Old West Baltimore Historic District, Historic district in Baltimore, United States.
Old West Baltimore Historic District is a neighborhood northwest of downtown with about 175 city blocks containing row houses, mansions, churches, and schools built over many decades. The area stretches between North Avenue and Dolphin Street, and between Franklin Street and Fulton Avenue, showing how different building types reflect its evolution.
The area took shape in the 1890s when African American families established homes and institutions, creating Baltimore's first major Black neighborhood. This settlement became the foundation for important organizations that would later gain broader influence.
Pennsylvania Avenue served as a hub where African American churches and community organizations gathered, shaping the neighborhood as a center of collective life. Walking through the area today, you can sense the importance these gathering places held for residents and their families.
The neighborhood is accessible by public transportation and best explored on foot to notice architectural details and street life. Allow time to walk different blocks and examine individual buildings and churches up close.
The future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall attended school at Henry Highland Garnet School as a child in this neighborhood. The school was a place where young people received education that shaped their future roles in civil rights work.
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