Remembering William Donald Schaefer

William Donald Schaefer shaped the Baltimore we have today perhaps as much as anyone. Baltimore Heritage did not always see eye-to-eye with the former mayor and governor, and indeed we fought vehemently against projects he supported, including highways proposed for Baltimore’s waterfront and the east-west connector in West Baltimore that threatened and demolished historic buildings and neighborhoods. On other issues, Governor Schaefer was a friend and leader for preservation, including the Dollar House Program and preserving the West Side of downtown. Former Baltimore Heritage President Fred Shoken joins us in remembering William Donald Schaefer with a guest post–

The highlight of my career as President of Baltimore Heritage was presenting William Donald Schaefer with the 1993 Douglas H. Gordon Award for Preservation Advocacy.

When the Board of Directors first considered Governor Schaefer for this honor, we envisioned giving the award to someone who after many years of public service ultimately became convinced that preservation was important. We would honor an individual who championed our cause and carried it forward. After reviewing his career in more detail, we realized the opposite was true. William Donald Schaefer was the leader in creating the foundations upon which Baltimore’s preservation movement was built.

While preservationists were busy fighting individual concerns, trying to save one building or the next, William Donald Schaefer saw the big picture. He realized that nothing could be preserved and no community could be revitalized without convincing people to take pride in their neighborhoods. He made it his mission to restore neighborhood pride in Baltimore City, and he was effective.

He knew that people who are not proud of their history, of their community, of their city, will do nothing to preserve their heritage. Without pride of place, there is no preservation. People who are not proud of themselves or of their neighborhoods are destructive. They tear down rather than build up. People who are proud of their history and heritage will preserve the symbols of the past and work to improve the future. William Donald Schaefer worked harder than anyone to restore pride in our neighborhoods. This, more than anything else, allowed preservation to flourish in Baltimore.

There is no doubt that conflicts will exist between preservationists and government officials on particular issues. Preservationists had battles with William Donald Schaefer. Some we won … others we lost, but that was not a factor in honoring the Governor. We honored William Donald Schaefer because deep down he was proud of the history and accomplishments of Baltimore City and the State of Maryland. His pride in Baltimore made him a great advocate in preserving Baltimore’s historic and architectural heritage. In turn he made others proud, which aided the cause of preservation. For this reason William Donald Schaefer deserved recognition from Baltimore Heritage and our thanks.

Fred Shoken, President of Baltimore Heritage, 1988-1994

Behind the Scenes Tour of Miller’s Court

Built at the turn of the 20th century, Miller’s Court began as the H.F. Miller and Son Tin Box and Can Manufacturing Plant. Today it is an excellent example of adaptive re-use as commercial and residential space. Much of the buildings original architectural elements remains, including massive wooden trusses, brick pilasters, and the original cupola. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. Our host will be Jon Constable of Seawall Development Company, the building’s owner and developer.

Tour Details

Miller’s Court | 2601 N. Howard St., 21218
Wednesday, April 27th | 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
$15/members, $20/non-members.
Wine and cheese will be served.
RSVP for the tour today!

Parking will be available in the Miller’s Court lot at the corner of 26th Street and Maryland Avenue. Street parking is also available. Please enter the building on the Howard Street side.

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Welcome to the Friends of West Baltimore Squares

The Friends of West Baltimore Squares is a new organization dedicated to the celebration of West Baltimore’s unique historic squares and parks through events, outreach and advocacy. Launched in February 2011 by Baltimore Heritage in partnership with the Parks & People Foundation, the Watershed 263 Council and neighborhood leaders in Franklin Square, Harlem Park, Lafayette Square, Perkins Square and Union Square, our goal is to support the expanded use and appreciation of historic parks, connect West Baltimore residents and leaders interested in urban greening and historic preservation, and offer fun new ways to explore West Baltimore neighborhoods.

Please stay connected with our new effort by visiting the Friends of West Baltimore Squares website, connecting with us on Facebook, and following us on Twitter. If you are a resident of West Baltimore, interested in supporting the Friends of West Baltimore Squares as a volunteer, or interested in attending any of our fun upcoming events, please sign up for our e-mail list and keep an eye on our calendar. We have also started a small discussion list for anyone who’d like to contribute their own ideas to the project.

Finally, we invite everyone to join us for our inaugural West Baltimore Squares Spring Walk and Celebration on the evening of Saturday, April 30. We’ll walk from Union Square to Lafayette Square through five great historic parks ending with a celebration at Lafayette Square with light refreshments & music starting at 7:00 PM followed by a movie screening at 7:30 PM. We hope you can join us on April 30 for the start of this new exciting effort!

Behind the Scenes Tour of the Jensen House

What does someone who spends all day mounting exhibits at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History do when he gets home? Why, he stages vignettes of his collections, of course. Please join us on a tour of the home of Brian Jensen. His vast collection, which includes Victrolas, vintage appliances, and a working 1927 Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ, are a must-see. Wine and cheese will be served.

Jensen House

27 East 21st Street, 21218
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 | 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
$15 for members; $20 for non-members
RSVP today!

Space is limited so sign up early! Confirmations will be sent by email, and payment will be due upon confirmation. For additional information and questions, call Marsha Wise at 443-306-3369, or email wise@baltimoreheritage.org.

Brian Jensen purchased his circa 1879 rowhouse in 1976. Although it was in need of much repair, Brian saw the home’s potential in the high ceilings, curved walls, carved staircase, and wall niches. He took advantage of a low-interest loan offered by Baltimore City to make it inhabitable. Today it houses over 40 years of collecting. When a power-outage hits the neighborhood his home is the only one still ablaze in light as the home boasts period gas chandeliers. Brian’s most prize possession is his working 1927 Wurlitzer pipe organ. The organ was removed from the State Theatre in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and brought to Maryland by its purchaser. Brian, a lover of pipe organ music, jumped at the opportunity to buy it when the Maryland owner decided to sell. He and the organ were meant to be together. He had a great-aunt Winnie who had been a silent film organist at the end of the era. Recalling that she had mentioned living in North Carolina, he asked her about the State Theatre. She said, “I remember playing that organ.” The blowers for the organ reside in Brian’s basement and the pipes are installed in a room on the third floor.