Maryland and Virginia Real Estate and Homes Blog

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BALTIMORE CITY HISTORY
Baltimore, the 12th largest city in the United States, is named “Charm City” for its residents’ well-established concern for the quality of life When you buy real estate in Baltimore City, you buy into the wonderful American history of this “charming” city.

Baltimore Facts

On August 8, 1729, a bill establishing Baltimore as a town was signed into law.

Baltimore “Firsts”:

1743 - First professional sports organization in the United States - Maryland Jockey Club
1773 - First US stage coach route - Baltimore to Philadelphia
1783 - First dredger in the world - the “Baltimore Mud Machine,” was invented by Andrew and John Ellicot.
1784 - First balloon ascension in the US with a person on board - Edward Warren
1792 - In Baltimore, the first monument to Columbus in the United States was built in the United States.
1792 - First water company chartered in the United States - Baltimore Water Company.
1796 - First sugar refinery in the U.S. - founded by Garts and Leypoldt
1797 - First US war ship to capture an enemy vessel - “Constellation”
1803 - First electric refrigerator- invented by Thomas Moore
1814 - Birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner* - written by Francis Scott Key at Fort McHenry
1815 - First manufacturers of silverware in the United States - Samuel Kirk Company.
1815 - The first permanent monument to George Washington was built in Baltimore.
1816 - First city to illuminate streets with hydrogen gas
1828 - First American umbrella factory - William Beehler
1828 - First railroad for commercial transportation of passengers and freight B & O railroad
1830 - First coal burning steam locomotive built - “Tom Thumb”
1830 - First operating railroad depot in the US - Mt. Clare Station
1837 - Baltimore Sun began publication
1840 - First steam boating company in the US - Baltimore steam packet Co.
1844 - World’s first telegraph line established between Baltimore and Washington - Samuel Morse
1848 - First ice cream freezer - patented by W. G. Young
1856 - First Elevator to be operated by electrical power - invented by James Bates
1859 - First YMCA - Pratt and Schroeder Streets
1869 - First candy factory to produce licorice - J.S. Young Company
1875 - The first monument to Edgar Allen Poe
1876 - Johns Hopkins University founded
1878 - First animal welfare association - American Humane Society
1879 - First synthetic sweetening agent - Saccharine, developed at Johns Hopkins University
1885 - First commercial electric street car line - Baltimore to Hampden
1886 - First public Library System with branches - Enoch Pratt Free Library
1890 - First steam tanker built in America “The Maverick” by W.T.Malster
1891 - First commercial stomach antacid seltzer - Bromo-Seltzer, made by Captain Isaac E. Emerson
1892 - First Ouija board* - invented and patented by Isaac and William Fuld
1897 - First practical submarine in the US - “Argonaut,” invented by Simon Lake
1900 - First time duck bowling introduced - at Diamond Bowling Alleys
1904 - Downtown Baltimore destroyed by fire - The Great Baltimore Fire
1916 - First portable electric drill with pistol grip - Black & Decker
1916 - First municipal orchestra supported by public funds - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
1920 - First factory to manufacture stainless steel - Rustless Iron & Steel Company
1921 - First Black musical on Broadway - written by Baltimorean Eubie Blake, “Shuffle Along”
1925 - First triple combination fireboat in service - operated by Baltimore City Fire Dept
1932 - First producer of venetian blinds in the United States - Eastern Venetian Blind Company
1946 - First photograph of earth from space - produced at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
1966 - First baseball player to be named MVP in both leagues - Frank Robinson
1967 - First African-American to serve on the US supreme Court - Baltimorean Thurgood Marshall
1995 - First American city to win championship in the Canadian Football League - Baltimore Stallions