Baltimore Heritage

In 1827, William Patterson donated land in East Baltimore for what would become our city’s first public park: Patterson Park. Seventy-five years later, the City commissioned the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm to create a plan for a municipal park system, which eventually led to the creation of a first-class network of parks that covers thousands of acres. Family estates that at one time ringed Baltimore City, including homes of the Carrolls, Rogers, Winans and other families, were converted into promenades, nature walks, ballfields, and swimming pools. On our tour, we’ll meet at the renovated Druid Hill Park Superintendent's House and travel between some other well known parks in the western part of our city including Leakin Park and Carroll Park, stopping by some gems that are less appreciated like Lafayette Square and Leon Day Park. Join us as we learn how our city’s parks were designed and used, and how they have shaped the city we know today. There is a bathroom for use at the beginning of the tour at the Parks & People Foundation. This tour will be two-hours long with one stop where we disembark the bus and walk around Lafayette Square, a small park. There will be an option to stay on the bus and receive the same information as the walking portion of this tour.