Fells Point
N 39° 16.915 W 076° 35.577
18S E 362609 N 4349271
This marker explains the history of this historic district. It is located in the town common, among the eclectic shops, just off the beaten cobblestone path. Fells Point is a colonial maritime community est. 1726 by William Fell Shipbuilder.
Waymark Code: WM471X
Location: Maryland, United States
Date Posted: 07/17/2008
Views: 81
The text of the marker reads:
"A colonial maritime community established 1726 by William Fell Shipbuilder of Lancaster, England. In this area were built more than six hundred ships from the Colonial era through the Civil War. Birthplace of the U.S. Frigate "Constellation" and home port of the famous Baltimore Clippers.
-Maryland State Society - Daughters of the American Colonists"
This historic district located near the harbor is just beautiful. We visited several of the supporting structures/buildings which contribute tot his historic district. In the harbor are several ships from the early to mid 19th century as well as one from the late 18th century. All of these are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We loved the Waterfront Hotel and the Horse You Rode in on Saloon, which is rumored to be haunted!
From Wikipedia:
"Founded in 1730 by William Fell, who was attracted by its beautiful deep water and proximity to agriculture and thick forests, Fells Point became a shipbuilding and commercial center. About 1763, William's son Edward Fell laid out streets and began selling plots for homes. The town grew quickly, and eventually incorporated with Baltimore Town and Jones Town in 1797 to form the City of Baltimore. The area grew wealthy on the tobacco, flour, and coffee trades through the 18th and 19th centuries."
During the War of 1812, Fells Point built and supported dozens of privateers who preyed on British shipping. Thus, Baltimore became a principal target of the British during the war, which eventually led to the bombardment of Fort McHenry.
Another growth industry in Fells Point was immigration, and it became a major point of entry into the United States. Since jobs were plentiful in shipbuilding and in the warehouses and factories, many of the immigrants stayed in Fells Point. This added to the multi-cultural fabric of the area, but also caused the more affluent to move into other parts of the city.
Fells Point remained a shipbuilding center until the Civil War, when it could no longer accommodate larger ship designs. Likewise, the shipping industry slowly moved away to larger facilities. The area transitioned into manufacturing, with innovations in canning and packing. The neighborhood also escaped serious damage during the Baltimore Fire of 1904 which destroyed the downtown area. Eventually much of the manufacturing left the city, resulting in a decline in the neighborhood until preservationists organized to save the area's historic buildings.
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