Baltimore, made famous by the "Star Spangled Banner", Edgar Allen Poe, the birthplace of Babe Ruth, the Orioles and Ravens, and The Wire, is a city at the tail end of a remarkable transformation.
In the beginning, Baltimore was a vital port for colonial America, particularly for tobacco and slaves. It was temporarily the Capital of the United States during the Revolutionary War. Baltimore was also (arguably) the turning point of the War of 1812, repulsing the British advance up the Chesapeake after the ignominious Burning of Washington, both over land and by sea. This was when Francis Scott Key wrote the "Star Spangled Banner" from the deck of a British ship. For those interested in this, Fort McHenry is an excellent National Park to visit.
During the Civil War, Baltimore was a city in turmoil. Though Maryland remained part of the Union, it was one of four Slave states, and there was a significant number of Confederate sympathizers in Baltimore. In 1861, local residents attacked a Massachusetts unit moving southward, leading to the Baltimore riot. Subsequently, Baltimore (along with the rest of Maryland and Delaware) was occupied by Union troops to prevent succession. The suspension of the writ of habeus corpus allowed the United States to imprison the most egregious agitators and collaborators. Though there were no major battles in Baltimore, within 2 hours of Baltimore lies the bloodiest battle Gettysburg, the most contested town Harpers Ferry and bloodiest single day Antietam.
After the Civil War, the industrialization of Baltimore began. Major employers included Black and Decker, Bethlehem Steel, GM, Martin Marietta, Johns Hopkins and Domino Sugar. Exhibits about Baltimore's industrial past can be found at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, the site of our reception. The population of Baltimore rapidly increased, as immigrants (both internal and international) sought new employment opportunities. The population nearly reached 1 million, before the mass exodus towards the suburbs and Washington, D.C. Baltimore was one of the most important cities in America.
Tensions in Baltimore, as in much of the rest of the country, flared during the late 1960's. Rioting after the assassination of MLK led to parts of the city being occupied by the National Guard. Rapid depopulation led to increased urban decay, which spurred the city into action. The Inner Harbor (within walking distance of the wedding hotel) was redeveloped in the early 1980's, and the addition of Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank stadium further boosted downtown fortunes. Proximity to Washington, D.C. (less than an hour's drive) and a booming health care industry have also spurred Baltimore's renaissance.
Undoubtedly, the prosperity has not been evenly distributed. Parts of West and East Baltimore, dramatized by The Wire, remain urban wastelands. Unemployment and criminal activity remain high, though violent crime has dropped significantly from early 1990's peaks. Much of the crime is concentrated in the blighted districts, far from the more pacific central core.
There are several other notable neighborhoods of Baltimore. Hampden, located in north central Baltimore City, features several interesting shops and restaurants. In many respects, its residents are relics of the 'Bawlmer' of old, including this wedding's cosmopolitan man-of-honor, Kevin Shannon. Little Italy, just east of the Inner Harbor, is home to many fine restaurants and is the hometown of the House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Fell's Point, directly east of Little Italy/Harboreast, has a vibrant bar scene not unlike that of State Street in Madison, WI. Moreover, it is home to the eight-time gold medalist at the 2008 Olympic Games, Michael Phelps. Its western analogue, Federal Hill, is located south of the Inner Harbor. Canton, east of Fell's Point on the harbor, is also a scenic destination.
