The scene looking out from the opposite direction of yesterday’s shot. The alms house is situated on top of a hill overlooking the valley and, though it’s impossible to make out from this distance, the quarry I mentioned in yesterday’s post is right in the middle of that valley.
We’re moving out of Baltimore today and into Baltimore County. If you are from out of state, you should know that those are two completely distinct jurisdictions. The city of Baltimore is not a part of Baltimore county or of any other county. This building was originally built in 1872 as the third alms house for Baltimore county, the first two being just down the road a bit. Today it houses the county historical society.
I used to remember this place as where my mother would go when she needed to identify an unknown kind of plant. This sounds strange, but the reason why you would bring your plants here is because it was also home to the horticultural extension, (now just called the University of Maryland Extension) which is a community outreach program allowing citizens of the state to use the agricultural knowledge base of the school.
One more interesting piece of information about this building is that it was made from stone quarried on the premises. That sounds strange too. However, less than a mile from this place is a productive stone quarry that still operates to this day.
MDP is taking a break from it’s online tour of Hampden. Today we have a great picture of the Key Bridge taken on a warm sunny day. The MDP staff will be visiting lots of great places for holiday pictures in the next month so stay tuned. (this is of course subject to change)
Here’s one of the other things you can buy at the Festival of Trees: a gingerbread house. In fact you can buy your choice of many different home made ones. I chose to picture this one, though it was already sold. There’s quite a bit that one can buy besides trees or gingerbread houses. In fact, most of the festival is occupied by craft and food vendors.
Having seen commercials for many years now, this past weekend, MDP traveled to the Holiday Festival of Trees in the Timonium Fargrounds. A charity even benefitting the Kennedy Kreeger Institue, the festival’s main draw is the groupings of trees for sale. Each tree was created by a different group, either a private organization or a corporate sponsor, and donated to the event. Visitors can purchase any of the trees for a donation of $125. Considering the fact that I saw trees without decorations for sale in Wal-Mart for nearly $100, $125 for a well decorated tree is almost a steal. This is one of two Maryland themed trees available. Full Size Below.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my first job out of college was in a bank, but I’ve always though that it would be fun to live in an old bank. This building, located in northern Baltimore County, reads, “First National Bank” above its entryway. However, it’s clearly a residence as the family living there was coming out the door as I was standing there taking a picture.
Last week when I featured the Brooklandville Plantation, I mentioned that it enjoyed quite a nice view over northwest Baltimore. This shot is a part of that view. Far to the left is Towson, and, though it looks like a rolling mountain, that space to its right is Northern Baltimore.
This is the Brooklandwood Planation house in Lutherville, Baltimore County. It is best known as the mansion on the grounds on the St. Pauls school, but it could be known for any number of other things. First, it sits on top of a large rolling hill and it commands quite an impressive view of north-west Baltimore. Second, it is in remarkably good shape, due largely to the efforts of the school to maintain its signature buildings. Finnally, and most importantly is its historical significance, which I will offer to you as a quote from the historic marker placed by the school and the Maryland Historical Society, right outside the building. It reads: “Built by Charles Carroll of Carrollton for his daughter, Mary Caton. Site of the first Maryland Hunt Cup and Grand National Races. Owned succesively by John Cockey, Charles Carroll, George Brown, Captain Isaac Emerson and Saint Paul’s School (Established 1849).”
An unassuming building located in a culdasac in an ordinary suburban community of ranch houses and green yards, the Garrison Fort can easily be missed. Even driving by it, one might mistake it for a barn or an old home or any number of things. However, this fort has beeen sitting just north of Baltimore for three centuries, and it sits today in a very well preserved state. I can’t say much more that can’t be said by the sign outside the fort, so I’ll offer a picture of that as well.
This tiny window is severly disproportional to the large stone building in which it can be found. The reasons why this building would have such a large stone face and a small open window will be made clear tomorrow. If you want to guess what this is though, you are welcome to do so.