Reservoir HillAn Analysis of a Baltimore Neighborhood

Jason Boothe

GEOG 391, Fall 2010Dr. ThompsonDecember 13, 2010

Reservoir Hill i

Table of Contents

Census Data Analysis.......................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................2

Boundaries......................................................................................................................2

Population and Race........................................................................................................4

Housing...........................................................................................................................6

Education.........................................................................................................................8

Income...........................................................................................................................11

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................12

Historical Analysis..........................................................................................13

Early History and Development.....................................................................................14

Druid Hill and the Streetcar effect.................................................................................15

Start of the Decline and the Second World War.............................................................18

Continued Decline and White Flight...............................................................................19

Relation to Borchert Epochs..........................................................................................21

Personal Impressions.....................................................................................24

Introduction...................................................................................................................25

Transportation...............................................................................................................26

Housing.........................................................................................................................27

Commerce.....................................................................................................................31

Open Space...................................................................................................................33

Community Spaces........................................................................................................35

Overview.......................................................................................................................35

Reservoir Hill ii

Census Data Analysis

Reservoir Hill 1

IntroductionReservoir Hill is a neighborhood in Baltimore City, Maryland, located

just to the northwest of the central business district. According to the 1990

and 2000 census data, the neighborhood can be characterized as a being

mostly poor, majority black, and whose residents have a low level of

educational attainment, The majority of housing units in the neighborhood,

according to the same census data, are occupied and classified as rental

units. These are characterization that could also be similarly made for the

city as a whole for the 1990 and 2000 census.

BoundariesThe Reservoir Hill neighborhood is bound by North Avenue on the

south side, McCulloch Ave on the west, Druid Park Lake Drive/Swann Drive

on the north, and Interstate 83 (Jones Falls Expressway) on the east (Figure

1). In both the 1990 and 2000 census, the neighborhood had nine block

groups with countable population within its borders.

Reservoir Hill 2Figure 1. Map of the Reservoir Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland showing boundaries (in red). Sources: Basemap from Google Maps; Neighborhood boundary from LiveBaltimore.

In the

1990 census,

block group

1304 BG 3

extends into

the

neighborhood,

but includes

no housing units in its part within the boundaries of Reservoir Hill, and has

been excluded. Block group 1304 BG 1 also extends into the neighborhood,

and while this block group looks to have units from the neighborhood within

it, it cannot be precisely determined. This block group also contains housing

units in other neighborhoods and thus has been excluded (See Figure 2.).

In the 2000 census, block group 1304 BG 3 extends into the

neighborhood with a similar boundary as in 1990, but once again it contains

no housing

units, and has

been excluded.

Block group

1207 BG 3 also

extended into

the

Reservoir Hill 3

Figure 2. Map of Reservoir Hill neighborhood showing the boundaries of the neighborhood (in red) and 1990 Census block group boundaries (in green). Sources: Basemap from Google Maps; Neighborhood boundaries from LiveBaltimore and Block Group boundaries from American FactFinder.

Figure 3. . Map of Reservoir Hill neighborhood showing the boundaries of the neighborhood (in red) and 2000 Census block group boundaries (in blue). Sources: Basemap from Google Maps; Neighborhood boundaries from LiveBaltimore; and Block Group boundaries from American FactFinder.

neighborhood but contains no housing units in the neighborhood and has

been excluded (See Figure 3).

Population and RaceIn the 1990 census the majority of residents of Reservoir Hill were

Black. Whites make up the second largest racial group in the neighborhood;

their percentage of the total population being significantly smaller when

compared to that of Blacks. Small groups of American Indian, Eskimo, or

Aleut and Asian or Pacific Islanders also have representation in the

neighborhood. On a block group basis in Reservoir Hill, blacks represent a

significant majority of the population in all block groups. Citywide the

majority of the population is Black (See Table 1.). The percentage of the

population that is Black in Reservoir Hill is significantly higher though when

compared to the Black population citywide. (Figure 4, 5)

Reservoir Hill

Percent Total, Reservoir Hill

Baltimore, Maryland

Percent Total, Baltimore

Total: 8446 736014White 715 8.47% 287933 39.12%Black 7661 90.71% 435619 59.19%American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut 19 0.22% 2373 0.32%Asian or Pacific Islander 51 7.13% 7982 2.77%Other race 0 0.00% 2107 0.29%

Reservoir Hill 4

Table 1. 1990 Population by Race and Percentage of population by race within the Reservoir Hill neighborhood and . Baltimore City. Source: American Fact Finder 1990.

.

Between 1990 and 2000, the population of Reservoir Hill dropped, as

did the population citywide. This drop in population occurred across all racial

groups, with the exception of the American Indian and Alaska Native

populations, which had a slight increase. The two or more races category

was not included in the 1990 data (See Table 2.). Blacks still maintained the

dominant position percentage wise, with Whites being second, in both the

neighborhood and the city (Figures 6, 7.). The percentage of Blacks as the

total population of the city increased from 1990 to 2000; it slightly decreased

in the Reservoir hill neighborhood. The percentage of Whites both decreased

in the neighborhood and citywide.

Reservoir Hill

Percent Total, Reservoir Hill

BaltimorePercent Total,

BaltimoreTotal: 7065 651154White alone 459 6.50% 206445 31.70%Black or African American alone 6364 90.08% 417231 64.08%

Reservoir Hill 5

Figure 4. Percentage of Population by Race for 1990 in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood. Source American Fact Finder 1990.

