Happy Birthday Davidge Hall, Victorian Charm in Reservoir Hill and a Holiday tour of the Orianda House

Happy 200th Birthday, Davidge Hall!

Thursday, November 29, 2012, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
522 W. Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
RSVP Today! $15 members | $25 non-members (wine & cheese will be served)
Parking is available on the street and in nearby garages.

HABS MD,4-BALT,59-2, courtesy LOC/Wikipedia

Join us in celebrating Davidge Hall’s 200th birthday. Named after its founder and first dean, John Beale Davidge, Davidge Hall was constructed in 1812 as the founding medical school building of what is now the University of Maryland School of Medicine. With its surgical theater in the round classroom, called Anatomical Hall, and semi-circular Chemical Hall below it, it is hard to imagine a more wonderful architectural backdrop for students to watch the latest techniques in surgery and learn anatomy through the careful dissection of cadavers.

The building is recognized as the oldest medical facility in the country continuously used for medical education, and since 1812 all of the University’s medical graduates have passed through its doors at one time or another during their training. It is even said that from the porch one could watch the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814. The building recently has been meticulously restored, and won a historic preservation award from Baltimore Heritage! Please join us and our tour guide, Mr. Larry Pitrof, Executive Director of the Medical Alumni Association of the University of Maryland Medical School, on a tour of this grand historic gem.

Victorian Charm in Reservoir Hill

Tuesday, December 4, 2012, 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
2450 Eutaw Place, Baltimore, MD 21217
RSVP Today! $15 members | $25 non-members (wine & cheese will be served)
Parking is available on the street.

Image courtesy Hugh Pickens

While Baltimore is known for its row houses, the Reservoir Hill neighborhood took these iconic structures to a higher, grander level of Victorian architecture at the turn of the 20th century. Chief among the grand dames is 2450 Eutaw Place, a 12,000 square foot mansion that was first the home of John Knox Shaw (1845-1905), a founding member of Shaw Brothers coal merchants. Mr. Shaw built the house in 1895 as a stand-alone home and one of the first houses on Reservoir Hill. With incredible woodwork of Hunduras mahogany, a marble vestibule and marble mantles throughout, and fleur de lis tiles, the house was obviously a testiment to Mr. Shaw’s wealth and taste. But if a coal merchant constructed the fine house, a beer baron took it further.

The second owner of the home was Frederick Bauernschmidt (1863-1933), founder of the American Brewery. Mr. Bauernschmidt added a portecochèreand driveway to the outisde, and a new level on the first floor for a music room where an orchestra would sit to provide live music for parties. Please join us on a tour of this wonderful house as its current owner, Ms. Larcia Premo, shares her story of living and raising kids in turn-of-the-century grandeur and neighborhood historian Mr. Kelly Terrill shares some of the history of this great neighorhood.

Tree Trimming Party and Tour at Orianda House

Wednesday, December 12, 2012, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
1901 Eagle Drive, Baltimore, MD 21207
RSVP Today! $10 members with a canned good donation | $15 non-members
(Holiday cheer will be served)
There is limited parking near the house.  Parking is also available in the lot nearest the entrance from Forest Park Avenue.

Image courtesy laura1119_photos/photobucket

Please plan to join us for an old fashion tree-trimming party and tour of historic Orianda House in Leakin Park. Every year Orianda House invites local non-profit associations to decorate a tree representing their organization. Baltimore Heritage has participated in this event for the last few years. This year, we want to share the fun, and include a tour of this great historic building. We will provide decorations and invite you to bring an ornament that represents Baltimore if you feel so inspired. Also, in the spirit of giving, we ask that you bring a canned good to be donated to a local food bank. And, of course, we will be touring the house. Orianda House was built around 1856 by Thomas Winans as a summer home. Winans built the first railroads in Russia and was the son of Ross Winans of B&O Railroad fame. The house reflects Mr. Winans’ desire for a grand country estate. We hope you can join us for this festive event.

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