Baltimore21201.Com - The Blog

Sparrows Point & Bethlehem Steel: Baltimore's Contribution to the Golden Gate Bridge — Celebrating this Weekend

Steel was first made at outside of Baltimore at Sparrows Point in 1889, by the Pennsylvania Steel Company. By the mid-20th century, Sparrows Point was the world's largest steel mill, stretching four miles from end-to-end. The mill employed tens of thousands of workers. It used the traditional open-hearth steelmaking method to produce ingots, a labor—and energy—intensive process.

Postcard view of the Golden Gate Bridge

Purchased by Bethlehem Steel in 1916, the mill's steel ended up as girders in the Golden Gate Bridge and in cables for the George Washington Bridge, and was a vital part of war production during World War I and World War II. The mill was serviced by Four railroads: the Western Maryland, Pennsylvania, Baltimore & Ohio and yard work was done by the Patapsco & Back River RR.

Some of our Betlehem steel is celebrating an anniversary this weekend.

CNN's Sari Zeidler reports:

Beacon in the bay: Golden Gate turns 75

It is the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge, and to honor the iconic structure, project Solar Beacon was unleashed. Solar Beacon is an art installation that sits atop the bridge's towers and shines two lights "that are bright as the sun, but much smaller in size," across the Bay Area. People can log onto the Solar Beacon website and schedule their own personal show by designating where they would like the lights to shine.

"During the 75th Anniversary celebrations and the months that follow, the solar beam will directly link the line of sight between the public and the bridge they love," the project's website reads.

LIFE: 75 years of the Golden Gate

Solar Beacon is a feat of art and science, similar to the "International Orange" suspension bridge itself. Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge took four years and claimed the lives of 11 men. It nearly took the lives of 19 more whose fates were changed by a safety net installed under the bridge for workers. These 19 came to be known as the "Half-way-to-Hell Club."

 

Despite it's gruesome underpinnings, the bridge was heralded for its aesthetics upon its opening to the public in 1937 - prompting the San Francisco Chronicle to call it a "Thirty-five million dollar steel harp!"

The Golden Gate bridge has become a meaningful destination for Bay Area residents—many of whom will celebrate the anniversary at a festival today.

And, from Baltimore, we remeber—and honor—our contribution and we wish all Golden-Gaters well.

Please Support Baltimore Heritage This Christmas. Renew a Membership or Join.

A video note from Johns Hopkins on behalf of Baltimore Heritage:

 

I renewed my membership today. Please join me in supporting the good work and educational programs of Baltimore Heritage.

Baltimore Heritage is Baltimore’s only city-wide preservation organization. By becoming a member of Baltimore Heritage, you are helping to preserve our city’s charm and distinctive character for current and future generations.We invite you to join now and become involved in our important and fulfilling work,

• Defenders Circle / $500 Includes a special Behind the Scenes Baltimore Tour, 2 tickets to annual awards reception, and member discounts on all tours.
• Heritage Patron / $250 Includes 2 tickets to annual awards reception and member discounts on all tours.
• Heritage Sponsor / $100 Includes 1 ticket to annual awards reception and member discounts on all tours.
• Family Membership / $50 Includes member discount on all tours for all family members.
• Individual Membership / $35 Includes member discount on all tours.

                301 N Charles St - Vacant and Overgrown

Baltimore Heritage members participate in the following:

• Behind the Scenes Baltimore guided tours of historic places that are not generally open to the public.
• Guided walking tours each spring in Baltimore’s diverse neighborhoods, including Marble Hill, Roland Park, Bolton Hill, and others.
• Annual awards banquet and ceremony highlighting important preservation projects and those who help Baltimore retain its charm.
• Lectures and other events on Baltimore’s Heritage.
• Newsletters and updates on preservation problems and progress.

Visit their website, http://www.baltimoreheritage.org - learn, enjoy and join. By the way, you can now pay for your membership in monthly installments that begin at only $5-per-month.

Baltimore 21201. The Blog, The Swan Song

That's it for this blog. To quote my favorite broadcast journalist, Edward R Murrow, "Good night and good luck.

To my friends, Keep On Truckin'.