Figure 5. Percentage of Population by Race for 1990 in Baltimore City. Source American Fact Finder 1990.

American Indian and Alaska Native alone 68 0.96% 2247 0.35%Asian alone 0 0.00% 10256 4.97%Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone 0 0.00% 128 0.02%Some other race alone 39 0.55% 4659 0.72%Two or more races 117 1.66% 10188 1.56%

Table 2. 2000 Population by Race and Percentage of population by race within the Reservoir Hill neighborhood and Baltimore City. Source: American Fact Finder 2000.

The 2000 census also showed some shifting in the population within

the neighborhood. However, Increases and decreases in populations of all

block groups, with the exceptions of 1301 BG 4 and 1303 BG 1, can be partly

attributed to changes in the block group boundaries between 1990 and 2000

(See Table 3.).

Block Group

1, Census

Tract 1301

Block Group

2, Census

Tract 1301

Block Group

3, Census

Tract 1301

Block Group

4, Census

Tract 1301

Block Group

1, Census

Tract 1302

Block Group

2, Census

Tract 1302

Block Group

3, Census

Tract 1302

Block Group

4, Census

Tract 1302

Block Group

1, Census

Tract 1303

Percent Change

245% -61% -37% 6% 85% -30% 106% -46% 10%

Total 2000: 655 716 928 666 808 1017 593 670 1012Total 1990: 190 1819 1464 628 437 1453 288 1248 919

Table 3. Percentage change of population by block group in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood from 1900-2000. Source American Fact Finder 1990 and 2000.

Reservoir Hill 6

Figure 7. Percentage of Population by Race for 2000 in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood. Source American Fact Finder 2000.

Figure 6. Percentage of Population by Race for 2000 in Baltimore City. Source American Fact Finder 2000.

HousingAs is the case in Baltimore City as a whole, the majority of housing

units in Reservoir Hill were occupied in both 1990 and 2000. From 1990 to

2000 both the city and the neighborhood experienced a loss in total housing

units. This corresponded with a drop in percentage of occupied units as well

as corresponding increase in vacant units in both the city and neighborhood

(See Table 4.).

Reservoir Hill (1990)

Baltimore City (1990)

Reservoir Hill (2000)

Baltimore City (2000)

Total 4565 303706 4215 300477Occupied 3690 276484 3163 257996Pct. Occupied 80.83% 91.04% 75.04% 85.86%Vacant 875 27222 1052 42481Pct. Vacant 19.17% 8.96% 24.96% 14.14%

Table 4.Total, occupied, and vacant housing units in Reservoir Hill and Baltimore City in 1990 and 2000. Source American Fact Finder 1990 and 2000.

Reservoir Hill 7

Of the block groups in the neighborhood, four showed an increase in

the number of available housing units (Figure 8.). Of those four block groups,

two (1301 BG 4 and 1304 BG 1) did not have boundary changes from the

1990 to 2000 census. Shifts in the number of housing units in the remaining

block groups

can be partly

attributed to the redrawing of the block group boundaries. Other

explanations could come from the gentrification of parts of the

neighborhood, allowing new housing units to become available, as well as

the elimination of blighted properties.

Of the occupied housing units in Reservoir Hill, a significant majority in

both the 1990 and 2000 censuses were rental units, as opposed to being

owner occupied. This differs from the city as a whole, where in both 1990

and 2000 the amount of rental units hovered around the fifty percent mark,

with there being more than fifty percent owner-occupied housing units

Reservoir Hill 8

Figure 4. Change in total housing units per Block Group between 1990 and 2000. Source: American Fact Finder 1990 and 200.

citywide in 2000 and less than fifty percent in 1990. As with the city as a

whole, the percentage of owner occupied homes in the neighborhood did

increase between the 1990 and 2000 census, and the number of owner

occupied properties in the neighborhood did increase as well (See Figure 9.),

even with the total number of housing units falling between the 1990 and

2000 census. This increase in the number of owner occupied units, with the

total number of

units falling, could

be seen as a sign

of gentrification in

the neighborhood.

Changes in

ownership by block

group are more

difficult to

determine due to changes in the block group boundaries, between the 1990

and 2000 census. In the two block groups that have no boundary changes,

1301 BG 4 and 1304 BG 1, the number of owner occupied housing units

increased from 1990 to 2000, though both block groups did not experience

an increased percentage of owner occupied units (See Table 5.); with the

percentage in 1304 BG 1 falling due to an increase in the amount of rental

Reservoir Hill 9

Figure 5. Percentage of owner occupied vs. owner occupied housing units in Reservoir Hill and Baltimore City for 1990 and 2000. Source: American Fact Finder 1990 and 2000.

units. This increase in the ownership rates in these two block groups, both

next to each other, points to a possible sign of gentrification.

