Baltimore

Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is the 30th-most populous U.S. city with a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 569,997 in 2025. The city is part of the Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area, which had a population of 9.97 million in 2020.

The land that is present-day Baltimore was once used as hunting ground by Paleo-Indians. In the early 1600s, the Susquehannock began to hunt there. People from the Province of Maryland established the Port of Baltimore in 1706 to support the tobacco trade with Europe and established the Town of Baltimore in 1729.

During the American Revolutionary War, the Second Continental Congress briefly moved its deliberations to the Henry Fite House from December 1776 to February 1777 prior to the capture of Philadelphia to British troops, which permitted Baltimore to serve briefly as the nation's capital before it returned to Philadelphia. The Battle of Baltimore was pivotal during the War of 1812, culminating in the British bombardment of Fort McHenry, during which Francis Scott Key wrote a poem that became "The Star-Spangled Banner", which was designated as the national anthem in 1931.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the nation's oldest, was built in 1830 and reinforced Baltimore's status as a transportation hub. Baltimore's Inner Harbor was the second-leading port of entry for immigrants to the U.S. after New York's Ellis Island, making Baltimore a major manufacturing center. After a decline in heavy industry and restructuring of the rail industry, Baltimore has shifted to a service-oriented economy. Johns Hopkins Hospital and University are now the city's top employers.

Baltimore is also home to the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball and the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The city is home to some of the earliest National Register Historic Districts in the nation, including Fell's Point, Federal Hill, and Mount Vernon. Baltimore has more public statues and monuments per capita than any other city in the U.S. Nearly one third of the buildings (over 65,000) are designated as historic in the National Register, more than any other U.S. city.

Etymology

The city of Baltimore is named after Cecil Calvert, an English politician who helped start the Province of Maryland. The Calvert family got their title from a place called Baltimore Manor in Ireland. The name Baltimore comes from Irish, where it means "town of the big house."

History

Main article: History of Baltimore

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Baltimore.

Pre-settlement

The area around Baltimore has been home to native people for thousands of years. Ancient settlements from different time periods have been discovered in the city, showing that people lived there as far back as 9,000 years ago. During a later time, a group known as the Potomac Creek complex lived in the area.

17th century

In the 1600s, the Baltimore region had only a few native people. The Susquehannock people used the land for hunting. When Europeans arrived in Maryland in 1634, they began to settle in what is now Baltimore County. The city’s streets were named to honor the country they came from. The native Susquehannock people faced many new diseases from the Europeans, which greatly reduced their numbers.

18th century

Baltimore grew quickly during this time. It became an important port for trading tobacco. The city was officially founded in 1729. By the late 1700s, it had become a busy town with markets, newspapers, and public buildings. Baltimore played a role in the American Revolution, serving as a temporary capital of the United States in 1776 and 1777.

19th century

Baltimore became known as “The Monumental City” after President John Quincy Adams visited in 1827. The city built new roads and railroads, which helped it grow into a center for shipping and making things like ships and clothes. During the Civil War, Baltimore stayed part of the Union, even though it was in a state that allowed slavery. The city faced riots and strikes in the mid-1800s.

20th century

A huge fire in 1904 destroyed many buildings in downtown Baltimore, but the city rebuilt. In the mid-1900s, the city’s population changed as people moved in from the South and others moved to the suburbs. The Inner Harbor area was renewed starting in the 1970s with new museums, a science center, and a popular shopping place called Harborplace.

21st century

Baltimore has continued to grow with new museums, a large medical complex, and redevelopment projects. In March 2024, a major bridge in the city collapsed after being hit by a ship, leading to a big rescue effort and plans to rebuild.

Geography

Baltimore is located in north-central Maryland along the Patapsco River, near where it flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The city sits on the border between two different land areas called the Piedmont Plateau and the Atlantic coastal plain. This split divides Baltimore into parts known as the “lower city” and “upper city.” The city's height above sea level changes from the water level at the harbor up to 480 feet (150 meters) in the northwest near Pimlico.

In 2010, Baltimore covered a total area of 92.1 square miles (239 km²), with 80.9 square miles (210 km²) being land and 11.1 square miles (29 km²) being water. The city is almost completely surrounded by Baltimore County but operates independently from it. To the south, it is bordered by Anne Arundel County.

Baltimore has many important buildings from different times in history, designed by famous architects. Notable structures include the Baltimore Basilica, one of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in the United States, and the tall Phoenix Shot Tower, which was the tallest building in America until the Civil War. The city's streets follow a grid pattern and are lined with many row houses, which give Baltimore its special look.