Baltimore's Shot Tower - Written in 1924, It's Yours to Download and Read

                  Student's Take on the Baltimore Shot Tower, 1924

Written in 1924, by Kenneth F Matthews (or Mathews), this is a wonderful essay by an engineering student studying in Baltimore.

This paper traces the history of the shot tower built in Baltimore in 1828. It describes its construction and includes information on the making of shot, the making of bricks, as well as diagrams and other illustrations.

This paper was prepared as part of Matthews' initiation into Phi Mu, an engineering honor society.

Pay special attention the the poem, The Shot Tower,in the front-piece written by Lizette Woodworth Reese. While I don't find it a great or even good poem, it does tell a story of a much different time. At time when Baltimoreans were facing much different issues than they are today, it illustrates the fretting over wars and conflict.

Here's the download link and here's the bacground sheet on Lizette Woodworth Reese.

Groeninger's New Baltimore - 1906, Download Your Free Copy

I was working on my first project for Baltimore's Historic Charles Street Association in 2006 and I went online to round up and bookmark some source material. I ran across Groeninger's New Baltimore and downloaded a copy. It's in the public domain.

Furst Bros Company in Sharp-Leadenhall is a long-time client of mine and I was excited to find one of their ads in the little book. (A half-page ad, thank you very much.) I created a cover and burned the book to a few CDs as a little gift for them.

                  A Preview of Groeninger's New Baltimore 1906

Jones & Groeninger was a photography and publishing house located at 404 N Paca in Baltimore. They were apparently hired by the City and a group of business-men to create a promotional marketing piece to show the world that Baltimore had been rebuilt after the Great Fire, was once again open-for-business, flourishing, bigger, better, and a grander center of commerce than ever before.

The photos, before-and-after the Great Fire of 1904, are wonderful. The photographer was Wm J Groeninger, a partner in the firm.This afternoon I didn't have time to find the reference CD that I'd made over 5-years ago. I went online and found that people are trying to sell this out-of-copyright book from anywhere between 99-cents and $14.96. Well, that just seems silly. I've paid for public domain material before, but only when value was added by way of research, citations, redirects, and the like.

You may download a PDF by clicking on the preview above or by clicking here to go directly to my page on ISSUU.

Jones & Groeninger published their own quarter-page ad in the book.

                          Jones & Groeninger - About This Book

For more information about the Great Fire of 1904, the Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage Program is the best place to start: The Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage Program is a collaborative, statewide digitization program headquartered at the Central Library, Enoch Pratt Free Library / State Library Resource Center in downtown Baltimore.

Power Outage Friday Night? Here's the Letter from BGE.

Will your lights go out Friday night? BGE says it's doubtful. But just in case they do, here's the number to call.

Text of the letter from BGE:

Dear BGE Customers;

BGE is committed to providing customers with safe and reliable electric and gas service. The company routinely inspects and upgrades components of its delivery system to help ensure that your energy needs are met for the present day and the future.

As part of the company’s Downtown Plan to upgrade reliability throughout Baltimore City, BGE will conduct a live network transfer in south-west Baltimore City. This work will require BGE crews to work directly on the underground equipment.

BGE will complete this transfer between midnight and 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 14. Multiple safeguards have been put in place to reduce the possibility of an electrical outage; however, there is a small chance that a short outage may occur as a result of our work.  If an electrical outage does occur, please call 1-877-778-2222 to report the outage.

As BGE safely works to enhance its electric distribution system, the company will do everything it can to minimize possible inconveniences and preserve the character of the area. While there are no plans to disrupt traffic to complete the transfer, the work will be visible, with crews working at the intersections of Greene and Pratt Streets, and Eutaw and Camden Streets.

BGE looks forward to keeping you informed about this project. If you would like more detail about the project, please contact me at 410-470-7869.  Thank you for your patience and we appreciate your cooperation.

Sincerely,
Mark Fay
Sr. BGE Project Manager

The Time is Always Ripe to Do What is Right.

Today I received an email from my friend, Harry Johnson.

I'm going to pass his email along here in the hope that you will read it and help the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. I have supported this Washington, DC project from its inception. And while the MLK Memorial will be in our nation's capitol, this project is universal in scope.

I hope you will help if you possibly can. There couldn't be a better time.

