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 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 begat 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.

Join us on April 6 to hear archaeologist Adam Fracchia discuss 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.