Block Group

1, Census

Tract 1301

Block Group

2, Census

Tract 1301

Block Group

3, Census

Tract 1301

Block Group

4, Census

Tract 1301

Block Group

1, Census

Tract 1302

Block Group

2, Census

Tract 1302

Block Group

3, Census

Tract 1302

Block Group

4, Census

Tract 1302

Block Group

1, Census

Tract 1303

Change 10.02% -5.77% 4.16% 9.60% 2.52% 2.86% -3.57% -5.67% -6.37%Table 5.Percent Change in Owner Occupied Housing in Reservoir Hill from 1900 to 2000. Source: American Fact Finder 1990 and 2000

Reservoir Hill 10

EducationThe data on education

shows that there are not many

significant differences in the

level of education between the

residents of Reservoir Hill and

the city as a whole. The majority

in both the neighborhood and

the city as a whole in both 1990 and 2000 (Figures 10-14.) have not obtained

a higher than high school level of education. From 1990 to 2000 the

percentage of those having graduated from high school (or obtained

equivalence) or obtained/perused higher levels of education did increase,

with the exception of those with

associates degrees, in both the

neighborhood and in the city as a

whole, while those having less than

a high school education decreased,

showing that the population of both

the neighborhood and the city has

become slightly more educated in

2000 then in 1990. The decrease in the number of residents in the

neighborhood with lower levels of education cannot be directly correlated to

Reservoir Hill 11

Figure 7. Educational Attainment in Baltimore City in 1990. Source: American Fact Finder 1990.

Figure 6. Educational Attainment in Reservoir Hill in 1990. Source: American Fact Finder 1990.

changes in boundaries, it shows a

possibility of these residents

either obtaining a higher level of

education or moving out of the

neighborhood. Similar results are

also observed citywide.

While it is difficult to compare

levels of education in the block group levels due to changes in the block

group boundaries, in the two block groups that have no boundary changes

from 1990 to 2000 (1301 BG 4 and 1304 BG 1), there are some significant

changes that can be examined. In 1301 BG 4, there was an increase in

percentage and number of residents that had a graduate or professional

degree, the largest increase of all block groups. In 1301 BG 4, there was an

increase in percentage and in number of residents who had attended college

but had not received a degree,

the largest increase of all block

groups. Both of these increases

could be attributed to proximity

of institutes of higher education

to the neighborhood, with

professors, in the case of 1301

Reservoir Hill 12

Figure 8. Educational Attainment in Reservoir Hill in 2000. Source: American Fact Finder 2000.

Figure 9. Educational Attainment in Baltimore City in 2000. Source: American Fact Finder 2000.

BG 4, and students, in the case of 1304 BG 1, moving into these parts of the

neighborhood (Figure 14.).

Reservoir Hill 13

IncomeAs with the city in total, the level of median family income did increase

from the 1990 to the 2000 census. The level of income in 2000 increased at

a

Reservoir Hill 14

Figure 10. Percentage of residents by educational attainment for Block Group 1, Census Tract 1303 and Block Group 4, Census Tract 1301 for 1900 and 2000. Source: American Fact Finder 1990 and 2000.

Figure 11. Median Family Income by Block Group for Reservoir Hill and for the total of Baltimore City for 1989 and 1999. Source: American Fact Finder 1990 and 2000.

greater rate in Reservoir Hill than it did in the city as a whole, nearly

reaching the median level of income in the city as a whole, a number that it

was significantly lower than in 1990. This increase was primarily led by 1301

BG 4, one of the block groups that does not have a boundary shift from 1990

to 2000, with an over 250 percent increase in income level. All other block

groups but one, 1301 BG 1, also showed increases in their level of income,

but not to the extent that block group 1301 BG 4 does (Figure 15.).

ConclusionFrom the data gather about both Reservoir Hill and Baltimore City as a

whole, we can see that there have been some significant shifts in

demographics. Both the City and the neighborhood remain majority black

neighborhoods, with the number of Whites, as a percentage of and in total

population, in both communities falling. Home ownership rates in both have

increased over time, even though the number of available housing units has

decreased. The level of education in both communities also is trending to the

residents being more educated than in previous years, with a large number

of residents with lower levels of educational attainment possibly leaving the

city altogether. Income levels in both the neighborhood and the city also

increased, with their being a marked increase in the level of income in

neighborhood. These demographic markers are showing sighs of a

gentrification possibly taking place in the neighborhood, with a small but an

increased number of educated, and higher income earning household

Reservoir Hill 15

moving into and taking ownership of units of the neighborhood. This

gentrification is shown significantly in the demographics of the two block

groups whose boundaries did not change, 1301 BG 4 and 1304 BG 1

Reservoir Hill 16

Historical Analysis

Reservoir Hill 17

Early History and Development

The neighborhood known today as Reservoir Hill has its beginnings as

part of the wider area known as Mount Royal. Charles Carroll of Carrolton,

one of Maryland’s signers of the Deceleration of Independence, originally

owned the land. In the latter half of the 1700's Carroll received a grant to

purchase a tract 1,000 acres of land to the north of Baltimore Town and to

the west of Jones Town (Reservoir Hill Improvement Council, 2010).

In 1789 Carroll sold a part of the land to Dr. Solomon Brickhead, the

estate that Brickhead would construct would be named Mount Royal. The

Brickheads, who owned a home within the city limits of the time, purchased

the land with the intention of making it a summer retreat outside of the city.

Mount Royal was bound by Druid Hill, the Jones Falls, North Avenue, and

McCulloh Street. The mansion, know today as the Norwegian Seaman's

Home, sits at the intersection of Reservoir Street and Park Avenue. Portions

of the area surrounding the estate were generally considered by city

residents to be a rural area, even though it was located just outside of the

city limits. During the Civil War , the depression that is now occupied by

Druid Lake, served as a dumping ground for dead Union horses (Reservoir

Hill Improvement Council, 2010).