From Mr Johnson:

To celebrate the life and legacy of the man who brought hope and healing to America during a time of civil unrest, we are asking only a handful of our most active and dedicated Founding Sponsors to send a special birthday message in honor of Dr. King's 82nd birthday.

Please feel free to remember and honor Dr. King by adding your own personalized birthday message that we will share with the King family and the world, through Facebook.

I cannot thank you enough for all you have done to help us pay tribute to our nation's greatest civil rights leader with a permanent Memorial that reflects his principles of justice, democracy, hope and love. Remember, this Memorial is not a memorial of our past, but of America's future - your future and your children's future.

Photo courtesy: Gediyon Kifle: October 8, 2010 Bernice King and Martin Luther King, III, children of the late Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., viewed the inscription wall while touring the construction site of the Washington, DC Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial.

Once construction on the Memorial is complete, it will serve as an eternal beacon of hope here in our nation's capital, inspiring millions of visitors, young and old, from all over the world. But that day is not here yet. Right now, we must focus on the task at hand - raising the final $12 million needed to complete the Memorial's beautiful artwork and landscaping.

So after sending your personalized message in honor of Dr. King's 82nd birthday, if you could make one secure, online contribution of $82 to the Memorial, it would be a fitting tribute to Dr. King's legacy. Thank you for celebrating Dr. King's birthday, and for supporting us as we "Build the Dream."

Sincerely,
Harry E. Johnson, Sr.
President & CEO

If you can't make a monetary donation, remember that Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday is always a day of service.

Baltimore. Film Premiere. Olmsted.

My friend, Carole Evitts, just alerted me to a documentary film premiere on September 26th. And, it's going to be a good one and a truly educational afternoon.

The Documentary is The Olmsted Legacy - America's Urban Parks. After the screening Rebecca Messner, the film's Director, and Baltimore's Parks Advocate, Sandy Sparks will join in a discussion with you. Messner and Sparks will answer questions about Fredrick Law Olmsted, the parks he helped to create, the film, and Baltimore's extensive Olmsted Legacy

All of us in Baltimore have an Olmsted Legacy centered around Druid Hill Park and we all should learn more about it. This screening at the Reginald F Lewis Museum is our chance. 

                                         The Olmsted Legacy - Trailer

From Friends of Maryland's Olmsted Parks & Landscapes:

Please join us for the screening of The Olmsted Legacy, a one hour documentary that examines the formation of America's first great city parks. 

And, before or after the screening you will have an opportunity to view beautifully curated events. Druid Hill Park: A Community's Pride, and Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges.

The film premiere in Baltimore is free, but RSVPs are required. Please phone Janet Felsten at 410-235-0838 or send an email by clicking here.

I know you want to be a smarty-pants at this screening so here is a list of a few books about Olmsted and his parks. The list is from the National Association for Olmsted Parks.

Sunday, September 26th 2010, 2 - 5PM
Reginald F Lewis Museum of
Maryland African American History and Culture
830 E Pratt Street Baltimore, MD
443-263-1800

Take a Tour with Baltimore Heritage

                                       Photo courtesy iamtimmo 

From Baltimore Heritage:

Why is the Francis Scott Key Monument on Eutaw Place sometimes called the monument that cigars built?

Who was Baltimore’s great hero in the Mexican War of 1846-7 and how is he connected to the Maryland State Song, James Ryder Randall’s poem “Maryland My Maryland”?

Please join us for stroll through historic Bolton Hill and an evening of Baltimore history as told through these and other stories of our public monuments.  Our tour guides will be Cindy Kelly, author of a soon-to-be-published book on Baltimore’s monuments, and monument preservation leader Sandy Sparks.

Tour Information

Date:     Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Time:     6:00 to 7:15 p.m. 

Place:    Meet at the Francis Scott Key Monument
             at Eutaw Place and Lanvale St.             
             Park along the street
Cost:     $10 for members / $20 for non-members
             (Cold water is included!)

You may register online by clicking this line. 

More from Baltimore Heritage:

Baltimore was dubbed the “Monumental City” by John Quincy Adams in 1827 when we had all of two public monuments (can you guess which two?).

Today Baltimore has over 300 monuments dotting parks, medians, sidewalks, and other locations throughout the city. Our tour will focus on a cluster of monuments in the historic Bolton Hill neighborhood.

