On Friday, July 8th, the Baltimore Architecture Foundation (BAF) and Baltimore Heritage are hosting a Zoom presentation on the Historic Amusement Parks of Baltimore as part of their Virtual Histories Lunchtime Series. Beginning at 1pm, guest presenter John Coleman will share the rich history of the bygone amusement parks and beach resorts from the 1870s and stretching into the late 20th century that Baltimoreans eagerly traveled to reach by boat, streetcar, train, or automobile.

The Western Electric Company was founded in 1869 and served for more than 100 years as the manufacturing and supply unit of the Bell System. Its business and manufacturing activity skyrocketed from increased telephone use at the beginning of the 1900s. The company selected Baltimore as the site of a new cable and wire manufacturing plant due to its proximity to water and rail transportation. The company purchased land along the Patapsco River Neck from the Canton Company and the River View Amusement Park, with grand plans to develop the site into a large manufacturing campus. To complete a comprehensive plan for the new site at Point Breeze, the company hired the Olmsted Brothers firm. Between 1928 and 1931, the Olmsted Brothers prepared at least 263 drawings, including a comprehensive master plan and detailed landscape plans. Three experts will share their knowledge of this unique collection of buildings and site that was the industrial community to 6,000 workers in its heyday.