Instructor

During his final years, Wall Street attorney Reginald F. Lewis reserved five million dollars to establish and support a museum of African American history and culture in Baltimore. The museum offers several permanent exhibitions that trace the story of African American history from slavery to civil rights. Both the permanent and special exhibitions often place a special emphasis on Maryland and Baltimore.

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture is a Smithsonian affiliate and Maryland's leading institution dedicated to African American history and culture.

This display of Maryland's African American history is part of the museum's permanent exhibition

Website

Borders of Equality: The NAACP and the Baltimore Civil Rights Struggle, 1914-1970

Book

The Price of Freedom: Slavery and Manumission in Baltimore and Early National Maryland

Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture ; A Slave Ship Speaks: The Wreck of the Henrietta Marie 

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Washington Post article on the museum opening, 2005

Established as the Maryland Museum of African American History and Culture in 1998, this museum is named in honor of Baltimore business leader Reginald F. Lewis, the first Africna American to build and lead a Wall Street law firm. Together with a five million dollar donation from Lewis, funds from the state of Maryland, and donations form indiviudals and organizations throughout, the museum opened its current facility in 2005. Highlights of the museum include three galleries that preserve and share the history and contributions of African Americans in Baltimore. The institution also operates a resource center and offers monthly programs that include lectures, musical performances, and educational events for all ages. 

Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture

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This tour is a work in progress-- more entries coming soon

English settler John Smith saw the hill when he sailed up the Patapsco River in 1608. He described it as "a great red bank of clay flanking a natural harbor basin." Over the years, the hill has been used to signal ships and has been mined for sand and clay. Its resources were essential to Baltimore's brick-making and pottery businesses.&nbsp; Union forces occupied the hill during the Civil War. In 1861, General Benjamin Butler and the 6th Massachusetts Regiment, along with members of Cook's Light Artillery, occupied the hill. The army&nbsp;constructed fortifications, in part as a defensive response to the presence of numerous Confederate sympathizers in Baltimore. The site became known as "Fort Federal Hill" during this time. Sold to the City of Baltimore in 1880, Federal Hill became a public park. A monument to Colonel George Armistead, in charge of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, was raised on the hill in 1882.

Federal Hill takes its name from the raucous party it hosted in May 1788. To celebrate Maryland's ratification of the Constitution, 4000 people paraded around Baltimore, led by Commodore Joshua Barney, a Revolutionary War hero. Wealthy Baltimoreans such as William Goddard, editor-in-chief of the Maryland Journal and Baltimore Advertiser, provided vast quantities of meat, beer, and brandy for the revelers. Bonfires and firework displays lit up the city. A 15-foot ship model named the Federalist was put on wheels, brought up onto the hill, and finally sent sailing with Commodore Barney down the Potomac River to Mount Vernon, where it was given to George Washington. Today, the hill is a public park offering panoramic views of the Baltimore skyline.

Federal Hill

<h3>Major General Samuel Smith</h3>Smith was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on July 27, 1752, to a prosperous family and grew up in Baltimore. His father was a successful merchant who was able to afford long family trips to Europe. Smith went to private schools and became a merchant like his father. Before the American Revolution, he became a strong opponent of British rule. After the war began, Smith joined the Continental Army and rose in ranks to Lieutenant Colonel.He led the 4th Maryland Regiment and commanded his troops in several battles, one of the most important of which was his defense of a strategic location near Philadelphia called Mud Fort (now known as Fort Mifflin) in September and October 1777. The British controlled the city but were close to losing it to the Americans. To accelerate its fall, George Washington ordered Smith and his force of 400 men to Mud Fort where they remained for several weeks under constant bombardment. Although the fort eventually fell, Smith's force successfully delayed British supply ships and hindered British attacks against Washington's troops. It also contributed to the British surrender at Saratoga on October 17, 1777.After the war, Smith resumed his mercantile activities in Baltimore and also began to invest in land speculation. He became wealthy as a result. He also became interested in politics and was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1790 and served for two years. He was then elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1793 where he served until 1803 when he became a U.S. Senator. Smith served in the Senate until 1815 and then the House of Representatives once again from 1816 to 1822. He was elected to the U.S. Senate again in 1822 and served until 1833. He became mayor of Baltimore in 1835 and served until 1838. He died the next year and was buried at the Old Westminster Burying Ground.<h3>Battle of Baltimore</h3>During the Battle of Baltimore in 1814, Smith was in command of 13,000 troops protecting the city. Capturing Baltimore was a critical goal for the British since its bustling port made it an important economic center. On September 12, Smith ordered a contingent of American troops to delay the approach of British troops, who landed at North Point (the north side of the Patapsco River where it meets the Chesapeake Bay). This allowed troops in Baltimore to improve the city's and Fort McHenry's defenses. Ten thousand American troops took up defensive positions along the main road leading to the city and proved to be a formidable impediment to the British advance. The British realize that its navy would have to join the fight and it was ordered to bombard Fort McHenry, which had a garrison of 1,000 troops. The British bombarded the fort for 24 hours but little damage was done thanks to the additional fortifications built in the days before the battle. The shelling of the fort inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that would become the Star Spangled Banner. The successful defense of the city is credited, in large part, to Smith's preparations.