In addition to the Key monument (by noted French sculptor Jean Marius Antonin Mercie) and the Civil War memorial on Mt. Royal Avenue, we’ll learn an array of Baltimore history, including: how Baltimore successfully recycled an old bridge sculpture from 1880 into four separate pieces that dot the neighborhood; why Baltimore’s Revolutionary War monument is called the “Maryland Line Monument,” why it is dedicated to the “Bayonets of the Continental Army,” and even where Maryland got its nickname “The Old Line State”; and about the earliest history of the Rinehart School at MICA through pieces that remain on Mount Royal Avenue from a centennial celebration in 1996.

Please join us and our hosts Cindy Kelly and Sandy Sparks for an evening of Baltimore stories and a stroll through historic Bolton Hill. The tour is the long-overdue sequel to a tour of monuments our guides hosted in 2008 in Wyman Park, and is in anticipation of the publication of a book by Ms. Kelly on the city’s public monuments due out this winter.

You Love Frederick Law Olmsted? You'll Love This Tour.

Olmsted was America's First Landscape Architect. Olmsted believed that parks and landscapes were an essential part of every democratic society. He designed Central Park in New York City and the Capital grounds in Washington, DC... but, you already knew that, right?. He was also responsible for the Emerald Necklace in Boston. And, on and on and on.

Baltimore's Friends of Maryland's Olmsted Parks and Landscapes (FMOPL) has a walking tour coming up on May 17th, 2 - 4:30PM. Here's the information, read it and be there:

CARROLL PARK and MT. CLARE MANSION Sunday, May 17 - 2:00 - 4:30 PM
2:00-3:00 PM - Tour of the mansion led by volunteers of the museum
3:00-4:30 PM - Walk through the Park
Led by:

• Myra Brosius, park and environmental planner
• Bus Chambers,vice president, Friends of Carroll Park
• Gloria Pestridge, president, Friends of Carroll Park

Meet at 1:45 PM at the parking lot behind the Mansion off 1500 Washington Blvd. Accessibility: mansion includes stairs to second floor; park has gradual inclines on asphalt trails and roadways.

Part of the colonial plantation of Charles Carroll the Barrister, these grounds became a city park in 1890. The Olmsted Brothers Report Upon the Development of Public Grounds for Greater Baltimore, 1904 incorporated the park into the comprehensive city park system and later designed significant recreational facilities. Various organizations concerned about the conservation and restoration of the many-layered park are working with the City to implement the 2001 Carroll Park Master Plan.

If you don't already belong to FMOPL, visit their website and think about it. You may download a PDF membership form right here. Memberships start at just $25. I'll be posting more information about their upcoming walking tours here soon.

I'd close this post by writing, as I often do: We'll see you there. I can't say that this time. Jacob has broken a bone in each of his feet. So odd and so true. It's a long story. Want to know more? Ask me about the frozen ham!

Obama's Baltimore Visit - Transportation Updates

 

The MTA has two important webpages set up to keep us informed about the local events on Saturday and for Election Day on the 20th.

Link: This is the Official Statment for the President-Elect's visit to Baltimore.

Link: This is the information page for Election Day.

Remember, you can always get real-time, 24/7 traffic reports on the News Page at Baltimore21201.Com.

     This afternoon the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore released this advisory from Mayor Dixon.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 16, 2009 
 
CONGESTION ALERT: Updates on Barack Obama's Visit to Baltimore

The Mayor’s Office has released more information on Barack Obama’s visit to Baltimore on Saturday, January 17.

• All visitors to the War Memorial will enter at the Baltimore Street and Guilford Avenue entry point. 
• Visitors are strongly encouraged to use public transportation like Light Rail, Metro, or MTA buses.  MTA has created a webpage for Saturday’s event that includes rerouted bus routes, station closures, information on park and ride lots, and helpful travel tips.  For additional information, contact MTA at (410) 539-5000.
• If you plan on driving into the city, leave early and allow for extra travel time.

