Welcome:
Mount Washington beckons to potential visitors.
(Photo by
Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)
From its very beginning, the residents of Mount Washington were educated, organized, socially active and civic-minded. Part of Gelbach's plan for the community was to incorporate a female college, a very progressive idea for its time. The college opened in 1856, but was a financial failure and sold in 1860. After several ownerships, the college was purchased by the Sisters of Mercy in 1867, who renamed it Mount Saint Agnes. It taught girls from first grade through college and boys from grades one through eight. In 1958 the boys' school moved across the city line to Smith Avenue and was renamed the Mount Washington Country School for Boys. The lower grades of the girls school were phased out, and the upper grades were combined with Loyola and relocated.
The Mount Washingtonians were ahead of their time in other ways, too. They even printed and distributed their own community newspaper, The Advocate, in the late 1800s. The Advocate's regular features were letters to the editor and reports from the hotels during the summer season. By 1884, the Mount Washingtonians had even built their own community hall, "the Casino," where they held dances, art exhibits, plays and other social gatherings, but did not gamble.
Jones Falls:
The falls were one attraction for early residents to Mount Washington.
(Photo by
Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)
Social clubs weren't the only source of entertainment. Athletics were also a big part of Mount Washington community life. The Baltimore Cricket Club was formed in Mount Washington in 1874. It sponsored matches between Baltimore's gentlemen elite and nearby (as well as foreign) competitors. Historians report that travelers could watch cricket matches from the train as they were coming and going from town. But cricket was hardly the area's only sport.
Around 1904, a group of players who had attended
Kelly Bridge:
This bridge provides a quaint gateway to the neighborhood.
(Photo by
Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)
The neighborhood continues to be an upper-middle-class community, in an intellectual-liberal quiet wealth kind of way. It is home to a diverse, multicultural assortment of residents, including a large Jewish population.
Today, there are about 1,600 households in Mount Washington. The housing styles range from condos and saltbox to ranchers, Victorians and Georgians. No one style of architecture dominates because families bought plots of land for getaway houses and often built retreats to suit their individual (and sometimes unusual) tastes. Locals describe Mount Washington's architecture as truly eclectic.
Sulgrave Avenue:
Cute shops and restaurants are common in Mount Washington.
(Photo by
Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)
Another reason is the Mount Washington Village, located in the eastern section of the neighborhood. The Village is, and has been, the area's main drag for shopping, eating and hanging out for a number of years. Along with restaurants, beauty salons and corner stores, the area has a number of boutiques. For high end, second-hand women's fashions at reasonable prices, visit
For a more exotic, bohemian look, try
Once you've got your clothes, you'll need accessories. Mount Washington is the funky jewelry capital of the city. You can't find a neighborhood in Baltimore with more custom-made jewelry per square foot.
The
Jewelry's not the only artsy stuff around the Village. No visit to Mount Washington would be complete without a trip to the
On the other side of the Jones Falls is the Mount Washington Mill Business Center, a historic mill center that has evolved into a retail complex. It is anchored by
Whole Foods:
High-quality produce and organic items can be had -- for a price.
(Photo by
Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)
If you have a few dollars left after shopping at Whole Foods and need a little pick-me-up, walk on over to the nearby
You'll get an eyeful looking at the folks shopping next door at
After you've shopped, nibbled and looked for (or hidden from) Martha, go back to the village for some interesting food and drink. A good bet for casual dining is
Mt. Washington Tavern:
Sit back and have a drink at this popular bar.
(Photo by
Emily Deutschman, Special to SunSpot)
Moms and dads think Mount Washington is an ideal place to raise kids, because the public schools are top-notch, and they receive strong community support. The
Singles and young couples like the area because it's near downtown, but not too far from the county. Mount Washington even has a driving range open to the public, plus private swim clubs, a country club and gyms. And, of course, there's Mount Washington's easy access to the Light Rail, an attractive feature most residents of other Baltimore neighborhoods envy.
Lifelong residents say that Mount Washington has held its own over the years. When other city neighborhoods bent and buckled under the urban decay and political turmoil of the '60s and '70s, Mount Washington remained pretty much intact. It's still progressive and moderately affluent.
It continues to attract residents with intellectual capital and a strong sense of community. And it's still a haven for urbanites who want a bit of breathing room. Mount Washington hasn't changed very much over the years -- and it probably won't -- not if its longtime residents have any say in the matter.