Dedicated in 1917, this monument honors Major General Samuel Smith (1752-1839), commander of American forces against the British during the Battle of Baltimore. The battle raged from September 12th to 15th in 1814 and resulted in a decisive American victory while forcing the British to withdraw from the region. The monument features a stone base with a statue of Smith standing on top overlooking the inner harbor. His name and a short description of his achievements are inscribed in the base. In addition to serving in the military, Smith was also the ninth mayor of Baltimore. He also served in the Maryland House of Delegates, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate.

Major General Samuel Smith Monument

The schooner was likely first developed by the Dutch in 16th century and over time it became common in Europe and North America. Its speed and maneuverability made it a popular choice for merchants to transport cargo. In Baltimore, a specific type of schooner called the Baltimore clipper was developed and it became widely used in the city and along the east coast. They usually featured two masts and had a shallow draft, and required a crew of less than one hundred fifty sailors. The schooner's qualities also made it ideal as privateers (vessels commissioned to engage in warfare), slave ships, and blockade runners. During the War of 1812, schooners played a critical role as a privateers in raiding British merchant ships.The Pride of Baltimore was a replica Baltimore clipper and the first one built in 150 years. A topsail schooner built in Baltimore in 1812, the Chasseur, inspired the Pride's name. The Chasseur was the largest and best equipped topsail schooner built at the time, and during the war it captured or sank 17 British merchant ships. This success earned it the nickname the Pride of Baltimore.By the 1970s, Baltimore had declined and the city was looking to restore its status as a thriving economic center. The Pride of Baltimore was a big part of this effort. It was commissioned on May 1, 1977 and set sail on its maiden voyage to Bermuda, New York and Nova Scotia, Canada. It became a symbol for the city's revitalization efforts and encouraged people to come downtown. Its demise came on May 14, 1986 on its way home from a trip to Europe when it was hit and capsized by a sudden squall north of Puerto Rico. The surviving crew members floated on a life raft for four-and-a-half days before being rescued by a Norwegian tanker.

This memorial commemorates the Pride of Baltimore, a replica topsail schooner vessel that was tragically lost in the Caribbean Sea on May 14, 1986. The captain and three crew members died in the incident; eight survived. It was built in 1977 as part of the project to revitalize the inner harbor and to represent the city and state during its travels around the world. It sailed more than 150,000 nautical miles, visiting ports in the Great Lakes, the east and west coasts of North America, Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and the North Sea. A second vessel, the Pride of Baltimore II, was built in 1988 to replace the lost vessel and so far it has logged over 250,000 nautical miles.

