CANTON: One of the things I love about living in Baltimore is the myriad of neighborhoods to explore, each with its unique, often odd, character. Many are historic, some are blue collar, some are new, some transitioning, but all with a definite identity. Which brings me to Canton. I had been loathe to explore this large southeastern community as it has a reputation of being a very gentrified community where well-to-do transplants from Washington DC & New York have pushed out the more modest Slavic community that had been there for decades working at factories on the harbor. Pictures of the neighborhood revealed lovingly restored rowhomes and waterfront domiciles meant to reflect the area’s heritage, which is all well and good, until you see the real estate prices and the chain establishments that populate the area. It made me wonder: Is Canton really Bawlmer? While sunning myself on a bench taking a break from walking the underrated Waterfront Promenade from Fells Point and admiring the view, I had my answer & suddenly appreciated Canton. Yes it’s very affluent and gentrified, but it was hard not to appreciate the benefits of the community, starting with this promenade and its waterfront parks, which act as an industrially chic front yard for everyone. There were mechanical relics still visible from times gone by, scenes of the working elements of the busy port, the steel arch Key Bridge spanning the outer harbor and a clear if distant view of iconic Fort McHenry. You don’t get more Bawlmer than that! But away from the harbor and high trafficked Boston Street (which you can tell was supposed to be a highway) Canton becomes more charming. O’Donnell Square, in the center of the traditional community, lends the neighborhood a European Vibe, perhaps due to the venerable Polish St. Casimir Catholic Church that still anchors the area. Restaurants, many bars & small businesses surround the small park, with church bells and Slavic tongues contributing to the soundtrack. (A large Ukrainian parish also calls Canton home) Since Canton is a huge neighborhood it can be many things to many people. It feels like a historic old world community adjacent to a modern waterfront resort, with some suburban amenities and industrial relics thrown in. Instead of being UnBawlmer, it’s actually a mish mash of styles, like Baltimore 2.0 today. If only it was more diverse and not so expensive, which brings me back to the sin of gentrification. Unfortunately Canton has room for that too.
WESTSIDE: Baltimore’s West Side Story is a tale more complex than something Stephen Sondheim could have thought up. Once the center of the city’s famous shopping and entertainment district at the edge of downtown, the postwar exodus of businesses and people to the suburbs affected the Westside more than any other part of the city. Entire blocks were abandoned. Where once Howard Street and the surrounding blocks were teaming with people patronizing gloriously designed department stores and magnificent theatres, by the end of the 20th Century it was teaming only with shlocky shops in dilapidated buildings whose elegantly decrepit exteriors only hinted at their splendid heyday. Only venerable Lexington Market, the oldest public market in the country, provided any life to the area. Yet even that was increasingly surrounded by an open air drug market, keeping many would be patrons away. Taking the Light Rail along Howard Street on my way to Mount Vernon challenged the hope I had for the rejuvenation of Charm City. The Westside, so close to such gems as Camden Yards and the Inner Harbor, became a symbol of the decay of Baltimore.
But one thing Baltimore has shown again and again throughout its history is that it can be down but never count it out. The British, a Civil War, a great fire, race riots, nor deindustrialization has been able to defeat this city of perseverance. It’s what it does best. After years of neglect and false starts perseverance may finally restore relevance to what should be a very relevant part of town, especially with its accessibility via both Metro & Light Rail. As with many community rejuvenations in this city, focusing on the Arts fostered much needed vibrancy. The landmark Bromo Selzer Tower, a building more suited to Venice than this waterfront city (I love how quirky Baltimore is), was once threatened with demolition. Now operated as a tourist attraction and artist studios by Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, it has become the anchor of a larger arts district that now includes restored theatres such as the famous Hippodrome, studios, restaurants, etc. Concurrently, the University of Maryland greatly expanded its Baltimore campus increasing the population of those working in the medical arts. The area’s progress can be spotted riding the Light Rail as Howard Street, while still in need of much love and investment, is slowly being spruced up by the redevelopment of architecturally beautiful buildings into apartments, studios, offices, & shops. Lexington Market is getting in on this activity too as the city is giving the institution a long overdue makeover so it can thrive into its fourth century. Notwithstanding, the Westside still has a lot of “Sharks” & “Jets” plying the thriving drug trade in the area. It can still be a scary place to be after dark. Still, with its proximity to the jewels of the city and some bright lights of its own, this Westside Story could be just as successful as the theatrical one.
You captured ‘my’ neighborhood well. I look forward to seeing future posts.