In 1851, an unknown person laid the foundation of Francis Scott Key School on the South Baltimore Peninsula.
It is likely that this person used her living room to teach the children of Locust Point. The city school records do not mention how many children or what they were taught. But it is apparent that most of the children taught were girls. In 1866, this local school was named the Female Grammar School, #16. In that same year the school was incorporated into the Baltimore City public School System. Commissioners of Public Schools report that two classes were housed within one apartment. A divider separated the learning areas so that the two teachers could effectively instruct the children. The report stated, “A hard task is that which these teachers have assumed. To perform it well was worthy of their ambition.” The commission highlighted the hard work of these dedicated teachers by the notation “no supplies assigned to the school.”
The year 1869 provides additional statistics. The Female Grammar School, #16, consisted of 82 students and 2 teachers. The principal, Georgia A. Duvall, earned $900.00 per year. Sallie E. Moore, her assistant earned $648.00 annually. In 1870, the school still showed an enrollment of 81 students. The staff consisted of Ms. Duvall and two teachers. Mary Callendar became the new assistant to the principal. By 1876, the school had grown to 114 students. But, there were still only two teachers. Ms. Callendar had become the principal.
In 1877, the Board of School Commissioners rented a building for $150.00 to house the school that had outgrown its two rooms. In 1881, the City Council gave permission to lease a lot for a new school house in Locust Point on the South Baltimore Peninsula. The original site was on the corner of Hull and Clement Streets. Construction of a new building cost $10,000.00 Students moved into the building in 1882. The school was co-educational and became the first “Francis Scott Key School.”
School Song
Key forever, Key forever, Sing it loud and strong, Here we find both love and learning All the way along.
Key forever, Key forever, We will shout her name Her loyal sons and daughters Bring her fame.
A brief History of the Peninsula, or SOBO or South Bmore, as you like.
The peninsula of land south of the Baltimore Harbor, between the Northwest and Middle branches of the Patapsco River, has a long and colorful history. The strategic importance of this peninsula became apparent during both Wars for Independence.
Lord Baltimore granted the first land patent on the Baltimore peninsula to Charles Gorsuch in 1661 for the yearly rent of one pound sterling. This patent was for a 50-acre tract of land that is today known as Locust Point. Gorsuch later abandoned the land, and in 1702 James Carroll received a patent for the same tract, which was then called Whetstone Point. Carroll paid a rent of 2 shillings per year.
The next tract of land on the peninsula to be patented was Upton Court, a 500-acre tract next to Whetstone Point that was patented by David Poole in 1668. Four years later, in 1672, David Williams received a patent for 100 acres next to Upton Court which he called David’s Fancy. This land was between Upton Court to the east and land owned by John Howard to the west. Despite these patents, the peninsula remained unoccupied during the first two decades of the 18th century.
In 1723, John Giles obtained a Certificate of Resurvey to Upton Court and in 1725 consolidated it with Whetstone Point, which he had obtained from James Carroll for 5 pounds sterling. Giles sold 400 acres of this land 2 years later to the British Principio Company, along with the rights to all the iron ore found there, for 300 pounds sterling and 20 pounds current money of Maryland. (The Principio Company was an association of British iron-masters engaged in manufacturing pig and bar iron. It had been operating an iron furnace 20 miles to the north on the Great Falls of the Gunpowder River since 1715. Whetstone Point for many ears was to one of its principal sources of ore.) Several years later, Jacob Giles, heir of John Giles, sold the remainder of Upton Court to John Moale. When Moale found David’s Fancy vacant, he also claimed that land and opened a mine.
Details of the South Baltimore peninsula – Baltimore Inner Harbor to Locust Point
In 1732, Richard Gist received a patent for an alluvial deposit at the foot of Lunn’s Point. This area was known as Gist’s Inspection, but is better known today as Federal Hill.
In 1737, John Moale obtained a Warrant of Escheat to David’s Fancy. (Lord Baltimore had a right of escheat when a patentee died without a will or heirs. In a wilderness populated by semi-literate people without known relatives, this occurred frequently.) He ended up sharing ownership of most of the peninsula between the Northwest Branch and the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River with the Principio Furnace Company and Richard Gist.
The importance of Whetstone Point for the defense of Baltimore became apparent when the Revolutionary War began. Maryland expropriated the British Principio iron works on Whetstone Point and used these facilities to aid the American war effort. In 1775, preparations began to fortify the area. A water battery of 18 guns was placed on Whetstone Point. A chain was stretched across the neck of the harbor, supported by 21 sunken schooners. An air furnace was also built near the batteries to provide munitions. When the Revolutionary War ended, the Free State confiscated 195 acres of land belonging to the company and sold the land at auction.
These fortifications remained under Maryland control until 1793, when Congress passed a resolution which stated: “…the United States may think it necessary to erect a fort, arsenal, or other military works or buildings on Whetstone Point….” However, Congress did not see fit to provide adequate funds; it was the citizens of Baltimore who made up the deficiency.
