STREETCARS: THE START OF THE SUBURBS OF

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

John J Swabno)Boundaries Conference

Department of Geography, Penn StateMarch 22nd, 2014

HypothesisThe establishment and growth of a streetcar system in Baltimore enabled the massive outward growth of Baltimore City from the 1850’s-1910’s leading to series of changes in the form, function, and definition of the suburbs.

Form, Function, Definition of Suburbs• Form-

• Organic Growth• Planned Communities

• Function-• “City needs more room”• “Health and wealth”

• Definition• Anything on the edge of the city• Place with a name

Growth of the Population in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area

Up to 1818

1853

1874

1918

Key Themes:

a) Constant outward growth

b) Each successive period of growth consumes more land

Rise of the Omnibus• Omnibus Companies begin operating in and around

Baltimore (1844)• How they work

1853• Additional growth

around the city center

• Northwest/Northeast expansion

• December 1858:Fells Point/western sections: lots cost $2 per foot to rent. Now cost $8-$12 to rent

1874

• Growth to the north and west

• 1873- Citizen of Towsontown discusses annexation

• Political boundaries

1880’s• Streetcars Routes/Companies established

• Difference from Omnibuses• Land Speculation• The Baltimore Sun 7-22-1886

• “The building activity is not confined to any particular section of the city, but is visible on all sides of it, …, stopping in the latter sections only at the water area.”

1888 Annexation

1890’s• Electrification of lines

• Commitment• Economic feasibility• Greater Reliability

• 1899—Creation of United Railways• Planned Communities vs. “Organic Growth”• Rural Baltimore in The Baltimore Sun

1900’s1902: 101.7 million passengers, end of horse power

Massive overcrowding

Feb 1906—United Railways absorbs remaining streetcar companies

“’What I want to particularly impress on the public is that it is Baltimore, and not far away territories we now wish to serve.”—President, United Railways

What is Baltimore?

May 1906—Definition of “suburbs”

Two Observations:A) Most have

neighborhoods that are within the city limits

B) Will formally become part of the city in 1918

1910’s• The Baltimore Sun

features different suburbs including:• Towson• Catonsville• Gardenville• Brooklyn Park• Halethorpe

1918

• 1918 Annexation• Complete Electric

Streetcars• Problems with

capacity/decency

1918 with Streetcar Lines

FormOrganic Growth

Forty-one, four-story brick dwellings to be build on city block (5/1/1872)

Planned Communities

Dumbarton Estate-496 acres sold in 1893 (5/15/1893)

Vs.

Function

“City Needs More Room”• Land Prices• Land Use• Limits of Building Materials

“Health and Wealth”• Suburban land is healthier • Convenience of the city, best of the country

Vs.

Definition Edge of the City

• More growth anticipated• Land use is not geared towards “traditional” suburbs• Becomes part of the city over time

Planned communities, existing communities, organic growth• Discontinuous• Incorporates separate communities• “Filling in”

Vs.

ConclusionStreetcars in Baltimore led to:

• Massive expansion of developed land• Change in the pattern of land use

• Size and scope• Fundamental changes in transportation in cities• Different from traditional thinking.

QUESTIONS?

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

• City is growing outwards• Results:

• Annexes more land to subsidize services, meet the needs of the local populations• Fire, water, sewer, people want to be part of the city

• Older suburbs become part of the “true” city (ie 1850’s suburbs are fully part of the city by the 1890’s)

• Reasons:• Omnibus lines allow people to move out of city• Streetcar lines a) speculate on new areas of suburban development, b) provide an

extra mode of transportation for people to use• Desire for people to leave the crowded cities and enter the healthy suburbs while

still having access to city resources• Mode of Growth:

• Piecemeal outward in the 1850’s-suburbs in the fact that they are at the edge of the city, outward growth

• 1880’s-1920’s—suburbs are growing, planned communities, building up existing communities• IMPORTANT: Some are within city limits, some get annexed by the city (Roland Park),

other DO NOT (Towson)• City-County relationship • Changing definition of a suburb from the 1850-1920, both in form, function, and

definition

Baltimore in 1792

1818• Annexation of

land 1817