Category: Partners

Announcing Our Spring Lecture Series at the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion

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

 

Baltimore Mid-Century: A Talk by Jack Burkert

On March 30, join historian Jack Burkert to discover how the 1950’s made lasting changes to the way people lived, how they moved in and around the Baltimore region, and where they found employment. From the early “crisis” in absorbing returning veterans and new families, to the way those new families would seek entertainment and recreation, Baltimore would be a far different place in 1959 than it was in 1950. Automobiles and the highways they rode on took over. The “Red Scare” went local, labor strikes sparked unintended consequences while hula hoops, poodle skirts and fast food became modern trends. A decade many recall, but few realize how much of Baltimore’s 21st century had roots in the 1950’s. March 30, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm. $10-$15. Register here!

 

Below Baltimore: An Archaeology of Charm City by Adam Fracchia

Join us on April 6 to hear archaeologist Adam Fracchia discuss his work in Baltimore and his new book, Below Baltimore: An Archaeology of Charm City. Join Dr. Fracchia to explore the layers of the city’s material record from the late seventeenth century to the recent past by focusing on major themes around Baltimore’s growth into a mercantile port city, the city’s diverse immigrant populations and the history of their foodways, and the ways industries—including railroads, glass factories, sugar refineries, and breweries—structured the city’s landscape. April 6, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm. $10-$15. Register here! 

 

Sites of the Baltimore Slave Trade: A Talk by Richard Messick

Join us on May 18 to hear Baltimore researcher Richard Messick discuss the growth of the domestic slave trade in Baltimore, the various methods and locations of sale, and some of the more notorious traders in the business of selling people. After its incorporation in the late 18th century, the population of Baltimore grew very quickly along with the expansion of the new country. The market for the sale of people that grew up in the Mid-Atlantic region was also extensive. Although many of the associated buildings no longer exist, Richard Messick’s research and mapping project show the deeply interwoven relationship between the trade of human beings and our streets of Baltimore. May 18, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm. $10-$15. Register here! 

Restoring the Perkins Square Gazebo

Photo by Diamyn Wilson

Baltimore Heritage is collaborating with the Heritage Crossing Residents Association to restore the Perkins Square gazebo!

The neighborhood of Heritage Crossing turned 25 years old last year, and in preparing for that milestone, the Residents Association developed a list of priorities that would help them improve their public spaces. Improving the landscaping in the central park and restoring the gazebo were at the top of the priority list. The Perkins Square gazebo is a vital public space for the predominantly Black West Baltimore community. The community was created to bring new vibrancy to this part of Baltimore as high rise public housing apartments that were here were demolished.

The gazebo, c. 1905

The gazebo has been at the heart of the Heritage Crossing community since it was erected in the 1850s to provide shade for people getting water from a natural spring, and today is in the center of the park. This year, the Residents Association is partnering with Baltimore Heritage to help secure qualified contractors who are experience with historic structures and help raise the funds needed to undertake the work.

Baltimore Heritage completed a new strategic plan in 2023 that calls for us to directly assist communities in preservation projects. Heritage Crossing is the first community partnership that Baltimore Heritage has entered into under its new strategic plan, a recognition of the importance of the historic gazebo and the impact that its restoration will have on the Heritage Crossing community.

 

 

The restored gazebo is a key component to the Heritage Crossing community’s ongoing effort to improve the park and build community. Baltimore Heritage is honored to be part of such an important project! Stay tuned for more details about a ribbon cutting ceremony when the restoration is complete.

–Enzi Evergreen

September 22: The Mount Vernon Place Plein Air Art Show

The best of Baltimore’s history and art come together on September 22 at one of Baltimore’s most spectacular historic places: the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion. This spring and summer, artists from the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association brought their easels to Mount Vernon Place to capture its magnificent history, landscapes and architecture. On Sunday, September 22, we’ll have nearly 100 original paintings of Mount Vernon Place on display and for sale.

We hope you will join us for a chance to see…and take home!…great art by local artists capturing our city in its finest light. Doors open at 1:00 pm and the event will end at 4:00 pm.

Online registration is encouraged and pre-purchased tickets are $15! Tickets will increase to $20 at the door.

The event is a partnership between Baltimore Heritage, the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion Endowment Fund, and the Mount Vernon Place Conservancy.

What’s Out There Weekend, September 21-22: Join Us and the Cultural Landscape Foundation!

Join us, the Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) and its other partners to explore Baltimore’s unique landscape legacy during What’s Out There Weekend Baltimore on September 21-22, 2024. This event features FREE, expert-led tours of dozens of sites, including gardens, campuses, plazas, public parks, and cultural institutions.

These tours allow participants to discover the background and design history of familiar places they often overlook. Knowledgeable guides will share rich stories, personal anecdotes, and keen observations, providing behind-the-scenes expertise and insights into landscape architecture and urban development.

TCLF will produce a printed guidebook for What’s Out There Weekend Baltimore, featuring most of the tour sites. The guidebook will be available for pre-order and as a free downloadable PDF soon. Additionally, you can explore the area’s landscape legacy with TCLF’s digital What’s Out There Cultural Landscapes Guide to Baltimore, available now.