Pride of Baltimore Memorial

Schaefer was born on November 2, 1921 in Baltimore to Baptist parents. He grew up in the Edmondson Avenue neighborhood. As a young man, he earned an undergraduate law degree in 1942 and a master of law degree in 1954, both from the University of Baltimore. During World War II, he joined the U.S. Army and became an officer. However, he did not see combat but managed army hospitals in Europe. When he returned to Baltimore he became a member of local housing and city planning organizations (he remained in the U.S. Army Reserves and retired in 1979 as a Colonel). His foray into politics was sparked when, around 1950, a local church lost a property in a corrupt auction. Upset at the situation, Schaefer unsuccessfully ran for the state legislature that year and in 1954. He did win a seat on the Baltimore City Council in 1955 and became its president in 1967.Schaefer took his role as mayor very seriously during his four consecutive terms. He was known for riding around the city in a plain police car to take notes about problems or violations he saw and then requesting they be addressed immediately. By the time he became mayor, much of the old parts of the city were in bad shape with row houses and warehouses that had fallen into disrepair. To help get rid of the blight, he sold around 500 abandoned buildings for just $1 and hundreds of commercial buildings for $100. He initiated a number of development projects, including the construction of the waterfront on the inner harbor, a shopping center (located at the waterfront) known as Harborplace, new expressways, parks, the National Aquarium, a new convention center, and the World Trade Center designed by famed architect I.M. Pei. In 1984, he appointed Bishop L. Robinson as the city's first African American police commissioner. Schaefer also established community theaters and summer festivals, and led the effort (during his final years as mayor and then as governor) to build Camden Yards, where the Orioles baseball team plays, and M&amp;T Bank Stadium, the home of the Baltimore Ravens football team.As governor, Schaefer tackled unemployment, education, social programs, encouraged businesses (including overseas companies) to invest in the city, and cleaned up Chesapeake Bay. He also led the effort to a build light rail line from Timonium in Baltimore County through Baltimore to Cromwell Station/Glen Burnie in Anne Arundel County. An extension connects the city to Baltimore-Washinton International Airport. One controversial decision he made was commuting the sentences of eight abused women who killed or assaulted their partners. He also said that women on welfare should be given contraceptives and men being released from prison should get vasectomies.A few years after leaving office, Schaefer was appointed Comptroller of Maryland (the state's chief financial officer) in 1999 and served until 2007. He then moved into a retirement home in Catonsville, Maryland where he remained until his death in 2011 at the age of 89. He received numerous awards and accolades during this career including the Greatest Public Service by an Elected Official from the Jefferson Awards Foundation, and the Distinguished Public Service Award from Brandeis University.

William Donald Schaefer (1921-2011) was a dominant and controversial force in local and state politics for over fifty years, serving as Baltimore mayor from 1971-1987 and as Maryland governor from 1987-1995. He was also the comptroller of Maryland from 1999-2007. A lifelong Democrat, Schaefer won every election he ran in except his reelection bid to be comptroller. He was credited for overseeing Baltimore's revitalization during his time as mayor but was also criticized by some for his leadership style and priorities which to some seemed more focused on economic development than reducing poverty and crime. This statue of Schaefer on the Baltimore waterfront was erected in 2009, two years before his death.

William Donald Schaefer Statue

<h3>Theodore R. McKeldin</h3>Theodore R. McKeldin was born on November 20, 1900 here in Baltimore. He attended local public schools and then studied law at the University of Maryland, graduating in 1925. His political career began in 1927 when he was appointed the executive secretary of Baltimore Mayor William F. Broening. McKeldin unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 1939 and governor in 1942, but won the mayoral election in 1943. Under his leadership, a new civic center and the airport were built, he successfully guided the city in a wartime economy, and appointed the first African American to the Baltimore School Board.He ran once again for governor in 1946 but lost. Undeterred, he tried again four years later and won. McKeldin was credited with a number of accomplishments as governor including the improvement of the state's highways, the establishment of the Maryland port authority, the construction of new state office buildings in Baltimore and Annapolis, the establishment of the Patuxtent Institution (a facility to house individuals with serious mental illness and criminal history), and the creation of a commission (the Sobeloff Commission on State Government and Bureaucratic Administration) to assess the state government.When he was Baltimore mayor for the second time, McKeldin launched an urban renew program. This included revitalizing the inner harbor as well as building a new municipal building and razing slum areas of the city. The program came at a cost, however, as it displaced three thousands of residents, most of whom were African Americans. Many businesses were uprooted as well resulting in the loss of 500 jobs. McKeldin's support for civil rights remained strong and he hosted a meeting of the Congress of Racial Equality in 1966.In 1967 after his second term as mayor, McKeldin was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to a panel that observed the elections in South Vietnam. The next year, he appeared before Congress to testify against capital punishment. He also founded and served as president of an organization called the America-Israel Society (McKeldin was a strong supporter of Israel since its founding). As for his personal life, McKeldin married his wife, Honolulu Claire Manzer, in 1924 and they had a son and daughter. He died on August 10, 1974 at the age of 73.<h3>McKeldin Plaza</h3>The plaza was completed in 1982 originally featured a large water fountain with a pedestrian bridges above the streets, cascading pools, and tall, angular concrete structures. The design was to represent the head of the Susquehanna River, which flows into Chesapeake Bay. It was also meant to block view and noise of traffic. However, the fountain was difficult to maintain and keep clean, and graffiti had to be removed regularly. Calls for its removal appear to have begun in the early 2000s. After years of planning, it was torn down and replaced in the late 2010s with a circular water feature with pores that emit mist.