The city is divided into nine areas: North, Northeast, East, Southeast, South, Southwest, West, Northwest, and Central. Central Baltimore includes the downtown area and the Inner Harbor, home to important places like Oriole Park at Camden Yards and the National Aquarium. Different neighborhoods have their own character, such as Federal Hill, Fells Point, and Hampden.

Baltimore has warm summers and cool winters. Summer temperatures often reach around 80°F (27°C), and winters can be chilly, with occasional snowfall. The city experiences a mix of rain and snow throughout the year, and like everywhere in Maryland, it faces challenges from changing weather patterns.

Demographics

Population

Baltimore had its largest population in 1950, with over 900,000 people. Since then, the number of people living in the city has gone down with each ten-year count. In 2020, about 586,000 people lived in Baltimore. The city is the biggest city in the state of Maryland.

Characteristics

Further information: Ethnic groups in Baltimore

In 2010, most people in Baltimore were Black (63.7%), followed by White (29.6%), Asian (2.3%), and Native American (0.4%). Some people also identified as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.

In 2020, about 8% of people in Baltimore were born in another country. Women made up more than half of the population. The average age was 35 years old.

Baltimore has many people from the Caribbean, especially from Jamaica and Trinidad.

Income and housing

Between 2016 and 2020, the average amount of money a household made was $52,164, which is less than the national average. Many people in Baltimore live below the poverty line.

Homes in Baltimore are cheaper than in many big cities. The average price of a home was $209,000 in 2022.

Life expectancy

In 2015, people in Baltimore lived about 74 to 75 years on average, which is less than the U.S. average. Some neighborhoods had much lower life expectancies.

Religion

In 2015, half of adults in Baltimore were Protestants. Catholicism was the second most common religion, followed by Judaism and Islam. Some people did not follow any religion.

Languages

In 2010, most people in Baltimore spoke only English at home. About 4% spoke Spanish. Other languages were spoken by smaller groups.

Economy

Baltimore used to be a place where many things were made, like steel, cars, and ships. But now, the city has more jobs in services, like shops and offices. Long ago, Baltimore was famous for making whiskey and hats, and it was also a big place for oil.

Today, many people work in technology, and Baltimore is known for its hospitals and big companies. The city's downtown area has lots of office space and is very important for work.

Port

The Port of Baltimore is very busy, handling lots of cargo from all over the world. It helps many jobs in the area and brings in money for the city. The port is especially good at moving cars and coal.

Tourism

Baltimore is a popular place for visitors. People come to see boats, museums, and sports places. The Inner Harbor is a big attraction with many old ships and the National Aquarium, one of the largest in the world. Other popular spots include sports stadiums, historic forts, and markets.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Baltimore

See also: List of people from Baltimore, Music of Baltimore, and List of museums in Baltimore

Baltimore has a rich history as a busy port city with many different neighborhoods. It has 72 historic areas where people from many backgrounds lived together. Today, three main spots near the water are popular. The Inner Harbor has hotels, shops, and museums that many visitors enjoy. Fells Point used to be a place where sailors went for fun, but now it has been fixed up and is featured in the movie Sleepless in Seattle. Little Italy is between the other two areas and is home to Baltimore's Italian-American community.

Moving away from the water, Mount Vernon is where the city's cultural and artistic life often happens. It has a special Washington Monument that is older than the one in Washington, D.C. Baltimore has many people from Germany, and it was an important place for immigrants coming to the United States.

Baltimore has a long history of making beer, with over 100 old breweries. Some of the oldest buildings from this time are still standing, like the old American Brewery Building and the National Brewing Company building. In the 1940s, National Brewing Company made the first six-pack in the nation. Two of its famous beers, Natty Boh and Colt 45, are still enjoyed today.

Every year, the Artscape festival happens in the Bolton Hill neighborhood, close to the Maryland Institute College of Art. It calls itself the largest free arts festival in America. In May, the Maryland Film Festival takes place in Baltimore, using five screens at the historic Charles Theatre. Many movies and TV shows have been filmed in Baltimore, including Homicide: Life on the Street and The Wire.

Baltimore has many museums, such as The Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum, which are famous for their art collections. The American Visionary Art Museum is known as America's national museum for visionary art. The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum is the first African American wax museum in the country.

