South Bmore Archives - South Baltimore Peninsula

April 21, 2022November 17, 2022

Cross Street Market

A modern example of “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” perhaps?

The South Baltimore Peninsula’s Cross Street Market is certainly not what it used to be. However, that is to be expected for a place dating back to the 19th Century. Time marches on and things do change. Once a place to shop for produce, fresh meats, and seafood, you could also grab a snack during your shopping run. And, it still is like that – sort of. Well, not really…

Cross Street Market before and after — Before 2018 the Cross Street Market was colorful and bustling.
AFTER( April, 2022), nearly three years after the reopening.

cross street market facade of years ago — Older entrance of the Cross Street Market on Charles Street.

Once, the Cross Street Market was a place where you could get farm-fresh produce, meats, and seafood from several different stalls. You could buy food from local vendors from every culture in Baltimore, and you could grab a bite to eat as you ran your errands. It was a thriving, bustling place where people loved to shop in an almost “open air” market environment – albeit with walls, a roof and HVAC. The key element that we loved was the “open” feeling of the place. The crowds. The culture. The history.

As recent as a few years ago the list of merchants included more than 20 unique businesses, all being part of a thriving open-space market. Some are listed here. Do you remember any of them?

cross stree market facade — Entrance facade of the Cross Street Market prior to 2018.

Baltimore’s Best BBQ – Rotisserie chicken and barbeque
Big Jim’s Deli – Best overstuffed sandwiches in the market
Buttercream Dreams Bakery – Bakery
Cheese Galore & More – Cheeses
Cross 10 Grocery – Grocery
Cross Street Cafe – Famous for Bruce Lee’s chicken wings
Cross Street Seafood – Freshest fish and crabs
Cross Street Tobacco – Fine premium cigars
Fenwick’s Choice Meats – Choice meats, lottery, custom steaks
Kwon’s Fresh Produce – Fresh produce & fruit salad
Mondawmin Chicken – Fried chicken & fish (the best, this writer shopped here often)
Mr. Sausage – yup, fresh sausages
Nick’s Inner Harbor Seafood – “Baltimore’s Best” seafood market & raw bar
Pop Tacos – tacos
Rosie’s Posies Flowers and Gifts – Gifts & Flowers
Steve’s Lunch – Breakfast, lunch, snacks, UTZ potato chips
The Flower Shop
The Pretzel Twist
The Sweet Shoppe – Candies & ice cream
Tian’s Teriyaki
Wireless One, Inc. – Cell phones & accessories

Now, that’s all still true… sort of. The Cross Street Market has been through some changes over the years—but it’s still alive and kicking. Find out what’s new about one of Baltimore’s oldest landmarks!

The new market is “sterile” when compared with the old. Upon entering it appears more like a hospital than a thriving market.

The new Cross Street Market Website is shiny and fresh (like the produce in the many stands a few years back). The site claims, “22 independently owned and operated businesses,” yet lists only 14 merchants. That means almost a 40% vacancy rate. Indeed.

cross street market facade — Entrance to the Cross Street Market on Light Street (April, 2022)

Listed Cross Street Market merchants (as of April, 2022)

cross street market fenwick meats — A refreshing sight is one of the original and popular merchants, Fenwick Meats.

Atlas Fish Market – Fresh seafood market w/ raw bar
Blowfish Poke – Hawaiian cuisine
Ceremony Coffee Roasters -Sharing amazing coffee
Chicken Lab – Korean fried chicken
Crepe Crazy – European crepes
Fenwick’s Choice Meats – Quality meats ( a wonderful carry-over from “before”)
Gangster Vegan Organics – Eat healthy
Pizza di Joey – New York style brick oven pizza
SoBeachy – Haitian restaurant
Southside Burger Bar – Local family business with burgers and dogs – done right.
Steve’s Lunch – Breakfast and lunch for over 50 years in the Cross Street Market (another wonderful carry-over)
Taco Love Grill – Authentis Taqueria
Taharka Bros. – Confections
Watershed – Seafood restaurant/crab house

What happened to the Cross Street Market that many of us used to know? Progress? Maybe not…

sterile entrance to the Cross Street Market from Light Street. — This is what greets you as you enter the Cross Street Market from Light Street. Note that the area on the left is currently empty (April, 2022).

March 29, 2022November 17, 2022

History of Francis Scott Key School #76

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.

Rah, Rah, Rah!!!

March 19, 2022November 17, 2022

Baltimore Hotels

There are many hotels downtown convenient to the Inner Harbor and the South Baltimore Peninsula.

Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotels — Baltimore Inner Harbor with Sheraton and Hyatt Regence Hotels with Orioles Park at Camden Yards in the background.

The Courtyard Baltimore Downtown/McHenry Row is the only hotel actually on the South Baltimore peninsula. It is located at 1803 Porter Street, Baltimore, MD 21230. 443-853-9918
Link: CLICK for a closer look and to compare rates.

Other Popular Hotels in and around the Baltimore Inner Harbor

Marriott Baltimore Waterfront
Harbor East Baltimore
700 Aliceanna St., Baltimore, MD

Days Inn Inner Harbor Hotel
Convention Center
100 Hopkins Place, Baltimore, MD 21201

Pier 5 Hotel
Featured on the Water
711 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202

Lord Baltimore Hotel
Featured in the heart of downtown
20 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

Hyatt Regency Baltimore
The Inner Harbor is at your front door.
300 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel
At the Baltimore Convention Center
300 South Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel
Inner Harbor
202 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Admiral Fell Inn
In the heart of Fells Point
888 S. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231

Brookshire Suites
All Suites Hotel in the center of Downtown
120 E. Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel
Inner Harbor “Top Shelf”
550 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Courtyard by Marriott Baltimore Downtown
Little Italy/Harbor East – 1000 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor Hotel
Camden Yard & Convention Center – 110 S. Eutaw Street, Baltimore, MD 21201

Residence Inn by Marriott Inner Harbor – Downtown…
17 Light Street, Baltimore, MD

Holiday Inn Inner Harbor
Walk to the Inner Harbor – 301 W. Lombard St.

Hyatt Place Baltimore Inner Harbor
Harbor East Baltimore (walk to Inner Harbor)
511 South Central Avenue, Baltimore 21202

Hilton Baltimore Convention Center Hotel
Skywalk to the Baltimore Convention Center – 401 W. Prtt St., Baltimore, MD 21201

LOCATION – Choose a hotel by location

Business Traveler
Baltimore offers a variety of amenities for the business traveler.

Romantic Getaway
The Harbor Court is a good place to rekindle any romance.

Conference Center
Visitors attending a conference will find convenient digs downtown.

Leisure Traveler
The crack of a bat – the putt-putt of a motorboat – the swish of wind through the sails – Baltimore is heaven for leisure travelers.

Families
Kids will go ga-ga staying downtown.

Budget Travelers
Even the luxury hotels in Baltimore have great weekend deals and getaway packages.

Airport Lodging
If the sound of takeoffs and landings is music to your ears, you might opt for one of the splendid airport hotels.