McKeldin Plaza is named after Republican politician Theodore R. McKeldin (1900-1974), who served two terms as mayor of Baltimore (1943-1947; 1963-1967) and two terms as the governor of Maryland (1951-1959). McKeldin first proposed the idea of developing the inner harbor in 1963 to help attract tourists and revitalize the city. He was known for supporting the city's African American community and the Civil Rights movement, leading the effort to build the Baltimore-Washington Airport and the Baltimore Civic Center, and delivering the nomination speech for Dwight D. Eisenhower at the 1952 Republican National Convention in Chicago. The plaza was built in 1982 and originally had a large water fountain, which was eventually removed in 2016 as part of a plan to redesign the plaza.

McKeldin Plaza

<h4>History of the USS Constellation</h4><div>The first USS Constellation was a frigate built in the Sterrett Shipyard, Baltimore, in 1797. It served in the War of 1812, captured the Algerian frigate Mashuda, helped crush the Seminole uprisings, and sailed around the globe. In 1855, the second USS Constellation, the very last sloop-of-war, was built at the Norfolk Navy Yard and set sail that year to protect American interests in the Mediterranean. The Constellation garnered widespread renown in 1856 for rescuing a barque in distress, which led the Austrian emperor’s court to give the ship an official message of appreciation. At this time, the Constellation served as the flagship for the African Squadron, capturing three slave ships before the outset of the Civil War (the Atlantic slave trade was illegal at this time).</div><div> </div><div>After the Civil War, the Constellation played several roles, both militarily and commercially. For instance, the ship carried exhibits to the Paris World Fair in 1878 and brought over 3300 barrel of foodstuffs, plus articles of clothing, to help the Irish famine in 1879-1880. The Constellation served as a training ship in WWI and helped train more than 60,000 recruits, and in WWII, President Roosevelt made the Constellation a national symbol. The ship was decommissioned in 1954 and moved to Baltimore in 1955, where it still stands.1&nbsp;</div>

USS Constellation, constructed in 1854, is a sloop-of-war and the second of several United States Navy ships to carry the name Constellation (The first was a frigate that was completed in 1797 and was disassembled in 1853). This second ship, a sloop, was constructed shortly thereafter and served the Union Navy in the Civil War. Despite being a single-gundeck sloop, the Constellation is actually larger than the original frigate that served the Early Republic. This ship holds a special piece of history because it is the last surviving sail-only warship to be designed and built by the US Navy. 

Currently resting in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor—it was moved from Boston to Baltimore in 1955—the USS Constellation offers self-guided and guided tours to the public. In addition to being part of the Historic Ships of Baltimore, the USS Constellation is also a National Historic Landmark and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

USS Constellation

<h4>Featured Ships in Baltimore</h4>The Historic Ships in Baltimore organization is the steward of some of the nation’s most impressive and historically significant ships. A brief description of the ships include:<ul><li>The USS Constellation is the last sail-only warship built by the Navy. The ship was commissioned on July 28, 1855 and throughout its career, this sloop-of-war served in capturing slave ships off the Mediterranean, the Civil War, the Irish Famine, and WWI and WWII.</li><li>The USCGC Taney (WHEC-37) is a U.S. Coast Guard High Endurance Cutter. It holds high acclaim in American history as it was the last ship floating that fought in the attack on Pearl Harbor. For some time, the Taney was referred as the “Last Survivor of Pearl Harbor.” In addition to this role, the Taney carried out countless peacetime search and rescue missions and served in the Vietnam War.</li><li>The USS Torsk is one of two Tenth Class Submarines still located in the United States. The Torsk is renowned for its patrols in the Pacific during the waning years of WWII. It was credited with sinking three Japanese ships before the end of hostilities, including the last enemy ship sunk in the war.&nbsp;</li><li>LV116 Chesapeake was once the most modern and capable lightships when it was completed in 1930. As part of the U.S. Lighthouse service, this lightship acted as a lighthouse in waters not fit for lighthouse construction.&nbsp;</li><li>The Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse is a screw-pile lighthouse supported by piles screwed into the sea or river bottoms. Built in 1855, it is the oldest screw-pile lighthouse in Maryland and it is a contributing element in the Baltimore National Heritage Area.</li></ul>Visitors to the Historic Ships in Baltimore, which includes Pier 1, Pier 3, and Pier 5, can explore all of these historically significant ships and the lighthouse. Various artifacts covering the ship’s career are also available for viewing.

