Category Archives: Baltimore

Baltimore 1910-1965

24 Monday Apr 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, HISTORY, Inner Harbor

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Scanning and documenting some more photos from the DPW Museum collection. A while back I had posted some photos taken from the smoke stack of the Eastern Avenue Pumping Station – they were in bad shape and a lot of smog in the pics. These look more like originals. Found in an unmarked folder. Some writing on reverse of photos.

On reverse of this photo is stated: Property of C.C. Wisner showing side wheeler Louise. 1910

Also marked as Wisner and being taken by A. Waldek (His name is spelled two different ways on 2 photos). Undated. Looking north. Shot Tower in upper left.

Another undated one. Assuming between 1910 and 1934 . Marked with Wisner and Waldeck. View of Pratt Street up Jones Falls.

Notation on back: Baltimore City, Old Light Street waterfront piers and docks since removed. 1949.

And after the removal. About 1954.

1965 improvements prior to the Inner Harbor becoming Harbor Place.

Clifton Gate House – Update

19 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, Gate House, water history

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Back in July 2016 I wrote about the renewed interest in doing something with the Lake Clifton Gate House. A farmers market, a cafe, a historical showcase for the water department, etc. The other day I received an email to attend a meeting on another proposal, submitted by Civic Works and their vision for the Valve House (Note: Valve House and Gate House are interchangeable when talking about this structure – Pump House is not – it never had pumps in it). Attached to the proposal was this photograph:

I thought to myself, how the heck did I miss this driving back and forth to City Lights?? Well, this didn’t happen. It is a piece of art. “This is an animation of a specific artist’s winning proposal to mount this public art installation. BOPA is hoping that the installation will be able to move forward under the watchful eye of Civic Works.”

Here is an excerpt from John, at Civic Works, on their proposal for the Gate House:

When the Valve House is renovated and attractively landscaped, it will attract people who pause for pastry, coffee, ultra-local freshly harvested foods and flowers, art and stories of Baltimore. Stories from our past, presented here, will be outshined by news of the structured opportunities, offered “next door” for careers in the expanding green business sectors.

As the renovations to the Valve House are fully realized, the adjacent Lake Clifton campus will become the operational base for Baltimore Center for Green Careers, Civic Works Food and Farm programs and other pathways to prosperity. In the coming decades, these two work in harmony – the information packed social hub and the sustainable-jobs work preparation center.

I personally think this is a great idea! And I really hope it happens.

Here is a 1927 aerial of Lake Clifton and its relation to Lake Montebello. Clifton being the one at the bottom. Water flowed from the dam at the Gunpowder Falls, via a 7 mile tunnel to Montebello, then by conduit to Clifton, at which point it was dispersed to the city.

From the 1970s showing the interior of the Gate House with the water chambers covered over with wood.

The reverse of the above photo, from the Sunpaper files showing that back in 1970 there was an interest in restoring the Gate House.

Another 1970s Sunpaper photo showing the stained glass windows nearly intact. Most have since been broken out. (Note:Photos from my personal collection)

Light City City Lights

10 Monday Apr 2017

Posted by in art, Baltimore, Photography

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Moon over Marriott.

Was able to go into the lighthouse this year.

Dusk view of umbrella boat.

A couple hours later.

Mesmerizing wheel.

Movie time

This is what happens when someone bumps you while taking a photo.

Bmore.

Alyssa and Patrick

Later found out these were up-skirt cameras??!!

In search of the egg.

Electric lit egg on water.

To be reborn through the egg…

Wonder what the resident falcons up there think of all this?

Looking up the World Trade building

The Eastern Avenue pumping station.

It was a very nice time. Lots of people. Friends and family. And a special thanks to the Operator Supervisor that let us park at the pumping station.

Roundhouse

05 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, engineering, water history

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A couple weeks ago the contractor called me over to the site because they struck something that is not on the drawings. This was about the 12th time in 10 days they hit something buried, not on the drawings. i go over and this is what I saw:

At first glance, it looks like an electrical ductbank, enclosed in concrete. I told the contractor I would go look in my drawings to see what I could come up with. When I retuned, unable to find anything, the contractor had cleared some more dirt from the concrete.

Am I hallucinating or does that thing have a curve to it?? Holy crap, that looks like the foundation to the old roundhouse, which was the Montebello Pumping Station, built in 1914-1915. More research to do.

