Saturday, December 31, 2011

Walking around historic Baltimore, Maryland

Franklin Street Presbyterian Church
The church is a rectangular Tudor Gothic building dedicated in 1847, with an addition in 1865. The front features two 60 foot flanking octagonal towers are also crenelated and have louvered belfry openings and stained glass Gothic-arched windows.


Today we are taking a photo walking tour of my old neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland Mount Vernon is a Historic neighborhood located just to the north of downtown Baltimore, Maryland. Designated a National Landmark Historic District and a city Cultural District, it is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods and originally was home to the city's most wealthy and fashionable families. The name derives from the Mount Vernon home of George Washington; the original Washington Monument, a massive pillar commenced in 1815 to commemorate the first president of the United States, is the defining feature of the neighborhood.



Mount Vernon is home to some of the most beautiful and well-preserved 19th century architecture located in the East Coast of the United States. The centerpiece of the neighborhood is the area around the Washington Monument, where stately homes face onto four small parks that radiate from the monument. The parks, which have survived almost intact, are considered to be the finest existing urban landscapes by the beaux-arts architectural firm of Carrere & Hastings, who also designed the New York Public Library, portions of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and the residence that houses the Frick Collection. Elsewhere in the neighborhood are many older apartment buildings and three- and four-story rowhouses; most of the latter were originally single-family dwellings. Though many have been broken up into multiple apartments, a growing number are being restored back to single family use. The photo's are from last October.


Franklin Street Presbyterian Church
The church is a rectangular Tudor Gothic building dedicated in 1847, with an addition in 1865. The front features two 60 foot flanking octagonal towers are also crenelated and have louvered belfry openings and stained glass Gothic-arched windows.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also called the Baltimore Basilica
The Basilica was constructed (1806–1821) to a design of Benjamin Henry Latrobe — America's first professionally trained architect

Detail of a carved marble overdoor

Dome of Baltimore City Hall

Early 19th century Federal Style Row houses

Early 19th century Federal Style Row houses




Mable Tower of the Wind capital

The original Loyola University 1850's

Saint Ignatius church 1850's



Cast iron urns



Italianate Brownstone doorway  

1850's Italianate Brownstone townhouse  




1820's Federal doorway

Gotic Rvival brownstone window arch

Gothic Revival townhouse 1840's

1860's Italianate Brownstone rowhouses   

1850's Italianate townhouse

Carved Italianate overdoor

The oldest house standing on the squares is the Mount Vernon Club at 8 West Mount Vernon Place. Formerly known as the Tiffany-Fisher House, it was built circa 1842 by William Tiffany. With Doric columns supporting a stone portico, a rusticated first story and large windows gracing the upper two storys, it is a fine example of the Greek Revival architectural style prominent at the time. Since 1942, it has served as the home of a private women's club. An interesting aside--the Duke and Dutchess of Windsor stayed here when they visited Baltimore in 1959. The Dutchess, formerly Wallis Warfield, was named for her uncle, Severn Teackle Wallis, whose statue stands in East Mount Vernon Place.




Browstone Gothic Revival detail

The oldest house standing on the squares is the Mount Vernon Club at 8 West Mount Vernon Place. Formerly known as the Tiffany-Fisher House, it was built circa 1842 by William Tiffany. With Doric columns supporting a stone portico, a rusticated first story and large windows gracing the upper two storys, it is a fine example of the Greek Revival architectural style prominent at the time. Since 1942, it has served as the home of a private women's club. An interesting aside--the Duke and Dutchess of Windsor stayed here when they visited Baltimore in 1959. The Dutchess, formerly Wallis Warfield, was named for her uncle, Severn Teackle Wallis, whose statue stands in East Mount Vernon Place.



School of the Arts. 1850's Brownstone



Carved detail


Late 19th century Detail

Greek Revival portico

Grand Greek Revival home


The historic Eutaw Place Temple built by Temple Oheb Shalom and now home to the Prince Hall Masons.

Brownstones on Eutaw Place

The historic Eutaw Place Temple built by Temple Oheb Shalom and now home to the Prince Hall Masons.

1850's Brownstone doorway detail

1850's Brownstone doorway



Detail of 1850's Italianate brackets

Bay windows

1850's Greek Revival church




That fountain was known as The Children's Fountain or the Centennial Fountain because it was purchased from the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876

Eutaw Place Fountain

This looks like New Orleans



First & Franklin Street Presbyterian Church

First & Franklin Street Presbyterian Church

The First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church building was erected between 1854 and 1859. The building is a fine example of a style called “Gothic Revival” or “Lancet Gothic” or “Flamboyant Gothic”. The exterior is made of rose colored New Brunswick freestone. The interior sanctuary has a magnificent triple vaulted ceiling which features massive plaster pendants. It is considered to be one of the most spectacular Victorian plaster interiors in the United States. The steeple was completed in 1879 and is the tallest in Baltimore at 273 feet tall; it was built using structural iron, a new building material for its day.




The stained glass windows were added as memorials between 1875 and 1946. Three of the West windows were executed by Tiffany and Co.; the other windows were made by various companies in England, Italy, New York, and Boston.


First & Franklin Street Presbyterian Church

First & Franklin Street Presbyterian Church

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is an art and design college in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It was founded in 1826 as the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, making it one of the first and oldest art colleges in the United States. In 2008, MICA was ranked #2 in the nation among fine arts programs by U.S. News and World Report.


Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) is an art and design college in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It was founded in 1826 as the Maryland Institute for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, making it one of the first and oldest art colleges in the United States. In 2008, MICA was ranked #2 in the nation among fine arts programs by U.S. News and World Report.



First & Franklin Street Presbyterian Church

The First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church building was erected between 1854 and 1859. The building is a fine example of a style called “Gothic Revival” or “Lancet Gothic” or “Flamboyant Gothic”. The exterior is made of rose colored New Brunswick freestone. The interior sanctuary has a magnificent triple vaulted ceiling which features massive plaster pendants. It is considered to be one of the most spectacular Victorian plaster interiors in the United States. The steeple was completed in 1879 and is the tallest in Baltimore at 273 feet tall; it was built using structural iron, a new building material for its day.




The stained glass windows were added as memorials between 1875 and 1946. Three of the West windows were executed by Tiffany and Co.; the other windows were made by various companies in England, Italy, New York, and Boston.


First & Franklin Street Presbyterian Church

Greek Revival portico of The Enoch Pratt House 1845

The Enoch Pratt House 1845



18th century stone house