wrought iron gate. I'd always imagined it would be covered in vines, vermin, leaves, and decay (as the writer himself probably imagined his own resting place), but found a clean white marker instead. Several slowly decomposing red roses and a carnation had been left for him--appropriately fitting. Poe is buried alongside his wife and sister. Other members of his family are buried elsewhere in the graveyard.
"And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted--nevermore!"

The grave of Baltimore's most famous son isn't really open to the public per se, but you can visit it. Located in a churchyard beside a bustling intersection is the grave of Edgar Poe. For those of you who don't know who Edgar Poe was, he is one of the two truly great American authors, discovered, naturally, by the French (in the person of Charles Baudelaire). The other great author is Mark Twain. (Visit my Hannibal pages if you would like to know more about mark Twain.)

Edgar Poe is most widely known for his horror fiction, like The Cask of Amontillado, or his poem The Raven. My favorite poem is For Annie. He is also known as the inventor of the mystery novel. He had a penchant for not naming the settings in which his stories took place but presumably, Baltimore is the scene of many of his finer works.

As a writer, and a lover of writing, coming here was something of a pilgrimage. When I decided to visit Baltimore, this was the one thing I was absolutely bound to do.

Hampton National Park is one of the many National Historical Sites in the United States of America. The estate was a nineteenth century slave estate that has remained mostly in its original state since its completion in 1790. It consists of the original estate buildings and retains much of its original landscaping. The highlight of the estate would have to be the incredibly large Georgian styled mansion that was the largest of its day.

Tours for the mansion are given every hour on the hour and take about an hour to complete. Although many of the 16 rooms are closed to the public, the ones which are shown are decorated as close to the original decor as possible. All the furniture and paintings (save one painting which is a copy...the original hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC) in the house belonged to the Ridgely family who owned and lived there.

Also, feel free to roam the extensive grounds that surround the Hampton Historical Site. There are gardens, slave quarters, family cemetary, the state champion tree, and many more beautiful aspects to visit.

If you like architecture, history, and gardens...this is a great place to visit.

HOURS: 9am - 5pm daily except Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year's day

ADMISSION: Free

The tower was originally used ot make ammunition. Molten lead was poured through a slotted surface and let drop into a coolant. Along the way, it used gravity to form perfect circles.

Arriving here isn't all that important as you can't enter the tower. There is, however, a small shopping mall, and at the base of the tower is a memorial to Baltimore policemen who have fallen in the line of duty.