MARYLAND IDSTORICAL TRUST DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY FORM

NR Eligible: yes_ no

Property Name: WestQQrt Power Station Inventory Number: B- 1062

Address: 2033 Kloman Street Zip Code: i1230 _

County: Baltimore City USGS Topographic Map: Baltimore West

Is the property being evaluated a district? _ yes

Tax Parcel Number: Tax Map Number: 25 Tax Account ID Number: 25 05 7612 003

Project: M_~gLe_v Agency: MTA

Site visit by MHT staff: X no yes Name: Date:

Is the property is located within a historic district? X yes no

If the property is within a district District Inventory Number: B-1342

NR-listed district yes Eligible district X yes Name of District: Westport

Preparer's Recommendation: Contributing resource _{(_yes no Non-contributing but eligible in another context __ yes

lfthe property is not within a district (or the property is a district) Preparer's Recommendation: Eligible X yes -- :--J Criteria: X A B X C D Considerations: A B c D E F

Documentation on the property/district is presented in: B-1062 MHT Form, "Baltimore: Industrial Gateway on the Chesapeake," by Latrobe, 1995.

Description of Property and Eligibility Determination: (Use continuation sheet if necessary and auach map and photo)

G X None

The Westport Power Station is a complex of numerous periods of construction and modification. The Boiler House and adjacent Engine Room to the north are of concrete construction. The former is a massive square structure which houses twenty­four large boilers which convert fossil fuels to steam. Three large 280 foot stacks serving these boilers have been dismantled and replaced by pollution control scrubbers. The building borders the southern boundary of the complex and forms the south facade. Although a single high story inside, the facade is broken by five stories of windows, giving it the appearance ofa manufacturing or warehousing facility.

The Engine Room is similarly broken into three stories and the 1925 addition on the north into four. These structures are also a single space inside. They contain the engines and turbine generators.

In contrast to these early concrete structures is the 1924 Frequency Change Building whose massing and fenestration is a totally modern use of concrete. Windows are long narrow slits which run from first floor to roof, giving the building a verticality lacking in the earlier building. The structure housed the converters to change the current from the 25 cycles at which it was generated into 60 cycles for transmission.

MARYLAND msTORICAL TRUST REVIEW

Eligibility recommended X Eligibility not recommended _

Criteria: ~ A B )( C D Considerations: A B_ C D_ E F _ G __ None

MHT Comments C ~·fv tb-VL f w',~ (\(,j ~-L-- -\c LV.t-? tfo-i.. t- ~D j fl;\ 7 c> rvtt-l41 b G.-

;{~_l;tr•t10lUY/ el«J l ~/e/ · otfi;,.b _ Q!~;ewerOJ.11fce of Pr<;S:rvat;on Servkes l / '? o/ O 2-::_Date - ___ _

Rev;~~ Date

NR-ELIGIBILITY REVIEW FORM

Westport Power Station

Page2

{3- !0G ~

The Westport Power Station of the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, when completed in 1906, was the largest reinforced concrete generating station in the world. It had the largest smokestack ever constructed in the Baltimore area, and it was considered to be tbe largest power station in the South. ln 1907, the station produced eighty percent of the company's total electric output, and by 1908, one hundred percent. The plant, with many additions to the original building, is still in use today, albeit in a diminished capacity.

The complex is eligible for the National Register under criterion A, as it relates directly to the growth and industrialization of Baltimore, and also under criterion C, for its distinction as "the largest reinforced concrete generating station in the world." It is a contributing resource to the Westport Historic District, B-1342.

Prepared by: Brian Michael Lione, EACA Date Prepared: 6/2/2002

• tNTElnO .. ··-Gi!Ol.Q()tC '- L. SURVEY, Rf:SJON . Yt ltGINIA- 1970

ASHING TON , D C. :W M l./ f GLEN BURNIE 6 :'.(Mt

Heavy-duty

ROAD CLASSIFICATION

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() Interstate Route [~j U.S. Route Q State Route

Location: 039° 15' 35.2" N 076° 38' 01 . 7" W

B- IOG~

Name: BAL Tl MORE WEST Date: 6/5/2002 Scale: 1 inch equals 1333 feet

Caption: B-1062, Westport Power Station, contributing resource to Westport Historic District, B-1342

Copyright (C) 1997, Maptech. Inc.