Reservoir Hill 18

In time, Brickhead began selling of portions of the land surrounding the

mansion to other prominent Baltimoreans for use as their country retreats.

Among the families

to whom he sold

land were the

Brooks, Gail,

Whitlock, Carroll,

Garrett, and Stricker

families (Reservoir

Hill Improvement

Council, 2010).

Druid Hill and the Streetcar effect

For much of the early 1800s, the residential development of the city

stayed considerably to the south of Mount Royal. By the 1840's though,

development began to move north towards North Avenue. As the area above

North Avenue became more attractive for the wealthy of Baltimore, the

development of three and four-story homes as well as churches began. The

older estates were either subdivided into duplexes or apartments or

converted into institutions for the elderly.

Reservoir Hill 19

Figure 12. City of Baltimore. (Published by Stedman, Brown & Lyon,Baltimore. 1873) Source: David Rumsey Historical Map Collection

In 1860, Lloyd Rodgers, owner of an estate to the north of the Mount

Royal estate, sold a part of his property to the City of Baltimore to be used as

a public park. The plot of land that Rodgers sold was known as Druid Hill,

becoming today’s Druid Hill Park (Figure 16).

Not long

after the opening

of the park,

several streetcar

lines were built

from various

locations in the

city, to transport

residents to the

park. These lines

would spur further

residential

development in

the neighborhood.

Developers bought

estate lands,

dividing them into smaller parcels until only a few estates remained.

Reservoir Hill 20

Figure 13. Rand, McNally & Co.'s indexed atlas of the world map of Baltimore, 1897. Source: David Rumsey Historical Map Collection.

During this time the city annexed the Mount Royal area. Following

annexation, Druid Lake and Mount Royal Lake were made into reservoirs.

New streets were built and existing ones were paved and widened. By 1896

most of Mount Royal had been developed (Figure 17).

World War I and the Jewish Influx

The start of the 20th century brought an increase in industrial activity

as well as the invention of the automobile. Wealthier families continued to

move from the inner city towards the outskirts of the city, including Mount

Royal, with older families in Mount Royal moving even further out.

As affluent white Gentiles began to move out of the neighborhood,

they were replaced with affluent white Jews. Among some of the Jewish

families that settled in neighborhood at the turn of the century were that of

Gertrude Stein, retail empire families like Hechts and the Hamburgers, and

oil service families like the Blausteins, The neighborhood was a center of

Jewish upper class from the 1880s to the 1960s (Bolton Park Neighbors,

2010).

The increase in industrial activity brought an influx of people into the

city looking for work, increasing the demand for housing. The large

townhouses in the neighborhood were subdivided into apartments, with

other being demolished for multi unit high-rise structures. Much of this new

Reservoir Hill 21

and converted housing was equipped with what was considered at the time

to be modern amenities of indoor plumbing, refrigeration, and electricity.

With the dawn of the First World War, the demanding for housing

increased even further, as workers flooded in from other parts of the nation

to work in the ship and steel mills in and around the city. During this time,

the affluence of the neighborhood decreased, and it became more of a

working class neighborhood.

This working class was a mix of Jewish and non-Jewish residents,

becoming increasing more Jewish into the 1930s. By the 1930s the

community had become a predominantly Jewish middle class neighborhood,

complete with synagogues, as well as delis, schools and shops that catered

to the Jewish community of the neighborhood (Bolton Park Neighbors, 2010).

Start of the Decline and the Second World War

By the end of the

1930s and into the 1940s the

neighborhood began a

physical decline.

Homeowners concerned with

the decline formed the Mount

Royal Improvement

Reservoir Hill 22

Figure 14. Home Owners Loan Corporation, Residential Security Map, 1937. Source: Antero Pietila

Association. The Association would sponsor block-cleaning campaigns and

garden competitions. The Association was also a proponent against

blockbusting, asking homeowners not to sell their properties to speculators

or to subdivide them into apartments. However the policies of the

Association were largely ineffective, as the community continued to decline

going into the Second World War. Efforts to improve the community were

stymied by the Home Owner Loan Corporation (HOLC), which classed the

neighborhood as a Type C – Declining (Figure 18). Reservoir Hill was also

surrounded by neighborhoods classified as Type D neighborhoods,

neighborhoods considered by the HOLC to be the most risky. This

classification, while not preventing, made it less likely for prospective

homeowners to obtain mortgages to purchase homes in the neighborhood

(Palen,1984).

The Second World War once again put housing pressures on the city

and the neighborhood, with new workers coming into the city to work in

industries related to the war effort. Many of the remaining large townhouses

in the neighborhood were subdivided, and those subdivided previously were

subdivided even further. The wealthy residents of the neighborhood moved

into housing north of Whitelock Street, where properties their had not been

substantially subdivided as of yet. During the war period the Jewish

population began to leave the neighborhood, replaced by working class

Reservoir Hill 23

white Gentiles employed for the war effort. The overcrowding and

deterioration of housing conditions continued through the war. In 1948 the

City undertook a massive housing inspection program, examining some

3,500 housing units in the neighborhood (Reservoir Hill Improvement

Council, 2010).

