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South of the Harbor
Baltimore is filled to the brim with history and culture and Federal Hill is a great place to start looking for it. The high hill that overlooks the south side of the harbor basin is just a short walk from any one of the Inner Harbor's hotels. This neighborhood contains a dizzying array of possibilities for a day spent here -no car required.
Federal Hill took on its name at the midnight climax of a raging party held in 1788 to mark Maryland's ratification of the United States Constitution. Drunk and celebratory, a group of sailors slid a sailboat named The Federalist down the hill and into the harbor. Later the hill earned another moniker: "Signal Hill," when Captain David Porter organized the construction of an observatory tower atop it. For an annual fee local merchants received their own distinctive flags. When ships laden with precious cargo were returning to port, Captain Porter flew the merchants' flags and fired a canon. The grand opening of Porter's observatory was marked by a huge celebration, complete with fireworks and liquor, that would probably have looked fairly familiar to many of us Baltimore residents who bring picnics to the hill to watch the Independence Day fireworks every year. The Harbor economy supported skilled craftsmen -shipbuilders, textile workers, and blacksmiths, who worked with iron ore mined from Federal Hill itself. The hill was also excavated for its red clay and sand, and the resulting tunnels and empty pockets have caused several recent partial collapses! With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, the neighborhood became a frenzy of activity with industries surrounding copper smelting, canning, and the garment trade. Of course places for hardworking people to kick up their heels and relax followed suit, like the ornately beautiful McHenry Theater (it's current incarnation is the fabulous Blue Agave Restaurante and Tequileria), and the venerable Cross Street Market, which remains the bustling hub of the neighborhood today. Almost two centuries after it first opened its doors, the market is home to more than thirty merchants; many have been in business right here for generations. The neighborhoods to the south of the harbor hold a central place in America's military history. During the War of 1812, in a fledgling country with an undersized navy, President James Madison called upon private ship owners for help. The same ships that Captain Porter had viewed from his observatory took action as gutsy privateers against the British, who called Baltimore Harbor as "a nest of pirates."
At the outset of the Civil War, President Lincoln, desperate to keep Baltimore's harbor out of the hands of her many resident secessionists, and sent troops in to hold "Fort Federal Hill." The soldiers on the hill stood firm, even as secessionist hecklers gathered below them, taunting and jeering.
Further south in Locust Point, Fort McHenry is proud to be known as "The Birthplace of our National Anthem."
Francis Scott Key wrote The Star Spangled Banner from his vantage point on a British Ship as he watched the Fort withstand the bitter 25-hour bombardment from the British during the War of 1812. Ironically, his grandson was held in the fort some fifty years later as a prisoner of war under suspicion of being a Confederate sympathizer. He was in good company though, since during the Civil War, the Fort was home to thousands of prisoners including the mayor of Baltimore, earning it the nickname: "The Baltimore Bastille."
Fort McHenry has been involved in war efforts as recently as World War II, when it was used as a training station for the Coast Guard. Today, there are no prisoners at the fort, and it's actually a great place to visit. With a calendar full of activities like guided bird walks and a "junior ranger program" in which kids get the chance to earn a gold badge and certificate, there is lots of fun stuff to do here. The visitor's center is in the midst of planning a major renovation that will make way for more people coming to visit the Fort just in time for its Bicentennial Celebration in 2012.
But visitors to the neighborhoods south of the harbor don't have to wait two hundred years for a celebration; there are lots of them happening all the time. Bring a blanket to Federal Hill on a Thursday night during the summer and watch a movie projected on the side of the American Visionary Arts Museum.
The blocks surrounding Cross Street Market are closed to vehicles a few times a year to make room for some serious parties, like the Jazz and Blues Festival, and the Spring Block Party. People in the mood for more subdued entertainment can catch the Shakespeare on the Hill series during the summer.
Watching a play on top of the Hill, or squeezing your way through the crowded Cross Street Market at lunchtime, it's hard to imagine that Federal Hill hasn't always been the bustling destination spot that it is today. In fact, the neighborhood had fallen into some pretty desperate times by the middle of last century and plans were drawn up to raze the both Federal Hill and Fells Point to make room for I-95 and I-83 to join south of the harbor. A passionate group of citizens devoted to these historic neighborhoods successfully fought the City Council proposal. Federal Hill and Fells Point were added to the National Register of Historic Places, fueling buyer enthusiasm and protecting the neighborhood from any more ideas about highways. Federal Hill today is better than ever before. There are endless possibilities for adventurous outings here. Start the morning with a rich cup of shade grown, organic coffee brewed from beans roasted on-site at Spoons Coffee House and Roastery. Stroll up to Light Street Cycles to rent a bike for the day and take a ride to Fort McHenry. In the mood for a beer, but don't want to leave your pooch home alone? Bring her along to the Thirsty Dog Pub. Have a craving for a truly spectacular meal at an award-winning restaurant? The neighborhood is overflowing with them. Try Ten-O-Six for innovative Thai food, or Matsuri for some of the best sushi Baltimore has to offer. And if a beautiful bouquet of roses is in order for your dinner date, swing through Cross Street Market first. You won't find a better deal on flowers anywhere else in the city; a dozen will only set you back $7.95! In South Baltimore, the sense of community, melded with the undeniable presence of a strong history, creates a truly dynamic and happening enclave in Baltimore. |