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Westport Power Station Baltimore City, Maryland B- 1062 private, 1906

Statement of Significance

The Westport Powe r Station of the Baltimore Gas and Electri c Company,

when completed in 1906, was the largest reinforced concrete generating

station in the world . It had the largest smokestack ever constructed in

the Baltimore area , and it was considered to be the largest power station

in the South . In 1907 , the station produced eighty percent of the

company's total electric output, and by 1908, one hundred percent. The

plant , with many additions to the original building, i s still in use today.

:aryland Historical Trust State Historic Sites Inventory Form

1. Name (indica te pref erred name )

historic Westport Power Station

and/or common

2. Location

street & number 203 3 Kleman Str eet

city, town Balt imore

state Maryland

3. Classification C•tegory _district·

\_ bulldlng{s) _ structure

_ site _object

Ownership _ public _x_ private _ both Public Acquisition _ In process _ being considered __x.not applicable

_ vicinity of

county

Status _x_ occupied _unoccupied _work in progress Accessible _yes: restricted _ yes: unrestricted _no

Surve y No. B- 106 2

Magi No· 0410 6 2 5 716

DOE __yes no

congressional district

Present Use _ agriculture _ commercial _ educational _ entertainment _ government _ industrial _ military

_ not for publication

_museum _park _ private residence _ religious _ scientific _ transportation

f-o~her: uti l ity

4. Owner of Property <s1ve names and mailing addr esse s of all owner s ) .. ·.· I _ ', , ' '

name Baltimore Gas and Elec t ric Comp any .. , : ' )

street & number Box 1475

city, town Baltimore stat e and zi p code Mar y l and 21203

5. Location of Legal Description

courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Bal timor e City Courthouse l iber SCL 5080

street & number Fayette and Cal ve rt St reets 314

folio

city, town Baltimore state Maryl and

6. Representation in Existing Historical survey s

le none

date _ federal _state _county _ local

depository for survey records

city, town state

7. Description

Condition _ excellent -*- good _ fair

Check one _ deteriorated _ unaltered _ ruins ..x- altered _ unexposed

Check one _x_ original site _ moved date of move

Survey No . B-l062

Prepare both a summary paragraph and a general description of the resource and its various elements as it exists today.

The Westport Power Station, begun in 1905, was built using the latest construction techniques available. The Boiler House and adjacent Engine Room to the north are of concrete con­struction. The former is a massive square structure which houses twenty-four large boilers which convert fossil f uels to steam . Three large 280 foot stacks serving these boilers have been dis­mantled and replaced by pollution control scrubbers. The build­ing borders the southern boundary of the complex and forms the south facade. Although a single high story inside, the facade is broken by five stories of windows, giving it the appearance of a manufacturing or warehousing facility .

The Engine Room is similarly broken into three stori es and the 1925 addition on the north into four . These structures are also a single space inside. They contain the engines and turbine generators.

In contrast to these early concrete structures is the 1924 Frequency Change Building whose massing and fenest ration is a totally modern use of concrete. Windows are long narrow slits which run from first floor to roof , giving the building a verti­cality lacking in the earlier building. The structure housed the converters to change the current from the 25 cycles at which it was generated into 60 cycles f©r transmission.

One of the most important features of this complex is the coal elevators and wharves which allowed the plant to be supplied by barge. Twin tower cranes served a system of conveyors which filled the hoppers in the Boil er House. Though s l ightl y altered, they are still in use.

8. Significance Survey No. B-1062

• •rlod Areas of l lgnlflcanc--Check and Justify below _ prehistoric _ 1400-1499 _1~1599

_1~1699

_ 17~1799

T1~1s99 __ 1~

_ archeology-prehistoric _ community planning _ landscape architecture_ rellglon _ arc:heology-hlstorlc _ conservation _ law _ science _ agriculture _ economics _ literature _ sculpture _ architecture _ education _ mllltary _ social/ _ art _ engineering _ music humanltartan _ commerce _exploration/settlement _ phllosophy _theater _ communications _ Industry _ politics/government _ transpot;tatlon

Specific dates 1906

check: Applicable Criteria: and/or

Applicable Exception:

Level of Significance:

_ Invention L other (specify) (util i ty)

Builder/ Architect

A B C D

A B C D E F G

national state local

Prepare both a summary paragraph of significance and a general statement of history and support.

The Westport Power Station of the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, when completed in 1906 , was the largest reinforced concrete generating station in the world. It had the largest smokestack ever constructed in the Balt i more area , and i t was considered to be the largest power station in the South . In 1907, the station produced eighty percent of the company's total electric output , and by 1908, one hundred percent. The plant is still in use today.