Historic Ships in Baltimore is a maritime museum that resulted from a merger between the USS Constellation Museum and the Baltimore Maritime Museum. The museum's impressive collection includes four ships and a lighthouse: USS Constellation (1854), USCGC Taney (WHEC-37), USS Torsk (SS-423), Chesapeake, and a screw-pile lighthouse called the Seven Foot Knoll Light. These ships comprise many facets of maritime shipbuilding, including a sloop-of-war, a Coast Guard cutter, a WWII-era submarine, and a lightship, respectively. 

The ships and the lighthouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Three of the ships, including the lightship, the sloop-of-war, and the cutter, are also National Historic Landmarks.

Historic Ships Baltimore

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;The shipyard workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
completed construction of the submarine on June 7, 1944. Commander Bafford E.
Llewellyn of the US Navy commissioned the ship on December 16, 1944. On
December 31, 1944, the USS Torsk went out to sea for the first time. The Navy used
the ship for training before it went to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. After
spending several weeks in Fort Lauderdale, the submarine proceeded to the
Panama Canal. On March 23, 1945, the submarine arrived in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
This was the ship’s final stop before entering the Pacific War Zone on April
15, 945.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; From April 15 to September 9, 1945, the USS Torsk engaged
in two war patrols. The first war patrol began on April 15, 1945. During this
patrol, the submarine served as a lifeguard for B-29 bombers that were raiding
Japan. Torsk was stationed near the islands of Kii Suido and Honshu during
these raids. Upon Torsk’s arrival, naval operations had sunk most of the
targets, so the Torsk did not engage in heavy combat. In fact, the submarine
fired torpedoes at two small boats, but the Torsk did not hit the targets.
Thus, the attacks were unsuccessful for the submarine. Following the conclusion
of the first war patrol on June 16, 1945, Torsk returned to Pearl Harbor for
maintenance and upgrades. Naval technicians at Pearl Harbor installed a sonar
detection system that allowed the Torsk to navigate around Japanese mines while
being submerged. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Torsk’s second war patrol commenced on July 17, 1945,
when it left Pearl Harbor. On August 01, 1945, the submarine arrived in Guam.
After spending two days in Guam, USS Torsk advanced to the Sea of Japan. The
Torsk was able to navigate through the Sea of Japan because of its sonar system
that kept it from hitting mines. In fact, the submarine avoided numerous
minefields in the Tsushima Strait on August 10, 1945. On August 11, the submarine
rescued seven Japanese seamen. On August 12, USS Torsk experienced combat for
the first time by sinking a small freighter. The action continued on the next
day when the submarine shot two torpedoes at the Japanese cargo ship, Kaiho Maru. The ship sank immediately.
On August 14, USS Torsk sunk two more ships,
Coast Defense Vessel No. 13 and Coast Defense Vessel No. 47. These
combat victories earned USS Torsk the distinctions of being the ship to fire
the last torpedoes of World War II and the last submarine to sink Japanese
combatant ships. 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The USS Torsk arrived at the&nbsp;Submarine School in New London,
Connecticut, on October 15, 1945. The Torsk served as a training ship, and
sailors referred to her as the “divingest” submarine because of its ability to
submerge quickly. The Torsk also participated in training sessions with the
British, Italian, French, and Turkish militaries in the Mediterranean Sea.
Following these training sessions, the Torsk returned to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,
where naval mechanics converted it to a Fleet Snorkel submarine. This upgrade
allowed it to move at much higher speeds. In 1968, the Torsk went to the Navy
Yard in Washington, DC. Here the submarine served as a training vessel for the
sailors stationed in DC. In 1972, Donald Stewart of the Maryland Naval Militia
petitioned the Navy to transfer the submarine from Norfolk, Virginia to
Baltimore, Maryland. Stewart wanted the submarine to serve as a museum in the
Inner Harbor. Today, Donald Stewart’s petition has proven to be successful
because thousands of tourists visit the submarine each year.

Shipyard workers constructed the USS Torsk (SS-423) at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, in 1944. The submarine then served in the United States Navy for 24 years, and then it was a Naval Reserve Trainer in Washington, DC for three years. Today, the submarine is a museum and attraction in the Inner Harbor. Tourists flock to the submarine because it is one of two surviving Tench class Fleet Submarines in the United States. 