The City has released a list of street closures for Saturday.  On Saturday, January 17 between 4 am and 7 pm, the following streets will all be closed:

• I-83 Northbound from President/Lombard Streets to North Avenue will be closed.
• I-83 Southbound will be closed at North Avenue.
• All streets bounded by St. Paul Street, Lombard Street, The Fallsway/Front Street, and Bath Street.
• Streets surrounding the Main Post Office at 900 E. Fayette Street will be closed, but public access to the post office will be maintained from the east via Fayette and Colvin Streets.
• Additionally, Orleans Street from Gay to St. Paul Streets will be closed from 2 pm to 9 pm on Saturday, January 17.

The City has set up parking restrictions in the area.  Parking will be restricted in most areas around the event.  Variable message signs, cones, and barriers will be posted around the perimeters of the event, so be sure to pay attention to the restrictions in effect.  Cars in violation of parking restrictions will be towed to the Edison Parking Lot at The Fallsway and High Street.

• Several parking garages close to the event location will be closed.  Parking will be available at the stadium and generally west of St. Paul/Light Street.
• Bicycle parking will be provided at the garage at the intersection of Light and Redwood Streets.
• The ADA drop-off point will be at Calvert and Redwood Streets.

Parking will be restricted on the following streets on Saturday, January 7 from 9 am to 7 pm:

• St. Paul Street from Mt. Royal Avenue to Saratoga Street.
• Calvert Street from Biddle Street to Mt. Royal Avenue.
• Guilford Avenue from Biddle Street to Mt. Royal Avenue.
• Preston, Biddle, Chase, Eager, Madison, Monument, Centre, Franklin, Mulberry, Pleasant, and Saratoga Streets between Calvert and Charles Streets.

As mentioned in yesterday’s congestion alert, we suggest taking an alternate route into Downtown.

Here's the latest graphic from the Baltimore Sun.

21201 Traffic Isn't This Bad. However, You Should Be Aware...

...of the most recent traffic advisory from Baltimore's Downtown Partnership.

 

CONGESTION ALERT: Lane Closures on N. Charles Street from October 30 to November 20th

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation has announced temporary lane closures on N. Charles Street between Madison and North Avenues for a resurfacing and streetscape project. The lane closures will begin Thursday, October 30, 2008 and continue through Friday, November 20 from 7 am to 3 pm.

The lane closures are as follows: Between Mount Royal Avenue and the I-83 Bridge, the two right lanes of N. Charles Street will be closed. The two left lanes will be open to traffic. The right turn lane on Mount Royal Avenue will be closed from the I-83 off ramp to North Charles Street.

The University of Baltimore parking lot will remain open as usual to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.  Traffic could be slow at times, especially during the afternoon commute.  Drivers should remain alert for shifts in traffic patterns.

Be sure to visit Get Around Downtown Baltimore for updates and to sign up for our congestion alerts.

Note: Image above is a clip of art from TransFuture.Net. And, it's a website worth seeing.

A Few Words From Senator Barbara Mikulski & Why I Love This Woman

I've always seen the United States' most senior female Senator and Maryland's first and longest serving female Senator, Barbara Mikulski, as the woman guarding the rights of, and advocating for, the average man. Not only in Maryland, but everywhere.

I've always seen our Senator as a powerful bull dog with strong points to make. (And, a bull dog who has a bite that is stronger than her bark.) Now, I'm seeing her as more of the LIONESS of American politics and she's roaring loud for all to hear.

A couple of days ago I emailed our Senator (and many other elected officials) with my position on sending a blank check to the Bush administration for the proposed Bail Out of the very companies that caused this mess in the first place. Senator Mikulski's response was the only literate and to-the-point response that I received. And, while pre-written, it's perfect. Read along, aloud if you like:

Dear Mr. Brockelman:

Thank you for writing to me about the Bush Administration's proposal to bail out the financial industry. It's good to hear from you.

There's no question that we are in a credit crisis. People who have saved for their retirement, been faithful in paying their mortgage, and worked hard to pay for college are wondering, 'What is going on?'

They've watched Wall Street executives pay themselves lavish salaries. They've watched irresponsible lending practices. They've watched casino economics, gambling on risky investment mechanisms. Now those very same Americans who've worked hard and played by the rules are being asked to pay the bill for those who didn't.