Continued Decline and White Flight

Dismayed with the condition of the housing they were living in, and the

availability of new housing in the new suburbs following the Second World

War, the white population began departing the neighborhood. This “white

flight” continued for the next several decades. As the whites moved out of

the neighborhood, blacks began to move in, with the demographics of the

neighborhood going from majority white in the 1950s to majority black in the

late 1960s. During the same time speculators continued to purchase and

convert single family homes into multiple family dwellings, an attempt to put

as many residents into a structure as possible (Palen, 1984).

The shifts in housing continued through the early parts of the 1970s.

With the conversion of many single-family homes into multi-family rental

units, much of the housing stock began to deteriorate. Because of this sub-

standard housing, lower-income families began to move into the

neighborhood as rents on these properties decreased. Corresponding with

Reservoir Hill 24

the detrition of the housing and the downturn of the neighborhood, the

number and quality of commercial areas in the neighborhood also began to

deteriorate at the same time (Palen, 1984).

The “Urban Pioneer” program and Gentrification

In 1972 the city targeted the neighbored for urban renewal as part of

its Urban Pioneer program, a program to attract new residents to the city

and blighted neighborhoods. The city rechristened the neighborhood as

Reservoir Hill. Individuals such as Parren Mitchell assisted in the creation of

the Reservoir Hill Improvement Council, initially a volunteer group of

neighborhood residents who sought ways to improve and rebuild the

neighborhood (Reservoir Hill Improvement Council, 2010).

In 1996 the residents of the neighborhood, in partnership with the city

Planning Department, developed a comprehensive revitalization plan. Key

points of the plan called for major investment in physical infrastructure and

human capital. The Plan was revised and updated in 2002 (Reservoir Hill

Improvement Council, 2010).

The neighborhood also rode the wave of gentrification that had

occurred in many areas of the city in late 1990s to the end of the 2000s. New

residents and speculators purchased and renovated distressed properties

either for their own use or to resell. However there still remained pockets of

poverty and distressed properties throughout the neighborhood. The

Reservoir Hill 25

neighborhood was at times considered one of the more hopeful revitalization

projects in the city (Suarez, 2008).

Like other neighborhoods in the city the neighborhood was also hit

hard from the mortgage crisis. A number of properties fell into foreclosure

not long after the start of the mortgage crisis, making the neighborhood one

of the foreclosure hotspots in the city (Montgomery, 2008).

Relation to Borchert EpochsIn 1967, University of Minnesota geographer John H Borchert

developed a theory that the urbanization of American cities developed along

four periods of time. He classified these periods of time as the Sail-Wagon

Epoch (1790-1830), the Iron Horse Epoch (1830-1870), the Steel Rail Epoch

(1870-1920), and the Auto-Air-Amenity Epoch (1920- ). While many parts of

the Baltimore area follow the Borchert Epochs in terms of their development,

Reservoir Hill does for some epochs and doesn’t for others.

In the Sail-Wagon Epoch (1790-1830), Borchert describes the suburban

development of America, of which Reservoir Hill would have been at the

time, as developing along fall lines well outside of the economic heart of the

city, six to ten miles (Earl, p327). These suburbs were heavily involved in

manufacturing, particularly in textiles, with a surplus of unskilled labor and a

ready power source in fast moving waterways (Earl, p328). Reservoir Hill

does not follow this however. While located outside of the city, it sat adjacent

Reservoir Hill 26

to the northern border of the city, a shorter distance from the city center

then a community like Hampden. Also unlike these other communities that

Borchrt describes, Reservoir Hill never experienced industrial development,

despite being near the Jones Falls. Instead Reservoir Hill during this time

remained a relatively rural, undeveloped area of a few summer estate

houses for wealthy merchants from in the city.

In the Iron Horse Epoch (1830-1870), Borchert describes the continuing

development of urban areas and how the advent of rail travel assisted in it.

According to Borchert, rail travel allowed the far suburbs to continue to

develop, but developed also occurred along the rail lines from the central

city to the suburbs, allowing the development of the city to move outwards

(Earl, p377). Borchet then goes on to describe that as the limits of the city

continued to push outwards, other forms rail transportation, like streetcars

began to link the now near suburbs to the central city (Earl, p377). With the

exception of the early rail, the development of Reservoir Hill does follow this

epoch. The streetcar system was pivotal in the development and integration

of Reservoir Hill into the City. As the lines were built through the

neighborhood on their way to Druid Hill Park, they sparked urban

development in the community. This development was increased as

Reservoir Hill annexed into the city.

In the third epic, Steel Rail Epoch (1870-1920), Borchert describes the

rise of industrialization, immigration, segregation, and municipal service in

Reservoir Hill 27

urban America. He point out the affects of the assembly line and large need

for land for large-scale industrial development (Earl, p381). How the

immigration from other parts of the world was needed to supplement the

workforce, and how they formed distinct communities (Earl, p380). How after

the reconstruction of the south was ended, segregation throughout the

United States increased. And that how as cities expanded the need for

services became apparent, such as water and sewage (Earl, p382). As for

Reservoir Hill during this time, as a residential community it didn’t

experience industrialization, but the effects of, from the wealthy industry

owners being residents in the neighborhood. Segregation did play a small roll

in the neighborhood at this time, but mostly in that it was a predominately

white neighborhood, that was converting into a more Jewish one.

