Federal Hill Historic District
Federal Hill Historic District sits on a hill overlooking downtown Baltimore and the Baltimore Harbor. In 1788, on this hill, the citizens held a celebration honoring the state's ratification of the United States Constitution. An observatory built in 1795 signaled city merchants of the approach of their vessels, a service that lasted a century. After intense demonstrations by Northern and Southern sympathizers alike, the Union Army fortified the hill to protect Baltimore and its harbor. Then, in 1880, a public park was created in the northern section of the Historic District.
The district contains several hundred 18th- to mid-19th-century residences grouped alongside Federal Hill Park. The majority are two- and three-story brick row houses with white marble trim, but visitors to the district will also find some of the most diverse architecture in Baltimore. In addition to the homes and park, the Federal Hill Historic District also includes the Armistead Monument, erected in 1882. The monument honors Colonel George Armistead, the commander of Fort McHenry when the British attacked in the Battle of Baltimore on September 13, 1814.
The Federal Hill Historic District is bounded by Covington, Hughes, Charles, and Hamburg Sts. The district is a combination of private and public buildings, some of which are open to the public.
Information and photos courtesy of the National Register for Historic Places Baltimore, MD Travel Itinerary, a subsidiary of the National Park Service.
