Baltimore real estate

Baltimore - Charm city

It’s easy to see why Baltimore — Maryland’s largest and America’s 12th-largest city — is called “Charm City.” From its historic neighborhoods to its sparkling Inner Harbor, Baltimore is captivating and charismatic at every turn. Although it hustles at the pace of a major metropolis, Charm City has managed to hold on to its unique heritage, small-town feel and exceptional livability.

History

Baltimore is more than three centuries old. Settled in 1661, it was established as a town in 1729 and named for the barons Baltimore, the British founders of the Maryland Colony. Originally a tobacco port, the town grew with flour milling and shipbuilding, setting up trade with Europe and the Caribbean.

Indeed, Baltimore owed much of its early growth to its prime location. Situated farther west than other major Atlantic ports, its harbor was a favorite destination for shippers. Today, more than 30 million tons of cargo pass through the port of Baltimore each year, boosting the city to a ranking of fifth among U.S. ports.

In its early days, Baltimore played a significant role in the life of the nation. In 1777, during the Revolutionary War, it was a meeting place for the Continental Congress while the British took over Philadelphia. In the War of 1812, soldiers stationed at Fort McHenry bravely held off a British attack on Baltimore. The victory was commemorated in Francis Scott Key poem, known today as America’s national anthem. In the Civil War, the city was occupied by Union troops and endured widespread rioting due to its Southern sympathies.

Throughout the 19th century, Baltimore continued as an active port of entry for European immigrants and rural residents from the South. The city’s economy was fueled by continued shipbuilding, as well as transportation and canning. In the 20th century, after World War II, residents began to leave in droves, attracted to new housing developments beyond Baltimore’s boundaries. Baltimore shrank but came back strongly in the 1970s, thanks to the collective efforts of government, business and volunteer partnerships, all supported by generous federal programs for urban renewal.

Today

Baltimore revitalized its downtown, tearing down its decaying wharves and warehouses, and replacing them with glittering shops, restaurants and major attractions in its Inner Harbor. With its rapid redevelopment, the city set a new national standard for urban renewal. In a second wave of development, more than $1 billion in new growth is planned.

Today, Baltimore is a major destination for business and tourist travelers, welcoming more than 11 million visitors each year. The city is served by Baltimore-Washington International Airport, located in neighboring Anne Arundel County. Visitors and residents alike also enjoy a robust transportation system, with many bus routes and a light rail and subway system. A MARC commuter rail connects the city’s two rail stations — Camden Station and Penn Station — to Union Station in Washington, D.C.

Baltimore’s extraordinary renaissance is just one more example of its spirit of inventive optimism. >From the first carrier railway to the first telegraph line, the first commercial ice cream factory to the first bottle cap, the city takes great pride in its inspired innovations.

Location: Baltimore lies at the heart of America’s Eastern seaboard, just off the Chesapeake Bay along the Patapsco River estuary.

Total area: 92.1 square miles. The total area is more than 12 percent water.

Population: 651,154

Housing units: 300,477

Average density: 3,719 per square mile

Median household income personal income: $30,078

Average annual rainfall: 43 inches

Average temperatures: 35°F (winter) to 80°F (summer)

^*Information provided by 2000 Census