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Baltimore in the 1850s

1853 Towson Town Plan

Map dated Dec. 14, 1853 which shows proposed lots for a courthouse, jail and alms house in Towson Town, Md., if it is chosen as the county seat of Baltimore County by the voters.
Colored lithograph by E. Sachse & Co., one of two prominent lithography companies in Baltimore in the mid-1800's, that features various views of Baltimore prior to 1853. The center view is from Federal Hill but differs somewhat from others in the collection taken from the same point. From the upper left corner, in clockwise order, the small surrounding views are as follows: Washington Monument, Market-Street, Broadway, City Hotel and Battle Monument, Odd Fellows Hall, St. Paul's Church, Exchange Hotel, Calvert Street City Spring, Lighthouse and Fort McHenry, Gateway of Greenmount Cemetery, The Cathedral, St. Alphonsus Church and Zion's Church. The Market Street scene in upper row is a miniature replica of the Market Street print in this collection, Cator Print number 168. The Odd Fellows Hall at Gay and Fayette Streets was built in 1831 and enlarged in 1843. St. Paul's Episcopal Church, built in 1817 after designs by Robert Cary Long, was destroyed by fire in 1854. It stood on the site of the present St. Paul's Church which was built immediately thereafter. Among the other prominent structures shown, Old Zion Church, St. Alphonsus Church and Greenmount Cemetery gateway are standing today. The view of the harbor was made from the landward side of the Lazaretto.

Look at Baltimore in 1853

  • April 13, 2015
Take a look at this print from 1853. It shows the city of Baltimore as it looked 160+ years ago. Source: Digital Maryland
Baltimore Sun advertisement October 22nd, 1853

Giles’ European Hotel Advertisement (1853)

Here’s an old advertisement from 160 years ago today, printed in The Baltimore Sure. This is for the Giles’ European Hotel at 124 Baltimore Street.
runaway slave notice - July 3rd, 1858

$200 Reward for Runaway Slave Lewis Edwards

There are so many notices like this in the newspapers back before the Civil War. The notice below is from the Baltimore Sun, printed on July 3rd, 1858. The address on Lombard St. is right down by...
Baltimore Sun - January 7th, 1850

Baltimore Penitentiary Statistics in 1850

This is an absolutely fascinating article that we dug up in the Baltimore Sun. It shows statistics for prisoners in the penitentiary.
Baltimore Sun advertisement 1850

Ad for Steamship to Panama and on to California (1850)

Below is an interesting advertisement that we dug up in the Baltimore Sun, printed on Tuesday, October 8th, 1850. The ad is for the steamship Cherokee, commanded by Henry Windle, departing in a few days for...
Map of the city and county of Baltimore, Maryland. From original surveys by J.C. Sidney, C.E.

1857 Map of the City and County of Baltimore

What a great old antebellum map of Baltimore and the county. This one is from 1857 and we dug it up at the Library of Congress. Source: Library of Congress
Booth family home on N. Exeter St.

John Wilkes Booth’s Family on North Exeter Street

We came across a great find in the 1850 U.S. Census. John Wilkes Booth’s famous acting family lived in Baltimore, splitting time there with their home in Bel Air. John’s father Junius, was a noted actor...
portrait of John Wilkes Booth

Original Ad For John Wilkes Booth’s Acting Debut

This is absolutely amazing. We found the original advertisement in the Baltimore Sun for John Wilkes Booth’s acting debut in Richard III. The play was at the Charles Street Theatre on Tuesday, August 14th, 1855.  
This map is Plate No. 25 from a J.H. Colton atlas that we believed was published in 1857. Copyright statement on map: "Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1855 by J. H. Colton & Co. in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York." On verso: "The District of Columbia", text on three columns.

Another Awesome Map of Baltimore (1857)

We love these maps, and I’m sure you guys do as well. Check this one out. It shows the layout of the city in 1857. Look at square 16, that’s where Camden Yards sits today. Source:...