Cuisine

Baltimore is famous for its Maryland blue crabs, crab cake, Old Bay Seasoning, pit beef, and the "chicken box" (chicken wings with french fries). The city has many restaurants, especially around the Inner Harbor. Popular spots include the Charleston, Woodberry Kitchen, and the Charm City Cakes bakery. The Little Italy neighborhood is known for its food, and Fells Point is a favorite place for food lovers. The oldest continuously running tavern in the country, "The Horse You Came in on Saloon", is located there.

Many upscale restaurants are found in Harbor East. Baltimore has five public markets, with the Baltimore Public Market System being the oldest continuously operating public market system in the United States. Lexington Market is one of the longest-running markets in the world, having been around since 1782. Baltimore is also the last place in America where one can find arabbers, vendors who sell fresh fruits and vegetables from horse-drawn carts.

Local dialect

Baltimore and its surrounding areas have a special way of speaking called the Baltimore dialect. It is part of the larger Mid-Atlantic American English group and sounds very similar to the way people speak in Philadelphia.

This local way of speaking, sometimes called "Bawlmerese", is known for how it changes certain sounds. For example, the long "o" sound often has an extra "eh" sound added to it. The way people say words like "bath" or "ask" also follows a pattern similar to Philadelphia.

Performing arts

Baltimore has four special areas for arts and entertainment: The Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District, Station North Arts and Entertainment District, Highlandtown Arts District, and the Bromo Arts & Entertainment District.

The Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts, a non-profit group, organizes many events and manages several places. It puts on big celebrations like New Year's Eve and July 4th events at the Inner Harbor, Artscape, the Baltimore Book Festival, the Baltimore Farmers' Market & Bazaar, the School 33 Art Center's Open Studio Tour, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is a famous orchestra that started in 1916. Centerstage is the main theater company in the city. The Lyric Opera House is home to Lyric Opera Baltimore. The Shriver Hall Concert Series, started in 1966, presents classical music and recitals with famous artists.

The Peabody Institute in the Mount Vernon neighborhood is the oldest music school in the United States. The Morgan State University Choir is one of the best university choirs in the nation. The city is also home to the Baltimore School for the Arts, a public high school known for preparing students for careers in music, theater, dance, and visual arts.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Baltimore

Baseball

Further information: List of World Series champions and American League Championship Series

Baltimore has a rich baseball history, including being the birthplace of Babe Ruth in 1895. The original 19th century Baltimore Orioles were very successful in the early days of baseball. Later, the Baltimore Orioles became part of Major League Baseball in 1954 when the St. Louis Browns moved to the city. The team has been to the World Series many times and has won a few times. One famous player, Cal Ripken Jr., played many games in a row, breaking a long-standing record.

Since 1992, the Orioles have played their home games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which many consider one of the best stadiums.

Football

Baltimore has had several football teams over the years. The Baltimore Colts played here for a while but later moved to another city. The Baltimore Ravens began playing in 1996 and have won important championships since then.

Baltimore also had a team in the Canadian Football League called the Baltimore Stallions for a short time before moving to another city.

Other teams and events

Baltimore has been home to many different sports teams and events. The Preakness Stakes horse race has been held here since 1873. College lacrosse is popular, with teams like the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays winning many titles. There are also teams for indoor soccer, rugby, and other sports.

The city hosted a car race called the Baltimore Grand Prix for a few years. The Baltimore Marathon is a big running event that takes runners through many parts of the city. The athletic company Under Armour is based in Baltimore.

Parks and recreation

Baltimore has more than 4,900 acres of parkland. The city’s parks and recreation areas are mostly managed by the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks. Some well-known parks include Patterson Park, Federal Hill Park, and Druid Hill Park. The largest park, Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, is also one of the biggest urban woodlands in the country. Another famous spot is Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, a historic fort from the War of 1812. In 2015, a group called The Trust for Public Land ranked Baltimore 40th among the largest U.S. cities for its parks.

Law, government, and politics

Baltimore is a special kind of city in Maryland. Unlike other cities, it is not part of any county, which means it handles many of its own government tasks like a county would. This special status goes back many years.

Baltimore has always been a place where people support the Democratic Party. For over 150 years, Democrats have been the leaders in every part of the city's government. In every big vote, the contest is really decided in the Democratic primary because so many people vote for Democratic candidates. There has not been a Republican mayor since 1967, and Republicans rarely win many votes in city elections.

The city has played an important role in the history of the Democratic Party. It hosted the first six Democratic National Conventions from 1832 to 1852, and later conventions in 1860, 1872, and 1912.

Baltimore has a mayor who leads the city. The current mayor is Brandon Scott, who began his term in December 2020. Before him, Jack Young served as mayor after the previous mayor, Catherine Pugh, left office. The city also has a City Council made up of 14 members who represent different areas of the city, plus a council president who can step in as mayor if needed.