Immigration for the most part had little effect on the neighborhood. And as

the neighborhood become more of a central located within the borders of the

city, it received the services that other neighborhoods did, like water and

sewage.

In the last of Borchert epics, Auto-Air-Amenity Epoch (1920-), Borchert

describe the rise of the new suburb and the decline of the city. Borchert

describes that new “city” dwellers were now starting to move towards the

green-belt cities surrounding the cities, and had in which the lifestyle was

different then what was seen in the cities, with large tract housing (Earl,

p391). At the same time cities began a decline for a variety of reasons, such

Reservoir Hill 28

as desegregation, the end of the war, and taxes. Reservoir Hill easily follows

this epic. As the white population began to flee from the neighborhood, the

neighborhood when into decline, the decline was sharp and quick. However

Borchert never gives incites into the future and the possible regeneration of

the neighborhood.

Reservoir Hill 29

Personal Impressions

Reservoir Hill 30

Introduction

Reservoir Hill is a neighborhood in the City of Baltimore just to the

northwest of the central business district. It is bound by North Avenue to the

south, McCulloh Street to the west, Druid Park Drive to the north, and

Interstate 83/the Jones Falls Valley to the east. The neighborhood started as

part of a larger estate ground in the 1700s, eventually becoming subdivided

and developed as site for country homes for Baltimore's elite. As the

population of the city began to expand out from the historic city center,

Reservoir Hill was absorbed within the limits of the city, becoming an upscale

community in the city. The neighborhood also served as a home for the

Jewish elite for the city as well as home for upper-class blacks. The fortunes

of the neighborhood changed after the Second World War, where it, like

many inner city neighborhoods in Baltimore, was effected by redlining and

demographic shifts of affluent and white populations to the suburbs. Over

the last twenty years, an effort has been made by residents and the City to

revitalize the community. Their is a feeling that the results of this effort have

been mixed, being hampered by economics, location, and outside perception

of the neighborhood.

For the purpose of this paper, I will be giving my observations on

several different aspects of the neighborhood after doing field observations.

Reservoir Hill 31

These aspects are Transportation, Housing, Commerce, Open Space, and

Community Space, ending with an analysis.

Transportation

Primarily developed after most of the city street gird had been laid out

south of North Avenue, the neighborhood incorporates portions of the city

street grid system as well as having a grid of its own. For the most part, the

north-south streets are extensions of the street grid coming north from North

Avenue, the southern border to the neighborhood, following a northwest to

southeast orientation. Eutaw Place and west, with the exception of the

merger of McCulloh Street and Druid Hill Avenue, follow nearly along the

same line a they do with their sections south of North Avenue. However, east

of Eutaw Pl, several of the north-south streets have shifts in them near their

crossing of Whitelock Street to a more north/south orientation, where others

are strictly in a north/south orientation.

In regards to east-west streets, the streets are in a northeast to

southwest orientation until, with the streets in the northern portion of the

neighborhood, Linden Avenue, or with the streets in the southern portion of

the neighborhood, and Brookfield Avenue, when they begin an east to west

orientation. Two streets, Whitelock Street and Newington Avenue; once they

cross Park Avenue, return to a northeast to southwest orientation. With the

Reservoir Hill 32

exception of Whitelock Street, none of the east-west streets has a connection

outside of the neighborhood.

Following an examination of the topography and field observations of

the neighborhood, with two and possibly three exceptions, there seems to

have been no specific, identifiable reason as for breaks in the road grid of

neighborhood. The two exceptions to this being Hendiler Lane and Brooks

Lane, with a possibility Chauncey Avenue, which seem to follow the curve of

Druid Park Lake Drive. One possible explanation of the breaks could be the

timeline of development of the neighborhood, as

it was not all developed at the same time.

Another possible explanation could be that the

streets follow the former property lines of the

estates that were located in the neighborhood.

In terms of mass transportation, there are

several bus routes that run along North Avenue

(5, 13, 91) (Figure 19) offering service to and

through downtown, as well as to other points throughout the city. One bus

line (5) does penetrate into the heart of the neighborhood. While of the bus

stops that were noticed were clearly marked with bus stop sign, none at the

time of observation had any potential passengers waiting at them, however

this should not be taken as indicative of the level of use of these stops, and

Reservoir Hill 33

Figure 15. Bus Stop on North Avenue. Source: Jason M Boothe.

could have been attributed to the time of day,

midday. Besides the bus, a light rail station is

located a couple of blocks to the east of the eastern

edge of the neighborhood on North Avenue. A

Metro-Subway stop is located a couple of blocks to

the west from the western edge of neighborhood

along North Avenue.

HousingThe majority of housing in the neighborhood

consists of three-story brick row-homes of various

architectural styles. Along with the three-story houses, there are two-story

row and semi-detached housing units, large fully detached homes, and a

number of apartment-style housing units ranging

from low-rise units of three to five stories to

multistory high rises of five or more stories.

From observations, most of the single housing

units in the neighborhood seemed to be occupied,

though there were a number of visibly unoccupied

structures in the neighborhood. Of the occupied

structures, most seemed to be in decent condition,

with a number showing improvements being made,

Reservoir Hill 34

Figure 16. Row of homes with front yards along Eutaw Place. Source: Jason M Boothe.

