135 Facts About Baltimore, Maryland To Know If You Plan On Visiting

Baltimore is a city of significant importance in US history and was also featured in World War I and II.

Located in the state of Maryland, this city is a major seaport for the United States. Known for its gorgeous views and vibrant city life, Baltimore is a must-visit place for all those planning to go to Maryland.

Home to a lot of famous people, poets, athletes, musicians, museums, seaports, and Fort McHenry, Baltimore’s culture is something that needs to be explored.

Situated in the north-central portion of Maryland and about 40 mi (65 km) northeast of Washington, DC the city of Baltimore has a lot of interesting and historically significant aspects to it.

This city has inspired a lot of great and creative people and helped shape the culture of the world in many ways. Spreading its influence through its people and persona, Baltimore is much more than your average US city.

Some of the major attractions in the city are Johns Hopkins University, Maryland Institute College, the Baltimore Museum, the Washington Monument, Camden Yards, and Baltimore Manor.

In fact, it can be said that today that this city does not get the appreciation it deserves. Here are some facts about Baltimore, Maryland to highlight this city’s importance. Afterwards, also check out facts about Augusta, Maine and facts about Boise, Idaho.

Fun Facts About Baltimore, Maryland

There are a lot of fun facts to learn about Baltimore. This seemingly regular - especially to tourists -city holds much more than meets the eye.

Baltimore is the most populous city of Maryland and the 30th most populous city in the United States.

Several famous celebrities hail from this city including Babe Ruth (George Herman Ruth), a famous pitcher and player for the Boston Red Sox. He used to play local games before making it big.

The United Nations’ first research university, Johns Hopkins University, was founded in 1876 in Baltimore by philanthropist and entrepreneur Johns Hopkins.

Johns Hopkins Hospital and University are now some of the biggest private employers in the United States.

Despite being so popularly known worldwide, Baltimore is not the capital of Maryland. That title is held by the city of Annapolis.

The state bird of Maryland is the Baltimore oriole.

The incredibly famous Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is a Baltimore native. He earned himself the nickname 'The Baltimore Bullet'.

Baltimore is also known as the City of Firsts, and justifiably so. So many of the US' firsts took place in this city that it has rightfully earned this title.

The B&O railroad square on the popular board game Monopoly represents the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which was the nation’s first commercial railroad.

The nation’s first public aquarium, the National Aquarium, was also established in Baltimore. Situated in the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, this aquarium is famous for inhabiting over 20,000 species of animals.

The Baltimore Airport has a very unique feature that perhaps no other airport in the world can boast about. It has its own hiking and biking trail.

Baltimore is divided into nine districts: North Baltimore, Northwest Baltimore, West Baltimore, Southwest Baltimore, South Baltimore, Southeast Baltimore, East Baltimore, Northeast Baltimore, and Central Baltimore.

Historical Facts About Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore’s history is long and one which is of great relevance in the United States. This city is known for a lot of things, a lot of firsts and a lot of inventions and establishments. A lot of things that exist in the US and the world over today find their origins in this beautiful city.

Between 1796-1797, the towns of Baltimore, Fells Point, and Jonestown were put together to make the city of Baltimore.

The newly incorporated city of Baltimore was part of Baltimore County until 1851.

The birthplace of the United States national anthem, 'The Star-Spangled Banner', Fort McHenry is a part of Baltimore city, adding to its historical significance.

The anthem was written during the 1812 war by Francis Scott Key.

Baltimore became an independent city in 1851 by the Constitution of Maryland.

Before colonization by the British, the region of Baltimore was used as a hunting ground by the Native Americans living around the area, known as the Susquehannock Native Americans.

During the 19th century, Baltimore’s reputation for its ports grew as it became one of the top ports to process new immigrants.

The National Historic Seaport of Baltimore is one of the oldest seaports in the US. It was built over 300 years ago.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first commercial railroad system in the United States. It was completed and began operations in 1827.