Congress must act promptly to restore confidence and stability in the economy. But I will not be stampeded into voting for the Bush Administration bill. During the last seven years, every time there's a crisis, they generate fear and they generate bad ideas. This three-page bill gives the Secretary of the Treasury unlimited power to intervene in our financial markets without any review by Congress, agencies, or courts. It cannot be rubber stamped by the Congress.

At the minimum, the plan must be limited and temporary - not open-ended. There can't be any golden parachutes that reward executives for their excesses and their recklessness. No blank checks. There also must be a plan for those who have been hit hardest by the mortgage crisis.

Knowing of your views is very helpful to me. I will keep them in mind as the Senate continues to debate the President's economic plan.

Thanks again for getting in touch. Please let me know if I can be of assistance to you in the future.

Sincerely,
Barbara A. Mikulski
United States Senator

P.S. If I can be of further assistance in the future,
please visit my website at http://mikulski.senate.gov
or call my Washington D.C. office at 202-224-4654

 

So folks, regardless or your take on party lines, we need to adore and thank this Maryland Treasure for not dancing around her position. She never has; she never will.

Take Note - Los Angeles Police Chief, WJ Bratton is Coming to Baltimore

Really he is. And October 23rd will be a great day for learning. Truly great. Chief William J Bratton, LAPD has been fighting crime for over 30 years. I'm looking forward to his take on fighting city crime.

Chief WJ Bratton is the best-of-the-best to address the issues involved in Policing Cities in the 21st Century. And, he will do that in Baltimore. As LAPD Chief Bratton has, in many ways, bigger issues than we have here in Baltimore. In many ways we, in Baltimore, have bigger and more selective issues than he has in Los Angeles. And all cities have individual & specific issues that no other city can address alone. Cities, large or small, need to adress crime in this ecomony more than ever before. Let's see what he has to say. Let's see if we can learn.

 

Bratton's presentaion, "Policing in the 21st Century" is presented by Johns Hopkins Universtiy, Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies, WTMD 89.7, WYPR 88.1, and EverGreen House & Museum.

Let's all be there and listen and ask questions. It's a free event. Attendance is limited and pre-registration is required. Call 410-516-0341 or send an email to urbanlecture@jhu.edu. Also, there's free onsite parking.

Need more, take a look at the official LAPD website.

BG&E's Parent, Constellation Energy Group is in Talks with Potential Buyers -- Shares Tank for Second Day

 

It seems the economic melt-down is starting to hit close to home. Real close like, say, Pratt Street. Baltimore began feeling the troubles in the real estate market a couple of years ago and that could turn out to be a much smaller issue.

This afternoon the New York Times reported that Standard & Poors has been informed by Constellation Energy Group management "that talks regarding an outright sale of the company were at 'an advanced stage'."

On January 8th of this year Constellation's stock was at an all time high, trading at $107.97 per share. Around 2PM today, CEG's shares were selling around $19.00... I'm sure glad that we received our BG&E rebate last month.

At this point in the downward spiral I'd hate to hear, "The check's in the mail."

UPDATE: The Baltimore Sun is reporting that S&P noted that it confirmed with the banks that the credit commitment [to Constellation Energy] is intact, but that the credit line contains a material adverse change clause tied to operating performance and financial condition.

"In the absence of rapid execution of these credit supportive actions, a multiple-notch downgrade is likely. We do not expect the company to withstand such a rating action," S&P said.

Detour Alert from Downtown Partnership

The Get Around Downtown Baltimore service from Baltimore's Downtown Partnership sent out an email press release this morning advising that Saratoga Street will be closed, between Charles and Cathedral Streets, for about a month. According to their detour directions, here's my map.

The reason for the closure was listed as Trigen Repairs. Yeah, OK. What's that?

Ah yes, Trigen is the company that supplies steam for heat (1,363,000 steam pounds per hour), chilled water for cooling (6,500 tons per hour), hot water (200,000 MBtus) and electricity (2.1 Megawatts) to a whole bunch of buildings in downtown Baltimore. I found these stats from a cached Trigen press release. Apparently Trigen was acquired by Veolia Energy some time ago.

You can find lots of interesting information on the Veolia Energy website if you're interested in infrastructure. Get lost in the data at your own peril.

Maryland Transit Administration + Google. What a Match!

