Douglas Memorial Community Church
I know the temperatures are high but the late afternoon/early evening is the perfect time for a walk in the summer. Before we know it, snow will be on the ground, making a leisurely stroll a little difficult. So hurry; get outside and take a walk before the summer ends and winter is here.
Baltimore City is home to a variety of beautiful neighborhoods, some highlighted in guided walking tours sponsored by the Baltimore National Heritage Area. I recently embarked on one of their newest – the Pennsylvania Avenue Heritage Trail. This trail highlights historic Old West Baltimore, Baltimore’s renowned historic African American neighborhood. You can schedule a guided tour by calling 410-878-6411 or download a map and take a self-guided walk. I chose to set off on my own, concentrating my walk in the beautiful historic Marble Hill neighborhood.
Union Baptist Church
I started at Douglas Memorial Community Church, ca. 1857, one of the oldest public buildings in Marble Hill/Bolton Hill. Rev. Marion C. Bascom was pastor of this church in the 1960s when he and other local ministers and lawyers formed the “Goon Squad” to advocate for civil rights in Baltimore. Around the corner is the Lillie Carroll Jackson museum which is expected to open to the public this fall. During her 35 year tenure with the NAACP (beginning in 1935), she built the Baltimore branch into the largest in the US with a peak membership of 17,600. Mrs. Jackson’s willrequested that her home be turned into a civil rights museum. Another integral componentof Baltimore’s civil rights fight was the Rev. Vernon Dobson of Union Baptist Church. Another member of the Goon Squad, he was integral in the planned demonstration to integrate Gwynn Oak Amusement Park.
Masonic Prince Hall Temple, ca. 1930
These are just a few of the sites featured on this interesting tour. Most of the streets are tree lined so it’s not as hot as you think. So grab a map and go take a walk around Baltimore.
Marilyn Benaderet