In 1877, violence broke out and certain sections of the railroad system were burned in a kerfuffle between workers and authorities.

In 1789, Baltimore became the founding site of America’s first Roman Catholic Archdiocese and the first major Cathedral, called the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The United States’ first postal office was established in 1774 in Baltimore.

The nation’s first successful hot air balloon was launched in 1784 from Baltimore, in which a 13-year-old Baltimore boy Edward Warren rode.

In the 1800s, Samuel Morse established the first telegraph line between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

The world’s first dental school was established in Baltimore in 1840.

Baltimore is also home to the National Dentistry Museum, which showcases dentistry-related artifacts.

The Inner Harbor also connects to the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the largest estuaries in the US.

In 1904, the tragic Baltimore fires took place. The fires lasted 30 hours, and spread over 70 blocks of the city, burning down over 1,500 buildings. This incident led to massive changes and improvement of safety measures and fire fighting equipment.

The inventor of the Ouija Board, Elijah Bond, is buried in Baltimore.

The last floating Civil War Ship, the USS Constellation, is docked in the ports of Baltimore.

Fort McHenry is the site and battlefield of the iconic 1814 Battle of Baltimore. It has now been turned into the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.

Some of the leading figures of African American history like Fredrick Douglass and Thurgood Marshall hail from this city.

Facts About Baltimore, Maryland's Economy

Looking at all of the above facts, one may feel Baltimore is a very economically well-off and stable city. However, this is not the case. The economy in this city has been suffering, especially during the last decade. Some facts about Baltimore’s economic history and economy today are listed below.

In 1828, the first umbrella factory was established in Baltimore.

Baltimore is the economic centre of Maryland.

The world’s tallest pentagonal building, better known as the Baltimore World Trade Center, is also located in the Inner Harbor. The building stands at a height of 405 ft (122.7 m).

Beer giant Pabst Brewing Company acquired Baltimore’s National Bohemian Brewing Company and in the '40s took the step to sell them by half a dozen.

Despite being historically important, Baltimore’s economy is not doing well. As of 2011, the number of homeless people was around 4,000, and the number has since increased steadily.

The average household income and average individual income are much lower than in other major cities that are considered at the same level as Baltimore.

When compared to other coastal cities of the same size, housing costs in Baltimore are much less.

Facts About Baltimore, Maryland's Culture

Baltimore’s culture has developed over the years into what it is today.

Owing to the influence of British colonization, the long African American history, the huge number of immigrants that traveled here through the seaports, and of course, now with the number of people immigrating here from all parts of the world for education and jobs, the heritage and culture of this vibrant city are worth learning about and exploring.

Baltimore has been nicknamed The Charm City, and rightly so. The plethora of activities and vibrant character of the city is known to charm tourists and residents alike.

The famous poet Edgar Allen Poe, known for his dark imagery through his poems, was a native of Baltimore. He was also buried in this city.

The Edgar Allan Poe House serves as a museum in which tourists can explore and see where the legendary poet lived and how he lived. The house has been transformed into the Baltimore Museum for this purpose.

The world’s largest collection of Matisse paintings can be found in the Baltimore Art Museum.

A number of famous jazz musicians have their roots from Baltimore. Big names of the industry like Billie Holiday and Cab Calloway hail from Baltimore.

Situated close to downtown Baltimore, the Inner Harbor is now known as a place where most of the city's attractions can be found. It is a lovely place for tourists to stroll around and soak in the vibe of the city.

The Camden Yard, also popularly known as the Baltimore Orioles Stadium, is the home ground for the Baltimore Orioles, the local baseball team.

The Walters Art Museum is one of the major tourist attractions of Baltimore.

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture reflects the long history of African Americans in history.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 135 facts about Baltimore, Maryland to know if you plan on visiting then why not take a look at facts about Charlotte, NC or facts about Cheyenne, Wyoming.