Figure 17. A home with "Security Shutters" affixed to windows. Source: Jason M Boothe.

in what I suspect, was the past several years (Figure 20). The unoccupied

structures were a mixed state of structures that were for sale, structures that

appeared to be under renovation, though little work was observed being

done for all but a few structures, and those in serious states of disrepair, with

several having roofs missing. While many of the row houses in the

neighborhood does have front yards, several that did had their yards fenced

off by chain-link, wooden pickets or shrubbery. A number of homes, both

occupied and unoccupied, displayed do not trespass signs, with several of

the unoccupied but possibly under renovation homes having “security

shutters” (Figure 21) on lower floor windows and doors. While just from

visual observation it is difficult to decide if the homes are single- or multiple-

family homes, some homes did give away their occupancy with multiple

mailboxes on the front of the structure. Lead paint also seems to be an issue

in these homes, at least one lead paint warning was observed on the exterior

of a home.

Reservoir Hill 35

There were only a handful of single detached homes in the neighborhood,

with all of them being located from Eutaw Place and to the east. While the

histories of these homes was not readily available, from an outside observer

one could suspect that these structures were at one time or are still very

large single family homes, perhaps former estate homes (Figure 22). Upon

further inspection, several of these structures lent to the idea that they are

no longer single family homes and are possibly being used as multiple unit

dwellings, possibly offices, with multiple mailboxes affixed near the front

entrance.

Apartment-style

housing complexes,

structures specifically

built to be apartments,

are located throughout

the neighborhood. Most

of these structures are

low-rise buildings of no

Reservoir Hill 36

Figure 18. . Former estate house on Eutaw Place. Source: Jason M Boothe.

Figure 23. Run down low-rise apartment. Source: Jason M Boothe.

Figure 19. Historic Designation Plaque on High-Rise Apartment Complex. Source :Jason M Boothe.

more than four stories. These structures are in various conditions, from being

recently renovated, to being abandoned (Figure 23), to under renovation, to

being used. Those that were being used looked to be in satisfactory condition

from the exterior. Along Druid Park Drive, the northern border of the

neighborhood there are located several high-rise apartment structures. The

ones to the western side of the neighborhood were older in appearance than

the complex to the eastern side of the neighborhood, with a couple having

plaques affixed near their entrances stating they were listed on the National

Register of Historic Places (Figure 24). Banners on several of the older

complexes advertised apartment leasing opportunities, also that they were

recently renovated.

Most of the housing looks to be in private hands; but at least one area

of housing was not. The section of the neighborhood bound by Lennox,

North, and Park Avenue has a low-rise apartment style public housing

complex. Also, the high-rise apartment complex in the northeast section of

the neighborhood is quasi-public co-op housing complex, run by the

Lakeview Towers Tenant Council.

One strange housing anomaly that I observed

was new construction in the neighborhood. Along

Brookfield Avenue, a set of three townhouses is

under construction. The website for the

Reservoir Hill 37

Figure 20. The Brookfields. Source: Jason M Boothe

development states that only one remained to be sold, none of the

townhouses looked to have had been occupied yet or in a finished condition,

with construction possibly being halted several months ago, perhaps due to

the economic downturn (Figure 25).

CommerceWithin the boundaries of the neighborhood, commercial activity was

extremely limited. Most of the commercial activity occurred along a stretch

of North Avenue, the southern boundary of the neighborhood and a

significant east-west thoroughfare in the city, from McCulloh Street to Linden

Avenue. Among the commercial activities taking place along this stretch

were a car wash, an auto parts store, a medical office, office of a technology

company, a liquor store (whose goods and employees were behind thick

Plexiglas) (Figure 26), a grocery/carry-out (whose goods and employees were

also behind Plexiglas), and a laundromat. While these are in the

neighborhood, I doubt that

they are located to serve

Reservoir Hill exclusively, and

are probably patronized by

residents from outside the

neighborhood.

Besides this strip, little

Reservoir Hill 38

Figure 26. Interior of Linden Liquors and Bar. Source: An H Tran.

else was observed in the way of commercial activity. The only other

commercial activities were a car repair shop on Whitelock Street, a

convenience store on the ground floor of a high-rise apartment building on

Eutaw Place, and a couple of doctor’s offices in former homes on Eutaw

Place. There are a couple of commercial looking buildings in the northwest

corner of the neighborhood, but they seemed to have no activity that was

observed and are possibly used for warehousing.

Of the commercial establishments that sold foodstuffs, the quality of

what was being sold was observed to be low. A fair number of products sold

would fall into the class of junk foods, or foods with high sugar content, and

while there was “fresh” produce available the freshness of the produce

would be considered suspect (Figure 25); it was observed that tomatoes in a

cold storage unit showed signs of freezer burn or mold. There was also

observed to be a lack of restaurants the neighborhood as well, or

establishments serving any significant quantities of

hot food.

While

commercial

activity is

limited in

the

Reservoir Hill 39

Figure 21. Interior of Atim's Mini Supermart. Source: An H Tran

Figure 22. Nearby Commercial Outlets on the Edge of Reservoir Hill. Source: Jason M Boothe.

neighborhood, the neighborhood is by no means isolated. Commercial strips

were observed within a short distance of the neighborhood boundaries within

a short walk for most residents of the neighborhood. While the quality of

these commercial establishments was not ascertained, they supplement the

limited commercial offerings of the neighborhood. For those with personal

transportation available to them, Mondawmin Mall, which is a short distance

away (Figure 26), has both standard retail and grocery offerings. It is also

accessible by the #5 bus line that runs through the neighborhood.