USS Torsk

&nbsp;While the National Aquarium is a beloved attraction, many
people were opposed to its construction. In 1976, Baltimore Mayor William
Donald Schaefer desired to revitalize the Inner Harbor. A key element of his
proposal was the construction of a large-scale aquarium. An aquarium seemed
like an enticing concept to Baltimore’s residents, but there were not
sufficient funds for the project. Opponents were concerned that the aquarium
would not attract enough tourists to be a sufficient source of revenue for
Baltimore City. Debate ensued between Mayor Schaefer’s administration and
opponents; Baltimore citizens ended this bickering with a bond referendum that
allowed Schaefer’s idea to become a reality&nbsp;The Baltimore Aquarium officially opened to the public on August
08, 1981. Mayor Schaefer estimated that 600,000 visitors would attend the
aquarium during its opening year. However, he greatly underestimated the
aquarium’s popularity because 1.6 million people visited the aquarium during
its first year. The aquarium’s popularity grew exponentially after U.S. Senator
Paul Sarbanes passed a bill that designated it as “The National Aquarium.” This
designation was a misnomer because the actual National Aquarium was in the
Herbert C. Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. For the next 24 years, the
United States had two “national aquariums.” In September of 2003, the National
Aquarium Society Board of Directors worked with the National Aquarium Board of
Directors to consolidate the two aquariums into one aquarium with two different
locations. The primary reason for consolidation was to enhance educational and
conservation efforts. In 2013, the federal government closed the Washington,
D.C. venue for repairs; thus, aquarium workers relocated all of the species to
Baltimore. These species are still in Baltimore as the repairs are taking
longer than expected. Since its opening, the National Aquarium has welcomed
over 50 million visitors and educated approximately 2.5 million students.
Additionally, the National Aquarium reaps a 314 million dollar&nbsp;profit for Baltimore City&nbsp;and
the State of Maryland each year. Mayor Schaefer’s idea in 1976 received mass
criticism, but it was an intelligent investment.&nbsp;The
National Aquarium’s profits have provided funds for vast conservation efforts.
Most notably, the National Aquarium has made great strides to combat
environmental problems in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. For instance, wetland
revitalization and habitat restoration are top priorities for the National
Aquarium. In 2014, aquarium workers planted over 14,000 native wetland grasses.
Furthermore, the National Aquarium leads campaigns to remove debris from
historic locations such as Fort McHenry. On the international level, the
aquarium sponsors the development of marine sanctuaries, which provide refuge
to endangered species. The National Aquarium was influential in establishing
the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which has reduced whale strikes in
shipping lanes by 81%. The National Aquarium also conducts groundbreaking
research, especially on jellyfish and bottlenose dolphins. In fact, the
aquarium is home to eight Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. The National Aquarium also
conducted research on aquatic species in the Gulf of Mexico following the 2010
B.P. Oil Spill. The National Aquarium has become a leader in aquatic
conservation and research efforts.

The National Aquarium houses over 750 aquatic species and 2,200,000 gallons of water. Over 1.5 million people visit the aquarium each year to see dolphins, sharks, and other exotic species. The National Aquarium is not only a tourist attraction but also an organization that promotes conservation. Its main purpose is to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures. Many of these aquatic treasures are native species of Maryland because one of the aquarium’s main goals is to promote conservation in the adjacent Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