The main police force in Baltimore is the Baltimore City Police Department, which began in 1784. The city also has a fire department with over 1,800 firefighters who work out of 37 fire stations.

Baltimore is part of two congressional districts in Maryland. Most of the city is in the 7th district, represented by Kweisi Mfume, and a small part of northern Baltimore is in the 2nd district, represented by Johnny Olszewski. Both representatives are Democrats.

Education

See also: List of high schools in Maryland

Colleges and universities

Baltimore has many colleges and universities. About 100,000 students from all over the country study at 10 different colleges and universities in the city. Some of the well-known private schools include:

• Johns Hopkins University
  • Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • Peabody Institute
• Loyola University Maryland
• Maryland Institute College of Art
• St. Mary's Seminary and University
• Notre Dame of Maryland University

The public schools include:

• Baltimore City Community College
• Coppin State University
• Morgan State University
• University of Baltimore
• University of Maryland, Baltimore

Primary and secondary schools

See also: List of private and parochial schools in Baltimore

The city's public schools are run by Baltimore City Public Schools. Some famous schools are Carver Vocational-Technical High School, the first school in Maryland for African American students to learn a trade; Digital Harbor High School, which focuses on information technology; Lake Clifton Eastern High School, the largest school campus in the city; the historic Frederick Douglass High School, one of the oldest schools for African American students in the United States; Baltimore City College, the third-oldest public high school in the country; and Western High School, the oldest public school just for girls in the nation.

Baltimore City College and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute have one of the oldest high school football rivalry in the United States.

Transportation

Baltimore has more households without cars than most cities. In 2015, about 31% of households did not have a car, and this dropped a little to 29% in 2016. The national average was only 9% in 2016. On average, Baltimore households had 1.65 cars in 2016, compared to the national average of 1.8 cars.

Roads and highways

Baltimore's roads and highways have shaped how the city and its suburbs grew. The first big highway was the Baltimore–Washington Parkway, which opened between 1950 and 1954. Part of it near Baltimore is kept by Maryland, and the part near Washington is kept by the National Park Service. Big trucks can only use the northern part of this road. They used to travel on U.S. Route 1 until Interstate 95 opened in 1971.

Baltimore has several Interstate highways, including I-70, I-83 (the Jones Falls Expressway), I-95, I-395, I-695 (the Baltimore Beltway), I-795 (the Northwest Expressway), I-895 (the Harbor Tunnel Thruway), and I-97. Some of these highways don’t connect directly because of past decisions made by local leaders. There are two tunnels in Baltimore Harbor: the Fort McHenry Tunnel for I-95 and the Harbor Tunnel for I-895. The Baltimore Beltway used to cross over the harbor on a bridge, but it fell down in March 2024.

The first Interstate highway in Baltimore was I-83, known as the Jones Falls Expressway. It runs from downtown toward the northwest and was built without moving many people or homes. Some plans for it were stopped. The Baltimore Beltway was planned before the Interstate system started, and the first part built connected sections of I-83.

The only U.S. Highways in the city are US 1, which goes around downtown, and US 40, which goes across downtown from east to west. Both travel on regular city streets. US 40 uses a small part of a freeway that was not finished in the 1970s. City streets are taken care of by the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, which also looks after sidewalks, street lights, and traffic cameras.

Transit systems

Public transit

Public transportation in Baltimore is mainly provided by the Maryland Transit Administration and the Charm City Circulator. The Maryland Transit Administration runs many buses, a light rail network from Hunt Valley to BWI Airport and Glen Burnie, and a subway line from Owings Mills to Johns Hopkins Hospital. A planned rail line called the Red Line, which would connect the Social Security Administration’s headquarters to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, was stopped in 2015 but started again in 2023.

The Charm City Circulator started in 2010 and offers free bus rides seven days a week. It has four routes: Green from City Hall to Johns Hopkins Hospital, Purple from 33rd Street to Federal Hill, Orange between Hollins Market and Harbor East, and Banner from the Inner Harbor to Fort McHenry.

Baltimore also has a water taxi service that travels around the city’s harbor. In 2017, the city changed its bus network with BaltimoreLink, which includes frequent color-coded routes called CityLink.

Intercity rail

Baltimore is a big stop for Amtrak along the Northeast Corridor. Penn Station is one of the busiest rail stations in the country. Many Amtrak trains stop here, including the Acela Express and other popular routes. MARC commuter rail connects Penn Station and Camden Station with Washington, D.C., and nearby stops.

