Locust Point, Baltimore

History

In 1776, with the outbreak of the American Revolution, the citizens of the City of Baltimore, assisted by the State of Maryland, dug fortifications at the end of the "Whetstone Point" peninsula that juts into Baltimore Harbor between the Northwest Branch of the Patapsco River on the north and the Middle Branch and the Ferry Branch (now the Southern Branche) to the south. This fort was named "Fort Whetstone". This fort escaped British attack, although it was nearly attacked in August 1777 when a British fleet from New York City sailed up the Chesapeake Bay to the Head of Elk in Cecil County in the northeastern corner of the state. There the ships disembarked troops heading for the new American capital city in Philadelphia, and thus engaged in the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of Germantown. However, Baltimore was considered safe enough for the Continental Congress to meet in when Philadelphia was overrun.

Later near the war's end, French troops under Comte de Rochambeau and the American Continental troops under George Washington marched through the area and they camped for several weeks during their southward movement to trap the army of British General Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781. Hence, Fort Whetstone's batteries of cannon never yet had to fire in anger.

In 1789, there was the reorganization of the Federal Government of the United States in 1789 under the new U.S. Constitution, and the establishment of a new U.S. Army and U.S. Department of War. Then starting in 1793 the Fort was rebuilt from scratch. By 1798, a new star-shaped fortification with additional buildings, barracks, storehouses, and bunkers was constructed under the design of French military engineer Jean Foncin, and it was renamed Fort McHenry for James McHenry of Maryland, third U.S. Secretary of War.

When Fort McHenry blocked the attempted invasion of Baltimore's inner harbor by British warships in September 1814, it was located on a grassy peninsula that was used for pasture. The grassy but jaggedly shaped peninsula point had been known as Whetstone Point, also the name of a park in London, since it was established as a port of entry by the Maryland Colonial Assembly in 1706, twenty-three years before the establishment of the town. Whetstone Point and the future South Baltimore peninsula was annexed by the City of Baltimore in 1816. The peninsula was renamed Locust Point in 1846, for the locust trees growing on the peninsula.

Many of the streets built here during the later half of the 19th century bear the names of local heroes from the War of 1812. The oldest buildings are from circa 1840-1850, two-story houses on Cuba, Clement, and Towson Streets. Portions of the neighborhood were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

The area of Locust Point played prominently in the second season of the Home Box Office cable TV series The Wire.

On June 10, 2013, a tornado hit the Locust Point area as a part of a Severe Storm System sprawling across the East Coast. The tornado caused damage to a warehouse nearby.

Industry

Procter & Gamble's late 1920s decision to locate its second east coast soap manufacturing plant in Baltimore reflects the strengths of Baltimore's industrial infrastructure in the early 20th century. Their choice of sites is particularly telling in light of Procter & Gamble's unique strengths as a corporation. Founded in 1837 as a family partnership, Procter & Gamble by the beginning of the 20th century had developed into a major U.S. corporation. Procter & Gamble pioneered practices such as radio and television advertising, application of technology developed by in-house laboratories, market research, brand- management systems, promotion from within the organization, employee profit-sharing, and rationalized production schedules. The company has long been known as an innovative, well-run entity that developed and refined methods that defined mid-20th century American corporate culture.

By 1990, the Procter & Gamble Baltimore Plant was producing only soaps like Ivory and Camay, and synthetic liquid detergents like Joy Diswashing Liquid, Dawn, and liquid Cascade. In 1993 , Procter & Gamble set aside reserves to fund a: major restructuring of the corporation, including plant consolidation. On January 13, 1994, they announced that the Baltimore Plant was one of four that would be closed . The Baltimore Plant ceased production in 1995. A&E International, a Korean concern that proposed to manufacture a specialty liquor for shipping to the Far East, purchased the property in 1996. Forced to abandon their plans because of the Asian financial crisis, A&E sold the plant to Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc. in 1999.

Currently, the sportswear firm Under Armour makes its home in Tide Point, a historic waterfront rehab by Struever Brothers Eccles & Rouse located at the end of Hull Street, along with Advertising.com. When it was completed in 2002, this former soap factory turned Class A office space was the first major redevelopment in the neighborhood in decades. Three silos next to its Locust Point campus now display murals of Michael Phelps, Ray Lewis and Cal Ripken Jr. Today investors and developers have shown strong interest in the continued revitalization of one of Baltimore's most charming neighborhoods.

There are two marine terminals of the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore located within the neighborhood, as well as the massive Domino sugar factory, a reminder that the industrial use of the Baltimore Harbor is still a very important component of the local economy.

Community

Locust Point is located in Baltimore City's 11th District, with the current district representative Bill Cole. Locust Point is part of Maryland's 46th Legislative and State Senate District, with the current state senator Bill Ferguson (politician) and current delegates Peter A. Hammen, Brian K. McHale, and Luke Clippinger. Locust Point is located in Maryland's 3rd congressional district. The current president of the Locust Point Community Association is Greg Sileo.

Locust Point is home to the Baltimore Museum of Industry, Fort McHenry, and Latrobe Park. The neighborhood's restaurants and bars include Barracuda's Locust Point Tavern, City Limits Sports Bar, Sweet Caroline's, The Himalayan House, Hull Street Blues Cafe, L.P. Steamers, The Wine Market, Our House Cafe/Restaurant, and Snug & Evil Tavern. Also located in Locust Point are the Locust Point Recreation Center, a Baltimore Water Taxi stop, South Locust Point Cruise Terminal, SoBo Doggie Daycare and Spa and Francis Scott Key Elementary and Middle Grades School.