Built strategically at the mouth of the Baltimore Harbor, Fort McHenry earned its place in history during the final months of the War of 1812. In September 1814, the British had turned their sights toward Baltimore after sacking and burning Washington. The British were intent on punishing Baltimore because it was home port for a large number of privateers–privately owned, armed ships sailing under government commissions–which had been harassing British shipping throughout the “Second War for Independence.” Baltimoreans did not stand idly by in the face of this threat. They armed themselves and built heavy defenses around the city; Fort McHenry was a crucial element in this defense. British strategy called for their ships to blast their way past Fort McHenry. As all proud Baltimoreans know, the British failed. At the end of the 25-hour bombardment, Francis Scott Key wrote the memorable poem which later became the national anthem. The fort still proudly stands on Locust Point, an attraction for visitors from across the globe and a symbol of the American spirit.
Interesting Facts about the South Baltimore Peninsula:
During Colonial period, there was a horseracing track on Whetstone Point.
An observatory was constructed on Federal Hill in the late 18th century. In 1797, David Porter notified the city that his observatory on Federal Hill was ready. Patrons could obtain a year’s admittance for $3.00 or each visit was 25 cents. This observatory, subsequently known as the Signal Service Observatory, identified approaching ships and provided the information to those involved in commerce.
Several ferry companies operated from Locust Point. The “Locust Point Ferry Company” was formed in 1851; its route was from Kerr’s Wharf to Locust Point; in 1857, the terminus changed from Kerr’s Wharf to the lower end of Broadway. In 1865 the Patapsco Company opened a ferry from Locust Point to Ferry Bar.
In 1854, the “Federal Hill Steam Ferry Company” was organized. Its route was from Hughes to West Falls Avenue.
In 1865, some prominent Baltimoreans, assisted by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, inaugurated the first steamship line between Baltimore Harbor and Liverpool using old steamships purchased from the Federal Government. In 1870, the Allan Line was established between Liverpool and Baltimore.
In 1865, M. E. Uniack opened a ferry with 20 small boats to transport people from Covington Street to the tobacco warehouse on the opposite side of the harbor.
In 1868, the B & O Railroad Company signed a contract with the North German Lloyds to establish the first steamship line between Baltimore and Bremen, Germany. The B& O built piers at Locust Point to receive the stream of immigrants arriving from Europe. Although many remained in Baltimore, many other immigrants immediately boarded the B&O trains and headed for points west. Thus, Locust Point was the first American soil walked on by countless thousands of European immigrants.
In 1874, the first dry-dock ever constructed in Baltimore was built at Charles Reeder’s wharf at the foot of Hughes Street, on the south side of the basin.
In 1877 the Baltimore Dry Dock Co. was incorporated. This company successfully got a bill through Congress granting a portion of the Fort McHenry tract for the construction of “Simpson’s Improved Dry Dock” on that tract. In return, U. S. Government ships were to dock free at that location.
Bibliography:
Garrett Power, Parceling Out Land in Baltimore, 1632-1796, published by the Maryland Historical Society.
J. Thomas Scharf, History of Baltimore City and County, published 1881 in Philadelphia, PA
South Baltimore and the Baltimore Inner Harbor and a Few Haunted Places in Baltimore
Haunted Places in Baltimore by Jane Selman
Baltimore. To many people it’s that place with Cal Ripken and steamed crabs. The National Aquarium and ethnic festivals. But Baltimore also boasts a treasure trove of history, much of which is pretty darn spooky.
So if you’re in the mood to counteract the hot weather with a little chill (down your spine, that is) you can cool off at any one of a number of haunted sites in Baltimore.
Your first stop should be none other than the home of Edgar Allan Poe, father of the horror genre.
Veiled in myth and melancholy, Poe’s life and death has held a fascination for many us in Baltimore, where he experienced his first success and where he died of “congestion of the brain” in 1849. He lived here with his cousin, Virginia, and his aunt, Maria, from 1832 to 1835. While living in Baltimore, he wrote one of his first horror stories, “Berenice,” as well as “MS Found in a Bottle,” which he submitted to the Baltimore Saturday Visitor, winning a $50 prize.
Edgar Allan Poe Tombstone with (added) Raven
The house stands next to the Edgar Allan Poe Homes, the first public housing project in Baltimore, and stories abound about the spirit of “Mr. Eddie,” who watches over the house and nearby neighborhood. Some have even reported seeing a woman’s ghost in the house. You can call for information on visiting times at 410-396-7932. Amity Street is a small street that runs between West Saratoga and West Fayette Streets.
Poe was buried in Westminster Church Cemetery at Fayette and Green, a short walk from the Amity Street house. Fans and friends of Poe erected a proper monument in 1875 – the original stone was destroyed in a freak train accident – with money raised by Western Female High School schoolteacher Sarah Sigourney Rice and local school children (assisted by a generous donation from a local citizen).
You can visit the grave between dawn and dusk – Virginia and Mrs. Clemm are also buried there. Every year a mysterious person brings a bottle of cognac and a single red rose. On Halloween fans gather for an evening of readings, complete with tours of the catacombs under the church. Both the house and cemetery are located in the western side of downtown Baltimore, an area easily accessible by bus.
