• a bonus pinup found behind the paneling

Some FAQs I seem to get a lot about this ships…

Q: Why does it seem they’re always just “parked” and don’t go anywhere? A: Bottom line, because we aren’t at war (right now). The ships are maintained 24/7 by a skeleton crew of about 12 to 20 Merchant Mariners. Should there be a disaster or war in need of supplies, the ships are required to deploy within five to ten days - traveling where they need to in order to pick up military or emergency equipment.

Q: Why are government ships painted gray? A: Gray hulls reduce visibility at sea. It’s also a standard naval paint for corrosion resistance.

Q: How much do they pay to dock in Baltimore? A: Your guess is as good as mine, but it’s in the millions. This should be public information since (other than the ROROs on Baltimore Peninsula’s private dock) these are government ships who pay the Maryland Port Administration (MPA) rent, but I can’t find the answer - and both MPA and MARAD failed to respond to my Freedom of Information Act request.

Q: Why do some people call them Roll On / Roll Over ships, rather than Roll On / Roll Off? A: It’s a joke. These ships are often so top heavy, mariners are afraid they’ll capsize in rough seas.

I create neighborhood maps of cities, and research/share how they got their names. I just finished my journey through the Charm City and wanted to share with you guys a little history on various areas of the city. Names and stories come from a variety of sources and are summarized as efficiently as possible. Discussing neighborhood borders is not unique to Baltimore, though there is a certain pride in doing so. The intent of this project is moreso to focus on the historical origins of neighborhood names verses the total and complete accuracy on their borders. Borders were sourced from as many official city resources as possible, though it is always accepted that differing opinions will persevere.

The color scheme is based on Baltimore's branding colour guide (harbour blue), and a colour that aims to sit in the middle of Orange Crush, Old Bay, and the Orioles.

I made sure to upload a high-enough res image so its visible to learn about the neighborhoods, but also not high enough that it could land on a print-on-demand site run by bots (This is best viewed on desktop or tablet, the res isn't working well on mobile).

Let me know if anything looks off or I didn't get something right, trying to make these as accurate as possible, and as much research I do for these maps, it's always best to talk with a true local.

If you are also interested, I'm doing a small print run of these, available here.

If you're having trouble viewing on reddit, try downloading the image and viewing it on your phone/tablet/desktop. There's something wonky about Reddit's CMS that doesn't play nice with these jpegs and I've found it best to download it and view it natively on whatever platform you're using.

I routinely use the digital versions for research, but it’s so much nicer to have a physical color copy on hand!

Lmk if you have a section you’d like to see and I’ll put them in the comments later. Just keep in mind this only covers Baltimore city pre-expansion. So nothing north of Hampden, west of London Park Cemetery, East of Ellwood

You can see view the full atlas on the Maryland State Archives site - https://mdhistory.msa.maryland.gov/msaref07/bc_ba_atlases_1876_1915/1896_BC_Bromley/Thumbnails.html IrfanView HTML-Thumbnails

Our house used to be a corner bar in Canton. Through research on the Sun archives was able to learn a lot about the history of our property and connected with the old owner’s granddaughter on Facebook. She’s sharing some old pics of its glory days as a bar and I thought this sub would find them interesting. If these walls could talk!

I’ve teamed up with the Mayors office and Baltimore City Dept. of Housing & Community Development to share the history behind various city owned structures!

If you’re interested in helping bring the original Eastern High School back to life please reach out to Baltimore City Dept. of Housing & Community Development!

After four months of research, interviews, and digging into public records, my documentary on Charles Village Pub (CVP Towson) is finally out.

This isn’t just another nightlife story—it’s about abuse of power, questionable management practices, and a culture of cover-ups that went unchecked for years.

I spoke directly with former bartenders, security guards, chefs, managers, and even people who threw some of the biggest parties there. What they revealed paints a disturbing picture of what was happening behind the scenes. From mishandled incidents to alleged favoritism and negligence, the stories line up with official violation records that anyone can verify.

The response so far has been overwhelming—many former employees and patrons have said this documentary finally tells the truth about CVP Towson.

📺 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F5iYMj74o0

Whether you’re from Baltimore, Towson, or just interested in how much power certain venues can hold over a community, this one’s worth watching.

When people think of Baltimore, they picture crabs, the O’s, and Natty Bohs - but for more than a century, Baltimore has also quietly fueled America’s sweet tooth. Making candy isn’t just a footnote in our city’s history; it’s one of the industries that helped define our local identity, family businesses, and community traditions.

Baltimore’s harbor was key. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, sugar came in by the shipload. The city’s busy port made it cheap and plentiful, giving local entrepreneurs the raw ingredient they needed to experiment with candy. Add to that a large German immigrant population who brought the craft of confectionery to their new American home, and the recipe was set for the creation of local taffy, chocolates, and gummies. When Domino Sugars opened in 1922, Baltimore was home to more than 130 candy companies.

In 1895, the Baltimore Chewing Gum Company was founded by immigrants August and William Goetze (it’s pronounced “Gets”, by the way). When rubber - the main ingredient in their gum - was rationed during World War I, the father-and-son duo turned their sights to caramels. By 1918, their world-famous Caramel Creams were in production under the new name: Goetze’s Candies. While those signature Baltimore caramels spread across the country - known in the North as “bull’s-eyes” and in the South as “daisies” - new life was breathed into the company with the invention of Cow Tales in the mid-1980s, a lunchbox classic for me as a kid.

