1840s Plaza and Carroll Museums
Ongoing development 2002-2004
The former Baltimore City Life Museums are being redeveloped into a collection of historic sites, a B&B, restaurant, nightclub and ballroom. The historic Phoenix Shot Tower, built in 1828 to make lead shot, celebrated its re-opening in October 2002. Another site has already been transformed into the 1840s ballroom, which will be joined by a Latin dance club and restaurant scheduled to open in Spring 2003. At that same site, the African Art Museum of Maryland will expand from its Columbia location. The Carroll Mansion, home of Declaration of Independence signer Charles Carroll, will re-open in Spring 2003. It’s projected that row houses at the site will be converted into a B&B in 2004. Front and Lombard streets, Baltimore, MD 21202
American Visionary Art Museum
Exhibit opened October 5, 2002
The museum, noted for its original approach to displaying “outsider” art (work by “untrained” artists), unveils its eighth thematic exhibition, “High on Life: Transcending Addiction.” This exhibit features work produced by people who have struggled with addictions. During the run of the exhibit, the museum will host a series of conferences and programs that engage experts in the fields of medicine, law, art, research and rehabilitation to discuss the problem of drug use from a legal, historic and human standpoint. 800 Key Highway, Baltimore, MD 21230, 410-244-1900, www.avam.org
Chesapeake Exploration Center
Exhibit opened July 2002
The center is an ideal starting place for a visit to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and the new “Our Chesapeake Legacy” interpretative exhibit gives travelers additional insight into the region. The exhibit explores residents’ close relationship with the rich natural environment of the Chesapeake Bay. With this addition, the center now combines a museum with a nature center to give visitors a full bay experience. Queen Anne’s County Department of Business & Tourism, 425 Piney Narrows Road, Chester, MD 21619, 410-604-2100, www.qac.org
Crayola Works
Opened June 2002
Maryland is home to this first-ever interactive studio and retail store opened by Binney & Smith, the maker of Crayola products. The facility is located in Arundel Mills mall, located midway between Baltimore and Annapolis and just minutes away from BWI Airport. Crayola Works offers a variety of products in its retail shop, but perhaps more importantly provides a studio where kids and their parents can work on projects together. 7000 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD 21076, 410-540-5100, www.crayolaworks.com
Fell’s Point Maritime Museum
Opening May 2003
Fell’s Point is a charming maritime community that has moved forward with the times while preserving Baltimore’s past as a boat-building capital. From the establishment of the first shipyard in the 1730s through the mid-19th century, this neighborhood was the engine that drove the maritime commerce of Baltimore. The museum will showcase the Maryland Historical Society’s famed collection of artifacts that tell the story of those who lived near and earned their living on the water. 1724 Thames Street, Baltimore, MD 21231, 410-732-0278
Lexington Market
Renovations complete November 2002
The 220-year-old Lexington Market, known as the oldest continuously operating city market in the United States, has remained a constant landmark in Baltimore. The market remained open during its renovations, which include larger windows and expanded storefronts, new lighting, colorful signage and graphics. The market is home to nearly 140 vendors who sell everything from Baltimore’s own Berger cookies to some of the best crab cakes in the United States. 400 W. Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, 410-685-6169, www.lexingtonmarket.com
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament
Opening Spring 2003
The eighth North American location of this dining and entertainment venue will be at Arundel Mills mall. Surrounded by the pageantry of the 11th century, guests will enjoy a four-course feast while knights on horseback compete in a tournament of jousting and sword fighting. 7000 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD 21086, 443-755-0011, www.medievaltimes.com
Newcomer House
Opened June 2002
This Civil War-related museum and gift shop is a welcome addition to the Hagerstown area, which boasts an amazing amount of Civil War history. Items on display include General George McClellan’s presentation sword, a letter written by General Stonewall Jackson when he was in Sharpsburg, a lock of President Abraham Lincoln’s hair, and a Confederate flag that flew at Burnside Bridge during the Battle of Antietam. 18422 Shepardstown Pike, Sharpsburg, MD 21782, 301-432-0300, www.newcomermuseum.com
Phillips Seafood Tour
Opening Spring 2003
The Phillips family created a restaurant empire in Maryland and its surrounding area, and now they’re opening up their processing plant to show visitors where millions of restaurant-quality crab cakes and other seafood products are prepared for distribution across the country. Guests will learn how to prepare a Maryland-style crab cake and then sample the very product made at this site. 1215 E. Fort Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21230, 443-263-1200, www.phillipsfoods.com (Kathleen Buscemi, 410-685-6600)
Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture
Opening 2004
Construction recently began on what will be the East Coast’s largest museum chronicling the history of African Americans. The $33 million museum will house artifacts and exhibits that cover 350 years of Maryland history. Features will include a genealogy center, theater, recording studio for oral history, conservation lab, classroom, gift shop and café. Pratt and President streets, Baltimore, MD, 410-333-1130, www.africanamericanculture.org
The Shops at Canal Place
Opening May 2003
