Join us for an exciting lecture series this spring at the historic Garrett-Jacobs Mansion, also known as the Engineers Club. One Sunday afternoon each month from March through May, join us for an in-depth talk by a subject matter expert all the while sitting in a gorgeous Gilded Age mansion. Learn more and sign up for each lecture below! And don’t forget to check out our calendar to see all of our upcoming tours and events.
–Johns Hopkins, Executive Director
Immigrants at Locust Point, 1904 (Image courtesy of the Maryland Center for History and Culture)
Building Baltimore: A Talk on Immigration and Opportunity by Jack Burkert
For almost two million people, Baltimore was the destination that promised a new life, hope and opportunity. Beginning in earnest in the 18th century, accelerating through the 19th, immigrants provided the labor force necessary for Baltimore to become an industrial powerhouse. Early arrivals endured often tortuous Atlantic crossings under sail. Later steam powered ships sped the trip, but steerage accommodation offered little improvement to time spent at sea. Who were these people? Where were they from? Why did they abandon their homes? On March 1, join Baltimore historian Jack Burkert to explore immigration into Baltimore.
American Revolution and the Fate of the World: A Talk by Dr. Richard Bell
The American Revolution was not only the colonies’ triumphant liberation from the rule of an overbearing England; it was also a cataclysm that pulled in participants from around the globe and threw the entire world order into chaos. The “War of Independence” manifested itself as a sprawling struggle that upended the lives of millions of people on every continent and fundamentally transformed the way the world works, disrupting trade, restructuring penal systems, stirring famine, and creating the first global refugee crisis. On April 12, join acclaimed University of Maryland history professor and author Dr. Richard Bell as he upends much of what we thought we knew about the American Revolution.
The Making of America’s Greatest Classical Architect: A Talk by Charlie Duff
John Russell Pope designed the National Gallery, the National Archives, the Jefferson Memorial, and dozens of other buildings of national importance. He was arguably the greatest master of classical architecture in American history. So how did this New Yorker get his start in Baltimore? He wasn’t from here. He didn’t go to school here. But it was a Baltimorean who gave him his first independent commission, and it was Baltimoreans who gave him the chance to build his first museum. On May 24, join Baltimore historian and architecture buff Charlie Duff to investigate Pope’s work in Baltimore and his lasting impact on America.
In 2026, we are expanding our live-narrated Inner Harbor boat tours and offering them almost every Saturday from March through October!
We hope you will join us to discover America’s history on Baltimore’s water. America defeated the British here. Frederick Douglass escaped from here. And today we are pioneering watershed restoration here. The tour starts near the Harborplace pavilions and goes all the way out to Fort McHenry. Come see how Baltimore’s wonderful waterfront connects the past with the present and Baltimore to the rest of the world.
We hope to see you on board! Click below to access our Event Calendar and register for a boat tour:
If you are an experienced sewist who would like to use your skills and talents to join other volunteers in creating a group project that celebrates Baltimore, this post is for you.
Baltimore Heritage would like to submit a quilt to the 2026 Homage to Baltimore Quilting Competition, https://www.homagetobaltimorequiltingcompetition.com, and we could use extra hands to help create a quilt that reflects Baltimore Heritage’s commitment to Baltimore’s communities via places, people, and traditions.
Our idea is to create quilt blocks that are inspired by the subjects of our Five Minute Histories videos. We have a few subjects in mind but will also consider suggestions (please visit our YouTube channel for inspiration). Blocks will be a standard size (yet to be determined) and will include space to cite the topic being represented as well as the quilter’s name. Blocks can include a wide ranging of quilting techniques including (but not limited to) piecing, applique, and embroidery. Blocks will be due March 1 to give us time to assemble and quilt the piece by the April 1 deadline.
Our initial though is that volunteers would work on their blocks individually, though we will schedule a meeting kickoff via Zoom once we have our volunteers in place. If, however, there is a desire for a dedicated sew-in day, we could try to make that happen. We will ask for progress photos from individuals to be able to provide updates via social media, so our community can see us at work.
What we cannot do:
-teach quilting or piecing—experienced sewists only
-provide sewing machines
-provide materials—though if someone is in need, there’s a good chance we can crowd source small pieces of fabric
What we can do:
-coordinate and make assignments
-handle quilt assembly, quilting, and submission
-provide updates via social media
-answer questions
-enthusiastically cheer on this project!
If this sounds like something you would like to be involved in and have time for, please contact Mary Zajac at zajac@baltimoreheritage.org by Tuesday, January 20. Thanks!
Join Baltimore Heritage for our very first Heritage Happy Hour! Come enjoy a casual get-together at The Brewer’s Art and connect with fellow history lovers, preservation enthusiasts, friends of Baltimore’s past, and Baltimore Heritage’s own Executive Director, Johns Hopkins. Drop in, share a drink, and meet others who care about celebrating and preserving our City’s stories. This is a free event, but we ask that you register ahead of time.