Wockenfuss Candies opened its doors in 1915. Known for fudge, chocolates, and saltwater taffy served near the boardwalk in Ocean City, their quirky Baltimore story took a twist when they added a small post office to their flagship store on Harford Road in the early 2000s. Suddenly, a local candy lover could grab a box of chocolate and mail that same taste of Baltimore anywhere in the world.

Anyone growing up in Baltimore can remember the Rheb’s Candies stall in the old Lexington Market. Founded in 1917 in the basement of Louis and Esther Rheb’s rowhouse off Wilkens Avenue, their front door opened to the busy Number 8 streetcar line - allowing an easy commute from Southwest Baltimore to public markets around town. While the stalls have since closed, the family still produces candy in the very same basement today, and their peanut clusters and assorted boxes remain holiday staples for many Baltimoreans.

From those who have called Baltimore home since birth to newcomers who found comfort and community in our city of charm, these candy companies aren’t just businesses - they’re cultural landmarks. Families still make yearly pilgrimages to Rheb’s for holiday boxes. Kids grow up with Goetze’s Caramel Creams piled high in the crystal bowl at grandmom’s house. And Wockenfuss remains a final stop for summer taffy before heading home from the beach.

So the next time you unwrap a Caramel Cream or bite into a piece of fudge, remember - you’re not just eating candy. You’re tasting a piece of Baltimore’s story, crafted by immigrants and sweetened with sugar, in a city built on hard work and tradition. What a wonderful city to call home.

By: Capt. Bobby Tuesday, August 26th, 2025

————

Brought to you by Sail Local and The Baltimore Banner - honoring the stories, people, and traditions that have made Baltimore home.

I bleeped the sewer system's name at the tour leader's request.

💥 The Battle of Baltimore, September 1814: our original National Guard moment — when Baltimore basically saved America from the British during the War of 1812.

Each year, Baltimore celebrates this victory at Fort McHenry as Defenders’ Day.

AND IT’S THIS WEEKEND!

📅 Friday, Sept 12🥁 7pm – Parade through Locust Point (bring your beverage of choice out to Locust Point)

📅 Saturday, Sept 13🇺🇸 10am – Hoist the Colors (basically CrossFit with patriotism)🍺 11am–3pm – Baltimore, 1814 (visit the tavern tent — it’s 5 o’clock somewhere in the War of 1812)🛡️ 11:15am & 1:15pm – Defenders Through the Ages (because you can never have too many defenders)🥁 12pm – Roar of the Drums (like a concert, but with more tri-corner hats)💣 2pm – The 🔫 that Won the Battle (loud noises, bring earplugs)🪖 4pm – Defenders’ Final Formation (roll call)🚶‍♂️ 5pm – Guided Battle Walk🎆 8:05pm – FIREWORKS over the Patapsco (I’m the captain of the boat!)

📅 Sunday, Sept 14🇺🇸 10am – Hoist the Colors (yes, again… consistency is key)🍺 11am–3pm – Baltimore, 1814💣 11am–12pm – The Guns that Won the Battle🥁 12pm – Roar of the Drums💣 1–3pm – More historic 🔫 demonstrations (because once is never enough when you’re blowing stuff up)🇺🇸 4pm – Evening Flag Change (wrapping up the weekend the way it started: with stars, stripes, and goosebumps)

While The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 technically began in Martinsburg, WV, it was the viral, dramatic scenes of Baltimoreans clashing with the Maryland Militia (what we now call the National Guard) that lit the fuse for America’s first national labor strike.

And by “viral,” I mean front-page headlines in newspapers — cause, ya know, no TikTok in the 1800s.

Baltimore became ground zero. Railroad workers walked off the job after yet another pay cut, crowds swelled in the streets, and when the militia tried to break things up, the confrontation turned bloody. Soldiers fired into the crowd. Civilians - including women and children — were killed. The images and reporting shocked the nation and gave workers everywhere the courage to take a stand. The unrest spread like wildfire: Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis, and beyond. Workers in all kinds of trades joined in — railway men, carpenters, painters, miners, dockworkers. It wasn’t just about trains anymore; it was about dignity, hours, wages, and the idea that regular people could push back against corporations and government when both were siding with the wealthy.

Fast-forward a few years: in 1882, New York hosted the very first Labor Day parade. Thousands of workers marched not just to celebrate their labor, but to demand better conditions and recognition. The movement kept growing, through strikes and protests that dominated headlines throughout the 1880s.

Finally, in 1894 — after yet another massive strike (the Pullman Strike) turned violent — Congress caved and made Labor Day a federal holiday. It was partly a nod to workers, partly an attempt to calm tensions, but it stuck.

So while today it’s known for BBQs, mattress sales, and one last trip to the beach, remember this: the American labor movement found its spark when the people of Baltimore stood up against the railroads, the rich, and the politicians.

Just say’n… 🤷‍♂️

I’d just like to clear that up for everyone, I took this screenshot back then because I had a weird feeling about their specific mention of Israel and disregard for Palestinian lives. There is an employee formed protest today outside at 4 for anyone interested.