Author: Johns

Johns Hopkins has been the executive director of Baltimore Heritage since 2003. Before that, Johns worked for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development developing and implementing smart growth and neighborhood revitalization programs. Johns holds degrees from Yale University, George Washington University Law School, and the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment.

Behind the Scenes Tour of the Cylburn Arboretum

With a Civil-War era mansion and a brand new visitors center, Cylburn Arboretum is bustling with history and energy. Please join us and our hosts from the Cylburn Arboretum Association on a tour of the historic mansion, a stroll through the grounds to view some less visited historic sites, and a peek at the new visitors center. Oh yes, and a glass of wine on the mansion porch.

Tour Information

Note:  We are having two identical tours on the same evening.  Please sign up for only one.
Date:   Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Time:   Tour 1 — 5:15 p.m. to 6:15, with reception to follow
Tour 2 — 6:00 p.m. reception, 6:30 to 7:30 tour
Place:   Cylburn Arboretum, 4915 Greenspring Avenue (Baltimore, 21209)
Free parking is available at the arboretum
Cost:    $15 (includes wine and cheese reception)

Click Here to Register

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Celebrating 50 Years of Historic Preservation in Baltimore

In June, Baltimore Heritage celebrated 50 years of historic preservation work in Baltimore with an anniversary gala at the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion. With a crowd of 400, a set of historic open houses across Mount Vernon Place, an auction of Baltimore art, and the annual presentation of historic preservation awards, the evening was a crowded and celebratory affair.

Highlighting the event, three of Baltimore Heritage’s original 11 founders from 1960 were present to help celebrate. Richard E. Gatchell, Charles A. Porter Hopkins, and William Boulton “Bo” Kelly, Jr. helped launch Baltimore Heritage a half-century ago to provide a voice for preserving the city’s historic buildings and neighborhoods. At the June gala, they offered remarks on the historic preservation movement in Baltimore, its accomplishments and the challenges that lie ahead.

As the three founders noted, the creation of Baltimore Heritage was a joint effort by many civic institutions and led by a group called the Junior Chamber of Commerce. In the early years, high priority projects included saving the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion and other buildings on Mount Vernon Place from proposed demolition and blocking a federal highway proposed to run through Fell’s Point and Federal Hill.

The celebration continues this fall with a special 50th Anniversary bus tour. On October 3, you can join us in retracing the route of the central Baltimore bus tour that led to the founding of Baltimore Heritage. For more information on upcoming programs and events call 410-332-9992 or e-mail Johns Hopkins at hopkins@baltimoreheritage.org.

Behind the Scenes Tour: Monuments in Bolton Hill

Image courtesy Dave/Flickr

Why is the Francis Scott Key Monument on Eutaw Place sometimes called the monument that cigars built? Who was Baltimore’s great hero in the Mexican War of 1846-7 and how is he connected to the Maryland State Song, James Ryder Randall’s poem “Maryland My Maryland”? Please join us for stroll through historic Bolton Hill and an evening of Baltimore history as told through these and other stories of our public monuments. Our tour guides will be Cindy Kelly, author of a soon-to-be-published book on Baltimore’s monuments, and monument preservation leader Sandy Sparks.

Tour Information

Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Time: 6:00 to 7:15 p.m.
Place: Meet at the Francis Scott Key Monument at Eutaw Place and Lanvale St.
Park along the street
Cost: $10 for members / $20 for non-members (cold water included!)
Registration: Click Here to Register

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Pente Family: 100 Years in Little Italy

John Pente with daughter Margaret Schwartz and son-in-law Al Schwartz celebrate over 100 years in Little Italy. Photo by Lisa Doyle.

Sadly, Little Italy’s John Pente passed away earlier this week at age 100. Mr. Pente was a lifelong resident of Little Italy and Baltimore Heritage’s first honoree in the Centennial Homes program. Mr. Pente’s family moved into the house on High Street in 1904, and Mr. Pente lived there almost his entire life. His grandfather settled along President Street in Baltimore as an immigrant from Abruzzi, Italy in the 1890s when “Little Italy” was more German and English than Italian.  The area became known as “Little Italy” in the 1920s after the first Italian restaurant opened then. As part of Baltimore’s growing Italian community in the area, the Pente family found work where they could and carried on a family tradition as musicians in various local Italian bands. As a volunteer with St. Leo’s Church, the Sons of Italy, and the ambassador for the Little Italy Film Festival (which projected from a window on his second floor), John Pente was an active participant for decades in helping neighborhood grow and prosper. Part of this remarkable man’s legacy is certainly the Little Italy neighborhood that he took such good care of.

Click here to download a brief profile of the Pente Family by Cristina Ambroselli for our Centennial Homes program.

The Baltimore Sun ran a nice article on Mr. Pente in today’s paper.  Also, WYPR will re-broadcast an interview with Mr. Pente from 2009 when he helped launch the Centennial Homes program.  The interview will air on Friday, July 30, between 9:15 and 9:30 a.m. A viewing will be held at Zanino’s Funeral Home in Highlandtown on Friday between 2:00 and 9:00 p.m. and a funeral mass will be held at St. Leo’s Church in Little Italy on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.