This hole was dug and goes about 75 feet down at which point they busted through the 1881 tunnel from Loch Raven. The pumping station was to be used to pump water from Loch Raven, into the filtration plant. This was due to the city not getting permission to raise the new dam above an elevation of 188′ (The new dam is now at 240′)

This photo shows the foundation for the pumps and the piping waiting to be placed.

Looking at the top tier here it can be seen the structure matches the first photo above. The hole in the center is the suction well.

View from the outside of the roundhouse. This is facing south towards the filtration building.

This is looking north from the the head house. The roundhouse foundation is flush with the ground level.

Nearing completion.

The pumps.

From the time this was built until about 1957, this pumping station had more than its fair share of problems – wrong size pumps, electrical problems, building being struck by lightening a few times, power surge from Holtwood Electric, water hammers that raised and cracked the foundation, etc. In 1963 the building was demolished but, the foundation remains. And now the problem is, what’s down there? Will this area support the weight of a generator and fuel tanks? And is that hole still open (there is an air vent coming out of dead center)? The tunnel underneath originally supplied water to Montebello from Loch Raven. Now this tunnel supplies drinking water to Towson, via the Cromwell Pumping Station.

This shows where the roundhouse use to be, north of Filter building.

Neighborhood City Lights

02 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by in art, Baltimore, Photography

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Decided this year to visit the neighborhood displays of The City Lights projects. Lauraville was first, since I live here:

Getting ready for the unveiling.

After here we went to Montebello to see the Montebellephant.

Unbelievable. The signs were a little hard to read.

Next we headed to Hampden. Not much going on there but for this lone work…

Then down to Little Italy, which is always a mad house.

Blocked off High Street.

Not really sure I understood this concept art??

 

Montebellephant

24 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by in art, Baltimore

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I have been working at Montebello Filters for over 35 years and have never seen it allowed to use the Montebello Lake for anything other than what its purpose is – an overflow catchment for the smaller waste lake up on the property of the filters. I have seen it requested to be used for paddle boats, canoeing, kayaking (I’m not even allowed to kayak on it!), fishing, ice skating, model boat racing, etc. The answer has always been “NO”.

But next week – there will be an inflatable elephant floating on the lake! Yes, you heard me – an inflatable Lighted elephant! History will be made next weekend.

But seriously – I think it looks pretty cool and I can’t wait to see it!

See lightcity.org for a list of other events around Baltimore.

Updates: Batcave and Drain

20 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, engineering

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When I was up Loch Raven checking on the drain pipe to the 10′ tunnel, I checked on the unknown tunnel that was busted a couple days before. The contractor took it upon himself to start digging it out before anyone could verify what it was. As said before, this thing was built prior to 1875.

Fortunately the City’s closed circuit TV guys showed up before it was totally destroyed. In the upper left shows the rocks removed, that were used to build the tunnel. From where the spool is, center of photograph, to where the front of the excavator is, is what they dug out.

Here is the remote camera. Pretty neat toy. They burnt me a dvd of the exploration.

What was unexpected was that the tunnel branched off to the right. The camera couldn’t make the turn. It went about 38′ in at both areas. This side had a built up wall at the end. The other side was collapsed, probably from them compacting the soil for the new building. Real shame that we don’t know what this was. I personally believe it was an aqueduct, to bring water from Shanghai Run or Towson Run down to the farm?

Meanwhile, back at the drain. The contractors removed the steel bars in front of the drain opening.

The flow was better but the contractor needs it opened more to drain the 10′ tunnel, so they can start repairs. I believe the above photo is at 8 turns, 20%.

And this will be at about 40%. They installed the metal plates in hopes of stopping the erosion of the shore line. I am concerned with the bed of the stream, They think it will be alright. We will find out if the steel plates start slipping downwards…

Busted Pipe

17 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by in 1972, Baltimore, Dams, water history

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As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the contractor building a new maintenance facility at Loch Raven, busted a hole in the 10′ water pipe.

The site of the new complex, along the west bank of the Gunpowder River. The caution sign is the area where they broke the pipe. It is now covered with steel plates.

Here is what the conduit looked like when it was installed in 1913. It is a steel pipe, welded and riveted together.

As the conduit was installed, they encased some sections of it in concrete, to give it some strength. Loch Raven Drive is directly above this pipe in some areas.