National Aquarium

The screw-pile light originated in Britain and it had a number of advantages over other types of lighthouse construction methods. Instead of using underwater caissons and heavy masonry foundations, screw-pile lights were built using hollow cast-iron piles with external threads. The piles were screwed into the bedrock and then filled with concrete, and the supports of the house were then built on top of the piles. The first screw-pile light in the United States was the Brandywine Shoal light in Delaware Bay, which was erected in 1850. Its success prompted the Lighthouse Board to select the screw-pile method for the Seven Foot Knoll Light, which was meant to replace the 1822 Bodkin Island Lighthouse located on the south side of the Patapsco River's mouth. Congress appropriated funds for the project in 1850 and the design and specifications were completed in October the next year. By then, Congress had approved $27,000 for the new light. A local company called Murray and Hazelhurst was hired to manufacture the ironwork, which was entirely prefabricated. This accelerated and simplified construction. Cast-iron was an ideal choice for another reason. At the time, the city was emerging as an important cast-iron manufacturing center with many companies that specialized in iron castings and machine building. When completed, the lighthouse featured nine screw piles and a 40-foot diameter, circular dwelling with a one-inch thick wall consisting of panels bolted together. The lens was housed in a circular lantern room on the roof. The lantern emitted a white light that could be seen 14 miles away. The lighthouse also had a 500-pound fog bell. The dwelling was replaced around 1875. Ice flows were a constant threat. In January 1884, they severely damaged one of the piles, rendering the lighthouse unsafe and the keepers were rescued by a lighthouse tender vessel. One-hundred fifty Wooden piles grouped in bunches of ten were driven into the sea floor surrounding the lighthouse as a temporary measure to protect it. However by 1894, they all but disappeared and ice flows damaged the piles once again. As a result, 790 cubic yards of riprap (rocks specifically placed for protection) were laid around the piles. Numerous lighthouse keepers and assistants manned the lighthouse. Many families lived here as well. A daughter of one keeper, Eva Marie Bowling, lived at the light with her family from 1874-1879. In an interview with a local newspaper, she said that the lighthouse had five large rooms and animal pen for hogs and chickens on a platform underneath the dwelling. Sometimes they would be swept away but the family rescued them. The family also caught fish and traded some of them with farmers for vegetables. Eva's mother was a teacher and homeschooled her and her siblings. One keeper, Thomas Jeffesron Steinhise, earned praise for his actions on August 20, 1933. On that day a tugboat called Point Breeze got caught in a violent storm and began to sink. Steinhise heard distress whistles and got in a small motorboat and sailed to the tugboat, braving 15-foot waves and 90 mph winds. He pulled six crew members, including one who had died, onto his boat. Fortunately another tugboat rescued the remaining eight crew members. Steinhise was awarded the Silver Lifesaving Medal and Congressional Medal of Heroism for his actions. Seven Knoll Light was automated in 1948. Without a keeper to maintain it, it began to fall into disrepair and vandals caused further deterioration. The Coast Guard designated it excess property in 1969. Finally, the city acquired it in 1987 and the next year was moved to its current location on Pier 5. By then it was in very bad shape and would have eventually collapsed into the water. Restoration took around a year before it opened to visitors. In 1997, it became part of the Baltimore Maritime Museum, which is now Historic Ships in Baltimore.

Originally built in 1856, the Seven Foot Knoll Light was the first "screw-pile" lighthouse erected in Maryland and is one of only four of its kind remaining in Chesapeake Bay. The cast-iron structure featured a fourth order Fresnel lens and was located on a shoal at the mouth of the Patapsco River. It is now on Pier 5 in the inner harbor and a part of an outdoor museum called the Historic Ships in Baltimore, which includes four historic vessels. The light is open to the public and features artifacts on display such as the bell from the SS Danville and navigational instruments. The light was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Seven Foot Knoll Light

The Adventure Expeditions exhibit is set during the 1920s in Egypt and takes children on an adventure to find a pharaoh’s lost tomb. Participants go through a series of physical and mental challenges, including deciphering hieroglyphics. The Harvest Hill exhibit sets up a market where children can barter, sell, or trade products. Miss Perception’s Mystery House engages children’s literacy and problem-solving skills by setting up a mystery, the case of the missing Baffeld family, for them to solve.

The museum’s website contains a page, informed by current research, explaining why play is an important part of a child’s life. One reason play is considered by experts to be a crucial part of a child’s development is that it contributes generally to the well being of a child—cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally. Play is so widely recognized as important that the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights has recognized it as a basic right of every child. For children living in poverty and in violent, war-torn areas this right is quite obviously taken away or, at the very least, limited. However, even children who come from affluent or at least stable backgrounds run the risk of having their play limited, according to an article written by Kenneth R. Ginsburg. He cites the increasingly hurried and high-pressure lifestyles of the modern world as potentially endangering child-driven playtime. Play also offers adults an opportunity to fully engage and bond with their children. In recent times, time allotted for recess in schools has declined significantly. In 1989 a survey by the National Association of Elementary School Principals revealed that 96% of the surveyed schools incorporated at least one recess period into the children’s daily routine. Ten years later, another survey found that only 70% had a recess period. This included even kindergarten classrooms.