I've just learned from the Baltimore Business Journal that our very own MTA has signed on to have Google Maps provide an extraordinary service: Online routes, alternates and times for local public transportation. This is big stuff. It's a really big deal.

While the program is still in a sort of testing Beta-stage, it already works and works very well.

Just go to the MTA website and enter your address and the address that you are headed for. And it will calculate the route, show you bus numbers, and show you a map...

But wait, there's more! You can plug in the actual time you want to leave your location or the actual time you want to arrive at your destination... and the program will give you options.

There are other interesting variables, some available now and others to be added.

I have to admit that I'm not a big user of public transportation in Baltimore. With this new information, that may just change. This is good for all. Please check this out and let the MTA know if this works for you.

How Our Inner Harbor Changed the World's Port Cities. No, Really! I'm Serious.

If you missed this last night, be certain to set your Tivo or DVR to record Maryland Public Television at 9PM July 22nd. (Channels 22 and 67)

Global Harbors: A Waterfront Renaissance is an outstanding piece of documentary work.

Baltimore Sun's architecture critic, Edward Gunts writes, "In many ways, Global Harbors is the Un-Wire. It doesn't deny the existence of crime and poverty and dysfunction in the city, but it starts with the premise that the glass is half-full. It shows Baltimore as a place where good things can happen when people put their minds to it. It dares to suggest that 50 years of rebuilding may be paying off."

I think Global Harbors' premise is that the glass is way, way more than half-full and that 50 years of rebuilding started paying off 50 years ago. It certainly did for the urban pioneers who, decades ago, bought their homes in Otterbein for a dollar.

In the Examiner, Michael Olesker notes, "What most of us didn’t know — but learn from the documentary — is the profound effect Harborplace has had on urban harbors around the world, with municipal leaders having taken their cues from the Baltimore model." I like Olesker's take, as I usually do, best.

Like all good documentaries should, this one has a website. And, if that Tivo crashes or Comcast goes down you can buy the DVD online. Trust me, it's a keeper. Spend the twenty-bucks.

Let's All Buy a Brick; Support a Home for Our Little, and Not-So-Little Ones.

A big, 24 year-old mother has given birth to a really big, healthy baby in Baltimore. The mother's name is Felix. The father is, for the time-being, unknown. Yep, it seems that Mother Felix was "sleeping around" prior to coming to Baltimore -- her new-born is, for now, unnamed also.

So what to do to support this unwed mother... I have the answer. Buy a brick. Yes, a brick.

...I first worked on a Zoomerang project for the Baltimore Zoo with some folks from Doner Advertising in 1998 (when Doner was on N Charles Street) and I've admired the Baltimore Zoo ever since. International attention to our zoo has been building with the announcement that Mother Felix was with child... er, calf.

Support for our Baltimore zoo is more important now than ever. And, I know that sometimes it's difficult to write a check to a general fund and not see anything you can hold in your hand.

You can't hold these bricks in your hand; you can walk on them, though. And, they will be engraved with your names and message. How's this for a thought: Buy a separate brick for each of your children. Once the bricks are installed take the kids for a grand field trip to find their names.

Let's make good things happen for the Baltimore Zoo. It will happen just one brick at a time.

By the way, do you know that the Baltimore Zoo operates a Penguin Cam?

Check it out during daylight hours. It couldn't be more fun.

The Walters Art Museum Director, Gary Vikan, Tells Stories

And, what entertaining and extraordinary stories they are. Vikan joined forces with Baltimore's NPR station, WYPR, a few months back and is hosting a weekly feature, Postcards from The Walters. It's broadcast Monday mornings at 9:35. However, you don't have to be tuned-in to listen.

The Walters website has a link to WYPR where the previous months audio postcards are archived.

I first learned of Vikan's natural story-telling ability when he made a presentation on branding Baltimore at one of the Baltimore Architecture Foundation's lunchtime forums.

I wrote him a note to thank him for his funny, clever, and informative talk. (It takes some on-stage savvy and bravado to get a room full of architecture enthusiasts laughing out loud. He has that savvy and more.) A few weeks later he invited me to lunch. That's when I truly learned what a story-teller he is. Just click here - Postcards from The Walters - and you'll be hooked. You'll also find out why the first Walters in Baltimore wasn't a museum at all. It was a bath house! Yep, a bath house.