Airports

Baltimore has two airports run by the Maryland Aviation Administration. The main one is Baltimore–Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, about 10 miles south of the city. It is named after Thurgood Marshall, a famous Baltimore resident and the first African American on the U.S. Supreme Court. The other airport is Martin State Airport, which is used for small planes and is linked to downtown by roads and train stops.

Pedestrians and bicycles

Baltimore has many bike routes marked with green signs. These routes have bike lanes or special signs for sharing the road. The city has added over 140 miles of bike lanes since 2006 and built special streets just for bikes, starting with Guilford Avenue in 2012.

The city has three big walking and biking trails: the Gwynns Falls Trail, the Jones Falls Trail, and the Herring Run Trail. There are also plans to extend these trails to connect with other places. Baltimore also has a walking path called the Stony Run Trail and many sidewalks that were improved in 2011.

Port of Baltimore

Main article: Port of Baltimore

The Port of Baltimore was started in 1706, before the city itself. It became important for trading tobacco and building ships, especially fast clipper ships. After the Civil War, the port traded coffee and other goods. Today, it has big facilities for moving cargo, including steel, and it can handle very large ships with a deep dredged channel. The port also has a cruise terminal where people can take trips to places like the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

Environment

Trash interceptors

Main article: Trash interceptor § Baltimore's Mr. Trash Wheel

Baltimore uses special water wheels to collect trash from its waterways. The most famous one, called “Mr. Trash Wheel,” is located at the mouth of Jones Falls in the city’s Inner Harbor. More wheels have been added over time: “Professor Trash Wheel” in Canton in 2016, “Captain Trash Wheel” in 2018, and “Gwynnda, the Good Wheel of the West” in 2021 at the mouth of the Gwynns Falls. These wheels help keep the water clean and even create electricity from the collected trash.

Other water pollution control

In 2010, a special floating island was placed in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to help clean the water. This idea came from a group called Biohabitats. Long ago, the area around the harbor had many natural wetlands, but now there are very few. Biohabitats also planned to turn an old dock into a beautiful spot that helps clean the water and gives animals a place to live. Other projects to keep water clean include special alley projects, more frequent street cleaning, and restoring streams.

Air quality and pollution

Since 1985, a large facility in Baltimore has burned waste to create energy. However, this facility also releases a lot of pollution into the air, affecting nearby neighborhoods. Groups like the Environmental Integrity Project and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network have worked to make sure the pollution levels are checked often. This facility is the biggest source of air pollution in the city.

Media

Main article: Media in Baltimore

Baltimore has one main newspaper called The Baltimore Sun. This paper has been around since 1986 and shares news from Baltimore, nearby areas, and the whole country. Another newspaper, The Baltimore News-American, stopped publishing in 1986.

There is also The Baltimore Afro-American, an important newspaper for African Americans that started in 1892. In 2006, a new paper called The Baltimore Examiner began, but it stopped in 2009 because it couldn’t make money.

Baltimore has many television stations. Some of the main ones are WJZ-TV 13, WBFF 45, WMAR-TV 2, WBAL-TV 11, WUTB 24, WNUV 54, and WMPB 67. The city is also served by WMJF-CD 39. Baltimore is a big market for television and radio.

In popular culture

See also: Baltimore in fiction

Literature

Edgar Allan Poe lived in Baltimore and wrote some of his famous stories there, like "MS. Found in a Bottle" and "Berenice".

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a famous story called The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, about a man who ages backwards, while living in Baltimore. Anne Tyler, another famous writer, has lived in Baltimore since the late 1960s and has written many books set there.

Nonfiction

Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery, came to Baltimore as a child and learned to read and write there.

Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote about his life growing up in West Baltimore in his memoir The Beautiful Struggle.

Film

Barry Levinson, a famous filmmaker from Baltimore, made several movies set in the city, including Diner and Avalon.

Another Baltimore filmmaker, John Waters, is known for fun movies like Hairspray and Serial Mom.

Television

Many TV shows have been set in Baltimore, often showing stories about crime and police work. These include Homicide: Life on the Street, The Wire, and We Own This City.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Baltimore

Baltimore has been home to many famous people throughout history. Some of these individuals have made big impacts in areas like music, sports, and politics. The city continues to inspire and support people who grow up to achieve great things.

International relations

Baltimore has ten sister cities, as chosen by Sister Cities International. The city’s own Sister City Committees recognize nine of these sister cities.

Three more sister cities have a special “emeritus status.”