Open SpaceWhile most of the land in the neighborhood is taken up by housing

units, there are several plots of undeveloped land, ranging from open lots, to

designated parks, and even a community garden.

Most of the open lots, those not designated as parklands, are located

in the northern sections of the neighborhood. These lots gave no clue

whether if they had a previous use, as any previous structures were removed

and leveled and the lots graded. For the most part, the lots looked to be

maintained in the most minimal of way, with grass being trimmed but litter

was present. Most of the lots were grass-covered, with several being partly

dirt/gravel covered (Figure 27). While many of the lots remained vacant,

some served as parking areas. A couple of the lots closer to the central part

of the neighborhood had signs in them stating that they were for sale, and

Reservoir Hill 40

the potential development opportunities

based on the current zoning.

Several small municipal parks are

also located in the neighborhood. Of the

parks observed, all seemed to be

maintained, with no signs of significant

deterioration or unusable facilities; one

featured a functional water feature (Figure 28). At least one park was

recently improved, with fixtures looking fairly new, and a sign posted by the

city stating improvements had been made in the past several months. There

was practically no activity taking place in any of the parks during the times

observed, midday on weekdays. Two sites in the community serve as

community gardens,

Lennox Street and

Whitlock Street, featuring

several small plots, but I

was unable to determine

what was grown or the

extent to which the

gardens are used.

Reservoir Hill 41

Figure 23. An unimproved lot. Source: Jason M Boothe.

Figure 24. Park in the median of Park Avenue. Source: Jason M Boothe

Community SpacesIn the neighborhood, there are several

community-oriented structures. These include

churches, schools, and community centers. With

the exception of a church on North Avenue, most

of the churches in the community are small so-

called community churches. A synagogue

(Figure 29) is also located in the community,

located on Eutaw Place. The City maintains an

elementary school and a community center in the neighborhood, both

located just off of North Avenue.

OverviewBy far Reservoir Hill is a decidedly residential neighborhood. It is a mix

of properties from derelict to urban upscale, and it is not uncommon to see a

range of the conditions along the same street if not the same block. Signs

point to attempts being made to improve the neighborhood through the

renovation of housing. I was surprised though that the census data points to

a far more impoverished neighborhood than what I observed. General

speaking the census data points to the neighborhood being on the lower end

of the income scale, with a high amount of rental properties. Usually, from

my own personal observations and opinions, this point to a severally

distressed neighborhood that is in a downward slide. But while there are

Reservoir Hill 42

Figure 25. Beth Am Synagogue. Source: Jason M Boothe

signs of poverty, they are off set by improvements and investments in the

neighborhood. I am also not surprised with this either, as the census data

also showed that over the period of time from 1990 to 2000, income levels in

the neighborhood increased, educational attainment in the neighborhood

increased, and home ownership rates in the neighborhood also increased. I

would suspect that when then next set of census data is released for 2010

even further increases will be shown in these three metrics, with the highest

levels possible have been attained in 2007 or 2008.

Crime seems to be a concern in the neighborhood. While in the

neighborhood I never felt unsafe, the “security shutters” on the windows of

some properties points to the possibility of property crimes. There were signs

that the owners of the establishments were concerned with crime by placing

of inventory and employees behind Plexiglas. Police cameras were also

observed; leading me to believe that on street crime is a concern to the

residents in the neighborhood. During one of the walkthroughs of the

neighborhood, I had a chance to talk to some Police Officers on foot patrol in

the neighborhood. While they could not comment on specifics of crime or

activity in the neighborhood, they did warn to be careful. If this concern was

out of liability or a warning of criminal activity in the community, I could not

accurately tell. While it could be said that the presence of police foot patrols

points to crime issues in a community, I disagree somewhat. I for one

Reservoir Hill 43

welcome a police foot presence in the community, as it adds to sense of

reassurance that the community is being looked after by the police. However

that presence should be limited, as was in the case in Reservoir Hill, which

leads me to believe that while there is criminal activity in the community, it

is general not of a extremely violent nature.

I found the almost complete lack of commercial activity in the

neighborhood somewhat of a surprise. The quality of what was available

commercially was disappointing. With the stretch of stores on North Avenue,

none were inviting to me as a passerby on the street,

Even with these concerns, I would say that the neighborhood is, to use

a euphemism that has been used plenty for this neighborhood, is an up and

coming neighborhood with potential.

Reservoir Hill 44

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Boothe, Jason M (Photographer). (2010). Reservoir Hill, Baltimore. Personal photograph by author. 5 Nov 2010.

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Reservoir Hill Improvement Council, Inc. History of Reservoir Hill. http://www.reservoirhill.net/history/history_reservoirhill.htm (October 31, 2010)

Tran , An H (Photographer). (2010). Reservoir Hill, Baltimore. Personal photograph by author. 5 Nov 2010.

Suarez, Ray. 2008. NewsHour. Foreclosure Rates Reflect Human Cost of Mortgage Meltdown. PBS. (25 March 2008) http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june08/baltimore_03-25.html (accessed 31 October 2010)

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