We tell stories of people, places and neighborhoods in Baltimore

Baltimore Heritage features a number of ongoing educational history programs to research, document, share, and celebrate Baltimore’s rich architectural and social heritage. Our programs include both special events and ongoing research and documentation programs: 

 
Read more below!

Explore Baltimore Heritage — Local history in your pocket

Discover the stories behind Baltimore’s historic buildings and neighborhoods with our Explore Baltimore Heritage website and smartphone application! Explore our digital collection of stories and historic images or download for iPhone and Android devices. Learn more about the Explore Baltimore Heritage project and our partners.

By the Marble: Podcasting Baltimore’s Queer History

Baltimore Heritage is delighted to partner with UMBC’s Interdisciplinary CoLab program and Dr. Kate Drabinski to showcase Baltimore’s undiscovered Queer history with a new podcast, By the Marble. Researched, written and produced by UMBC students, By the Marble aims to preserve the histories of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, and reveal the ways queer life has shaped Baltimore. 

Documenting Ghost Signs With Photographer Lashelle Bynum

Over the past several years, Baltimore Heritage has worked with photographer Lashelle Bynum to document and record the history of ghost signs across Baltimore City. From ads for local Baltimore businesses like Hendlers Creamery to national products like Coca Cola, we in Baltimore are lucky to have over 150 ghost signs still remaining. Read on to learn more about these amazing historical artifacts in plain sight!

Centennial Homes — Families at the heart of historic neighborhoods

The Baltimore Centennial Homes project, developed in collaboration between Baltimore Heritage and City Councilman James Kraft, recognizes families that have been in the same house for 100 years or more. Learn more about our Centennial Homes program.

Legacy Businesses – Still working after 100 years

Just as much as our harbor and our great neighborhoods, Baltimore’s longstanding businesses are a central part of what makes our city unique. Our Legacy Business Program highlights the city’s businesses that have survived for over 100 years and are still going today.

Adopt-A-Monument – Maintaining Baltimore’s historic monuments

Recognizing the importance of maintaining these public works of art and the reality that the city’s budget cannot cover all these costs, the Adopt-A-Monument program invites individuals and organizations to make an annual contribution to ensure the preservation of these monuments. 

New community history partners!

Greater Hampden Heritage Alliance

Greater Hampden Heritage AllianceWe are excited to highlight our new partnership with the Greater Hampden Heritage Alliance—an exciting new resident-led effort formed in early 2014 to bring attention to the Hampden area’s rich history, from the shops on the Avenue, to the mills and the people who worked in them. Their goal is to preserve the stories and places of the past through community engagement. Learn more about their projects and upcoming events.

Northeast Baltimore History Roundtable

The Northeast History Roundtable was formed in partnership with Baltimore Heritage in 2014 to foster knowledge of and appreciation of this area’s rich history. Members are currently working on the Lauraville Heritage Project, which will include self-guided and speaker-guided walking tours, the collection of oral histories, and articles about early residents and life in Lauraville. Learn more.

Learn more about Baltimore history and architecture

LGBTQ Heritage

Baltimore Heritage has started a new initiative to highlight the historic places significant to Baltimore’s LGBT community through tour and education programs. Learn more about our LBGTQ Heritage programs and partnerships.

Baltimore 1814

Baltimore 1814 is an online collection of short stories on the history of Baltimore, the War of 1812, and the world of 1814. Throughout all of 2014, check out new short stories every week highlighting events that took place on the same date in 1814. Most of our stories are set in Baltimore but occasional features on events in Maryland and around the world will help us see our city’s, history in a broader context.

Check out Baltimore 1814 today or go directly to a few of our favorite stories like St. Patrick’s Day in Baltimore or the Francis Asbury memorial for William Otterbein or the origins of the design of Baltimore’s Washington Monument.

Race and Place in Baltimore Neighborhoods

Dr. Ed Orser at Lauretta Avenue, October 23, 2010.
Dr. Ed Orser at Lauretta Avenue, October 23, 2010.

Race and Places in Baltimore Neighborhoods explored the history of segregation, civil rights, and community development in historically African-American Baltimore communities. Learn more about Race and Place in Baltimore Neighborhoods.

Witness to the War of 1812

Battle Monument, 1900Through tours, research and more, we’re remembering the history of the War of 1812 together with the Baltimore landmarks that witnessed the battles that shaped our city’s history. Learn more.

Recent Updates

What Are We Planning for 2026? And why we need your support to make it happen.

November 13, 2025

With thanks to those who have already donated, we wanted to share what we’re planning for next year and ask again for help in making it happen by joining or renewing your membership! We are a small organization so a gift of any size – from $5 to $500 – will… Read more

Announcing our New WYPR Weekly Segment!

November 4, 2025

We are delighted to be partnering with WYPR 88.1 FM on a weekly radio segment called “Five Minutes of Baltimore History” hosted by our executive director, Johns Hopkins! Not all of Baltimore’s history is easy or straightforward, but all of it is important. Frederick Douglass escaped his enslavement from here;… Read more