The Westport Power Pl ant of the Baltimore ·Gas and Electric Company was constructed in 1906 out of a great need for a modern central generation plant. It was Built on a 23 acre tract of land known as the Westport property·. This tract, located on the Patapsco River, was chosen Because of its close proximity to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Western Maryland Railway tracks . In addition, coal was received from the Pennsylvania Railroad by water transport. Water for the plant's boilers was obtained from the patapsco River. Original ly the p l ant was equipped with four 2000 kilowatt alternators, whi ch were driven by 3000 horsepower reciprocating steam engines. The current was sent by cables to the McClellan Alley, Penn Street and Monument Street stations , which in turn changed the current to a frequency suitable for customer use . By 1908, the station produced one hundred percent of Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Company's (now Baltimore Gas and Electric) electr i c output.

Later~ a 5000 kilowatt generator was added to the or i ginal plant. In addi tion, the plant was expanded to increase i ts capacity to 72 , 000 horsepower. This increase allowed the Monument and Goul d Street power plants to be shut down . In 1924, Westport was further expanded by the addition of a new 13,000 volt switchhouse_. and in 1939, a 26, 000 kilowatt

1steam turbine generator

9. Major Bibliographical References Survey No. B-1062

Thomson King Consolidated of Baltimore Baltimore, 1950 vertical files Enoch Pratt Public Library

1 O. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property --------Quadrangle name ______ _ Quadrangle scale ______ _

UTM References do NOT complete UTM references

ALU I I I I I I I I I 8 W I I 1 I I I I I I Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing

cLLJ _I _I ____ I ~I .._.__..___ __ oLLJ ~I l ______ I _I ---------E LJ..J I I I ..._I ....._.............._ __

F LLJ I I I _I ---------G LLl I I I ,__I ...__............._ __ H LLJ I I I Verbal boundary description and justification

D~ . q .

List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries

state code county code

state code county code

11. Form Prepared By

name/title Lisa Turowski., Leslie Barr, Dennis Zembala

organization Balti more Museum of Industry date July 1983 t : : ' I ~ , :, · · ,: ·:· ,. .. · r • , 1 1· · »

street & number 1415 Key Highway telephone 7 2 7 - 4 8 0 8 r • f· . -· . ' ~ '

city or town Baltimore state Maryland

... '•

• ; . ·' 1 I 1 "J

The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, A~t'icie 4i, Section 18l KA, 1974 supplement.

. The. survey and inventory are being prepared for informat~on and · ··· ret ard purposes only and do not constitute any infringement of

individual property rights.

return to: Maryland Historical Trust Shaw House 21 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (301) 269-2438

PS-2746

Westport Power Station Baltimore Ci ty, Maryland B-1062 8.1

was added. Westport was expanded again in 1950 with the addition of a 66,000 kilowatt tur bine, and again in 1970 when a combustion turbine unit with a 132,000 kilowatt rating was put into service. As of 1982, Westport Power Station had a total capacity of 346,500 kilowatts, and was the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company ' s only power station gen­erating 25 cycle power. Today, with many additions to the original building, the Westport Power Station is still in use.

0 6 HAER INVENTORY Hi storic Ameri can Engineering Fiecord Department o f the Interior, Wosl11 ngton, D. C. :02..lO 1. SITE ID. NO

2. INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION 3.PRIORtTY

v +- 1 l 1 t 5 DATE

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6 GOVT SOURCE OF THREAT.----..--

7 OWNERIA.OMIN

a ves 121 NO O u l"KNOWN

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8 NAMEtSIOF STRUCTURE

10 STATE

COUNTY

11 SITE ADORESStSTREET & NO'

15 CONDITION 70 Q EXCELLENT

16 INVENTORIED BY

7t(il GOOO

CITYl\/ICINITY

60.lr•rnore-CONG DIST

9 OWNER'S ADDRESS

80 y: I l/ 7 5'"

STATE

COUNTY

12 EXISTING SURVEYS

Q NR

COUNTY NAME·

Q NHL

Q CONF

13 SPECIAL FEATURiS10ESCRIBE BELOW!

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17 DESCRIPTION ANO BACKGROUNOHISTORY l"ICLUOINGCONSTRUCTION OATE(S~ HISTORICAL OATEtSI PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS. MATERIALS, EXT ANT EQUIPMENT ANO IMPORT ANT BUILDERS ENGINEERS ETC

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