The Port Discovery Children’s Museum’s works to educate children and instill a life-long love of curiosity and learning new things. Permanent exhibitions include Adventure Expeditions, Harvest Hill, and Miss Perception’s Mystery House. The museum traces its roots to 1976, when the city created a children's museum within the Cloisters. In 1990, the organization became an independent non-profit and merged with the Maryland Children’s Museum. The new organization completed a $35 million fundraising campaign, acquiring the last remaining structure of Baltimore's historic Centre Market which dates back to 1904. The new museum opened in 1998 and continues to serve as an anchor of Baltimore's Inner Harbor. 

Port Discovery Children's Museum

The origins of the Baltimore Holocaust Memorial can be traced back to the 1970s, when a ninth grade Baltimore Hebrew class told the teacher, Alvin Fisher, that they didn’t believe the Holocaust occurred. This moment marked Fisher’s campaign to have a memorial to Holocaust victims constructed in Baltimore. By 1976, the Baltimore Jewish Council took up the project and began raising funds, and by 1980, the memorial was designed at a cost of $300,000.&nbsp;The original memorial was designed by Donald Kann of Kann and Associates and Arthur Valk of Valk Design Associates.There are three parts of the memorial, including the large grassy mound planted with trees, two 80 x 19 feet cantilevered blocks of bleached, gray-white concrete and a grassy mall behind the blocks. One wall features the memorial’s consecration as well as a list of the 32 camps where the victims of the Holocaust died. In 1988, the flame sculpture on the memorial was dedicated specifically to Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Seven years later in 1995, the memorial had severely deteriorated, and the Jewish Council supported a redesigned memorial.&nbsp;

Located at the intersection of Lombard and Gay Streets, the Baltimore Holocaust Memorial is the result of two decades of work by Baltimore residents who raised funds and secured public support for this powerful reminder of six million men, women, and children who were killed in extermination camps operated by the Nazi regime during WWII. The design of this memorial reflects the literal meaning of the word Holocaust as destruction by fire. It also reflects the techniques used by the executioners, as the statue portrays the emaciated bodies of victims in a ball of flame. Though quite startling, the memorial's supporters hoped that the design would support their message of remembrance. The base of the sculpture features the famous words of George Santayana, “Those who do not remember the past are destined to repeat it.”

In addition to their work in creating the memorial, the designers of the Holocaust Memorial Park use a variety of images to communicate remembrance as a civic duty. On each side of the central walkway triangle, visitors can find 1940s vintage railroad tracks symbolizing the vast railway system that transported millions of victims to their deaths. A Black fence borders one edge of the park to evoke the aura of a concentration camp, and quotes by Holocaust survivor and author, Primo Levi, are inscribed on the sides of two massive, cantilevered concrete blocks.

Holocaust Memorial

Tom Lewis, a local artist and social justice activist was introduced to Philip Berrigan by a mutual friend. As the anti-war movement heated up, they sought new ways to protest the war and get those protests noticed. In 1965, draft card burning had become a popular move (popular enough that Congress made it a felony). However, both Lewis and Berrigan had already each served in the armed services (Berrigan fought in the army in WWII, Lewis was in the National Guard), so burning their own draft cards would have had no meaning. They came to realize that destroying the draft cards of others could serve twofold, as act of civil disobedience, and also as a way of interfering with the bureaucracy of the Selective Service. They brainstormed and planned with other Baltimore anti-war activists, and two of those, David Eberhardt, who was secretary of the Interfaith Peace Mission, and James Mengel, a minister in the United Church of Christ, decided to join them in their action. The men were unable to draw enough of their own blood for their purposes, so they had to purchase and mix in animal blood to have sufficient quantities. They entered the offices, distracted the clerks, opened the filing cabinets where the draft records were kept, and managed to anoint approximately 600 draft files with the blood. They then waited to be arrested.

The Custom House was built at the very beginning of the 20th century in Beaux-Arts style and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  On October 27th, 1967, Philip Berrigan and Tom Lewis, later to be part of the Catonsville Nine action, were joined by David Eberhardt and James Mengel, in an act of civil disobedience that saw them labeled as “The Baltimore Four”.  At the time the Customs House was home to the Baltimore Selective Service, and the four men entered and poured blood (a combination of their own blood and animal blood) onto draft records in protest of the Vietnam War.  

“We shed our blood willingly and gratefully in what we hope is a sacrificial and constructive act.  We pour it upon these files to illustrate that with them and with these offices begins the pitiful waste of American and Vietnamese blood” - Statement of the Baltimore Four (The Catonsville Nine, Peters).


Baltimore's Inner Harbor Walking Tour

Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information