Traditionally, visitors leave a few coins on the grave. You might want to take along a package of Tender Vittles to feed the number of cats that have taken it upon themselves to watch over the cemetery. Among them is a young black cat that sometimes suns himself on the grass.
Other prominent Baltimoreans are buried at the graveyard as well. Among them is General Samuel Smith, who helped organize the defense of Baltimore in the War of 1812, and the Secretary of War under George Washington and John Adams, Colonel James McHenry, after whom Fort McHenry was named (more on that in a minute).
Down at the Inner Harbor, you can feast your eyes on HarborPlace, have a snack, cool off by the water, and indulge in a bit of ghosthunting. The USS Constellation, which saw service from 1854 through the Civil War and until World War II, has been restored and is open again to the public for tours. While you’re walking around this magnificent ship, which helped to break up the slave trade and transported food to help famine victims in Ireland, keep a lookout for apparitions.
Back in 1955, a photograph, taken by a Naval lieutenant commander and published in Baltimore’s local newspaper, The Sun, seems to show a figure standing on the deck – perhaps the spirit of a young Naval officer or seaman who lost his life in service to his country. Those who’ve followed the Constellation’s history tell a story of a priest who went on the ship by himself and was guided around by an older man with a great knowledge of the ship. He later found out that no such person worked as a guide.
Other folks have reported hearing “strange noises” and seeing “strange shapes.” Two great scholars of the supernatural, Hans Holzer, ghosthunter, and Sybil Leek, self-proclaimed witch, both visited the ship to commune with the spirits. You can do the same or just enjoy walking the deck of this ship, which has survived pitch battles and the ravages of time. Bring your camera and see if you can catch a glimpse of the spirits on film. The Inner Harbor is accessible by bus and close to a stop on the Metro Subway. For information on touring the USS Constellation, call 410-539-1797.
Perhaps no landmark is more precious to Baltimoreans than Fort McHenry, where a battle that marked a turning point not only in Maryland’s history, but in America’s history, took place. At Fort McHenry the ill-equipped, overmatched American forces held out against the British Army and Navy and saved the new young nation in the War of 1812.
Fort McHenry with a Star Spangled Banner
Everyone knows the story of the young lawyer, Francis Scott Key, who, while detained aboard a treaty ship in the harbor, saw that the flag still flew over the embattled fort and wrote the song that would later become our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Not many know about young Lieutenant Levi Claggett, one of the casualties of the battle – killed, with several of his men, during the shelling of his gun emplacement. He could be one of the spirits haunting the old fort.
During the Civil War many people were detained in the dungeons, which are open today for viewing. One is reported to have killed himself while there. He may be another unquiet spirit.
Rangers at the Fort report hearing footsteps, windows being opened and closed, doors slamming. They’ve allegedly seen lights turned back on after they’ve turned them off. No one speaks officially about the haunting, but many people believe that spirits reside there. Even if all the reports can be explained away logically, they still give one pause. Fort McHenry can be wonderfully eerie, especially when you look into the cells or the quarters and see the places where people resided for long periods.
You can get to the fort, located southeast of downtown, but take the Water Taxi instead. When you approach the fort by water, you experience a little of the thrill that Francis Scott Key must have felt when the smoke of rockets and cannons cleared away and he saw that “the flag was still there.”
For information on visiting Fort McHenry, call 410-962-4290.
Of course, can there be any place more eerie than a cemetery? Wayne Schaumburg leads tours of Greenmount Cemetery, located at North and Greenmount Avenues, a good bit to the Northeast of the downtown area. He has a wealth of information on the famous and the infamous interred there. John Wilkes Booth rests at Greenmount, but his grave is not marked.
“He’s in the family plot,” Schaumburg says, “No pun intended.”
The Greenmount Cemetery has its share of strange phenomena, both confirmed and unconfirmed. For instance, Allen Dulles, who headed the Central Intelligence Agency, is buried there.
“I always say the grave is bugged,” claims Schaumburg.
In addition, Jacques Kelly, a local historian and writer, is rumored to have once been locked in at the Greenmount Cemetery, which is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (The entrance is actually at Greenmount Avenue and Oliver Street). The cemetery is a short bus ride from downtown Baltimore.
If you need to unwind after all that hunting, you might want to look for spirits of another kind. Head for Fells Point, a neighborhood to the east of downtown Baltimore (accessible by bus), which has become known as the location of the police station in the TV show “Homicide.” Good food and charming shops are among the attractions. While you’re there, say hello to the ghost that is said to inhabit the Whistling Oyster at 807 South Broadway. He or she has a penchant for running up and down a flight of stairs that no longer exists.
Ghosts are also rumored to walk the streets of Fells Point. One is either Edward or William Fell, namesakes and founders of the area. One of the brothers has been spotted, according to neighborhood legend, roaming Shakespeare Street after last call.
[For information on getting around in Baltimore by public transportation, call the Mass Transit Administration at 410-539-5000. While in Baltimore, you might want to pay a visit to the Maryland Room at the Enoch Pratt Free Library where the friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you search out more ghosts and more Baltimore history. The library can be reached at 410-396-5430. Please note that it is closed on Fridays.]
