We are staying in Fell’s Point for the fourth entry in our Baltimore Building of the Week series with Dr. John Beihan to take a look at the eight remaining wooden houses on Aliceanna Street, South Ann Street, South Bond Street, South Register Street, and the pair below at 612-614 South Wolfe Street,

Few of Baltimore’s earliest buildings were as grand as Mt. Clare or the Captain Steele House. Most were tiny 1½-story wood clapboard houses with steep roof lines and small dormers. Apprehensive of fire, a  City ordinance of 1799 decreed that all  houses be constructed of brick. About a half-dozen pre-1799 wooden houses survive in Fells Point. This pair on Wolfe Street was once proposed as a museum, but currently it is endangered by inadequate maintenance and lack of a useful function.

For more on wooden houses in Fells Point, be sure to read Stacy Patterson’s article “Early Wooden Houses in Fell’s Point” or see a few of the homes in person following our interactive map.

The third entry in our Baltimore Building of the Week series by Dr. John Breihan is on the Captain John Steele House built ca 1788 at 931 Fell Street,

Baltimore’s growth came after the American Revolution. In comparison to Boston or Philadelphia, there are few buildings here in the Georgian style. A notable exception is the Captain Steele House in Fells Point, built just after the Revolution with the dormer windows and high-relief moldings characteristic of English Georgian architecture. It was lovingly restored and adapted for modern living by the Hepner family.

John Steele and his partner, Captain Thomas Lambdin, a resident of 802 S. Ann Street, operated a shipyard in Fells Point. The honorary title “Captain” was awarded to the shipbuilders, such as Lambdin and Steele, even if they did not command a ship.

Continuing the Baltimore Building of the Week feature for the second week of our 50th anniversary year at Baltimore Heritage, Dr. John Breihan provides a quick look at the 1765 Robert Long House at 812 S. Ann Street,  

Although last week’s Mount Clare Mansion is older, the Robert Long House in Fells Point is the oldest surviving city house in Baltimore. A symmetrical Georgian row house, its pent roof signals that its builder, the merchant Robert Long, originally came from Philadelphia. Once derelict, the Long House was saved by the Preservation Society of Fells Point and Federal Hill, which has its headquarters there.

The Robert Long House and Garden is open daily for tours at 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM. The Preservation Society also offers a number of great historic walking tours including “Secrets of the Seaport” and the “Authentic Ghostwalk.” All walking tours start at the Fell’s Point Visitor Center, 1732 Thames Street. If you’re interested call 410-675-6750 to reserve your spot.