Looking under the steel plate I ask – how the hell do you NOT know that this pipeline is there?? In the photo can be seen above the wood stake, water pouring out of the pipe. Surrounding the stake is the rebar the contractor had to break thru in the cement to strike the steel pipe. The contractor is lucky that the dam has two independent conduits coming out of it.

There was built a parallel pipeline back in 1972. I’m not sure why or even why it is called the Parallel Pipeline. It kind of zig-zags across the river.

The contractors of 1972 had their fair share of problems – like the worksite getting flooded. The lower, smaller dam is in the background.

In order for the present day contractor to fix the hole he made, the City was asked to drain the pipe.

After searching thru some old drawings, we were able to find the location of the drain pipe. This is a 12″ drain connected to a 10′ pipe.

My favorite valve guys came out to try and open it by hand but were unable to. It has been a very long time since this was open. They ended up having the contractor core drill a hole in the vault roof above the valve. They then used their valve truck to turn it.

This is at 8 turns, 20% open. This will take quite a while to drain. The contractor is impatient.

But. as you can see, opening it up too far will erode the stream bank right under this bridge. Today the contractor was given the ok to place steel plates in the stream to divert the flow away from the bank.

Meanwhile, I roamed around some and took some pics – of other than work related stuff. A stone snowman walking his stone snow duck.

Root system.

View across the reservoir. Days like this, I like my job…

 

Research, Photos and Copyrights part 2

03 Friday Mar 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, Photography, water history

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Over the past two weeks I have been asked to research information for a couple of projects going on in the water department. Not really my job but I love doing it. Mostly it is looking up contract drawings and old photos, such as this one:

This was sent to me by an architect that is going to rebuild this old pumping station and she wanted some background information. The building no longer looks like this – the roof is missing. By the caption on it, this photo belongs to the Maryland Historical Society, but how is it that I have the original photograph?

Below is an example of a photo that is in another collection, copyrighted to them, but I have the original Glass Plate Negative

I found this one in the Hughes Collection at the University of Baltimore. Interesting about this is the original writing is missing, as will be seen later.

Another Hughes Collection

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And then there are the photographs that people have in their private collection/scrapbooks. The writing on these match the handwriting of the photographer who took the photo and marked it. It is different than those in the Hughes collection.

All this is to say that history is history and should be shared. I just get pissed when people try to charge for these photos. I recently talked with someone who mentioned he has Baltimore Sun photos. I also have quite a few, but was curious about their continued sales on both Ebay and various websites. The Sun sold their collection to the Tribune who sold it to another company who apparently sold to a place called Digital Fortress. I went on their site and saw that they had photos of ones that I had, that the Tribune told me, mine were originals and would never be reproduced again?? I wrote them and asked and this new company says they sure enough sell reproductions that I could even buy on canvas all the way up to 20″ x 30″ !!! WTF – I might as well just take mine and go to Walmart!

Who really owns these pics??!!

Hiking and History

21 Tuesday Feb 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, Hiking, HISTORY

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Kathy just loves it when we go on hikes and I fill her head with a bunch of useless information! Went to Loch Raven Saturday since it was so nice out – looking for eagles.

Before the eagles, we saw this guy trying to hide from us.

I guess we saw about 4-5 different eagles. This one was trying to hide too.

Kathy has known that I always wanted to go to the other side of the dams (in all my years hiking, I’ve never been there), so she grabs up Molly and starts heading across the rocks.

Looking for more eagles.

Top of the east side of the old dam. Across the way are the gate house valves.

Next we headed towards the newer dam, which actually underneath is a 100 year old dam.

Look! An Eagle! Damn – too slow on the shutter!

Here is the same dam in the 1970s – it was falling apart really bad. Looking close you can see a circular cap on the lower face.

When they refinished the face of the dam, the round hole became square. It was locked.

Besides the face lift the dam gets, they also built a Zebra Mussel station – tall white building in background. They never used it and now more construction is going on behind it – an admin building of some sort.

How Loch Raven dam looked in 1922. Notice on the lower portion across the water. The land is at the same elevation as this side, but…

Now it is elevated by the placement of this pipe. This pipe is covered in dirt. I’m still not sure why they installed this pipe into the face of the dam??? I have the drawings and project photos, but nothing to say why?

So all this is to say that the original dam, under this one was built in 1914. It was at an elevation of 188′. The newer dam was placed on top of it in 1922 – elevation 240′. Then in the 70s and again in 2005 it received various face lifts and this is why it will never get a historic designation..