Cumberland, Maryland marks the western terminus of the 184.5-mile Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and is the site of Maryland’s first Certified Heritage Area, Canal Place. The Heritage Area already features museums and galleries, historic districts, a full-scale canal boat replica, scenic rail excursions, outdoor recreational opportunities and a visitors center. The Shops at Canal Place will include a toy store, candy shop, gift shop, seafood restaurant, coffee shop, bike shop, ice cream parlor and more. Canal Place Preservation & Development Authority, 13 Canal Street, Room 301, Cumberland, MD 21502, 301-724-3655, www.canalplace.org
Star-Spangled Banner Flag House and Museum
Construction complete by June 14, 2003 (Flag Day)
A new 12,600-square foot facility will house the Star-Spangled Banner Museum, exhibit galleries, orientation theater, gift shop and meeting space. Exhibits will focus on the War of 1812, during which Maryland lawyer Francis Scott Key jotted down the poem that became the United States’ national anthem. Features include details about the Chesapeake Bay campaign of the war and the role of African Americans in the war. A highlight will be the Great Flag Window, a 30-by-42-foot window that will be the same size, color and design as the original flag, which was made by Baltimore resident Mary Pickersgill at the adjacent Flag House. 844 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, 410-837-1793, www.flaghouse.org
Thomas Stone National Historic Site
Visitors center opened October 5, 2002
The site once known as Haberdeventure features a Georgian mansion built in the early 1770s. This was the home of Thomas Stone, a leader in the colony and one of four Maryland residents who signed the Declaration of Independence. A new visitors center includes exhibits about Stone and Colonial Southern Maryland. In 2003 a Maryland State Archives traveling exhibit, “Colonial Encounters in the Chesapeake: The Natural World of Native Americans, Europeans and Africans, 1585-1800,” will be the featured exhibit. 6655 Rose Hill Road, Port Tobacco, MD 20677, 301-934-6027, www.ps.gov/thst
Western Maryland Scenic Railroad
Extending its season in 2002-03
The very popular railroad will extend its season to include months that it hasn’t traditionally run because of the possibility of inclement weather. The train will remain stationary at its rail station from December through April, but will offer entertainment and dining aboard its vintage dining car, club car and caboose. Public events will include a New Year’s Eve party, a Valentine’s Day dinner party, a Mardi Gras celebration, a St. Patrick’s Day party and an Easter egg hunt. The train will also be available for private parties. Western Maryland Station Center, 13 Canal Street, Cumberland, MD 21502, 800-TRAIN-50, www.wmsr.com
DRIVING TOURS
Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway
Designated a National Scenic Byway June 2002
An 85.5-mile route takes drivers through historic towns peppered along the Chesapeake Bay. The region is nestled along the Atlantic Flyway and is especially known for its bird watching. www.byways.org
Civil War Trails – 1862 Antietam Campaign: Lee Invades Maryland
Opened September 2002
Maryland opened its first Civil War trail in conjunction with the 140th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam, Maryland’s most famous Civil War battle. The first trail connects to one of Virginia’s trails at the Potomac River and then passes through three Maryland counties as it recounts the history of the war from a human perspective, telling the stories of the men and women whose lives were indelibly marked by this period of American history. Maryland Office of Tourism, 217 E. Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, 800-MD-IS-FUN, www.mdisfun.org,
Frederick Douglass Driving Tour
Tour brochure debuts Fall 2002
The historical society for the county where African-American leader Frederick Douglass was born has assembled a driving tour that includes stops at 14 sites connected to the abolitionist. Sites include his birthplace and the Talbot County Courthouse, where he gave his last speech in his home county. Historical Society of Talbot County, 25 S. Washington Street, Easton, MD 21601, 410-822-0773, www.hstc.org
Historic National Road
Designated an All-American Road in June 2002
The National Pike, America’s first federally funded highway, was the vision of George Washington, but it took until Thomas Jefferson’s presidency to make it a reality. The road passes through six states – Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois – and connects the Port of Baltimore to the Mississippi River. It was designed for covered wagons moving people and possessions westward as America grew. Today it’s fully paved and allows visitors in more modern vehicles to get off the major interstates and step back in time. Sites along the road include original mile markers, old inns and Maryland’s only remaining tollhouse. Maryland Office of Tourism, 217 E. Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, 800-MD-IS-FUN, www.mdisfun.org
EVENTS
Maryland Lighthouse Challenge
September 13-14, 2003
The Chesapeake Chapter of the United States Lighthouse Society is organizing a tour of Maryland’s land-based lighthouses to create a better awareness of Maryland’s lighthouses and to increase visitation to these sites. At each lighthouse, participants will receive a special souvenir stamp to affix to a commemorative map. www.cheslights.org
LODGING
Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina
Opened August 2002
The much-anticipated resort, which is a destination unto itself, features unbeatable views of the Choptank River, a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. The 400-room hotel, spa, meeting facilities, pools, golf course and most dining facilities opened in August 2002. The marina and a specialty restaurant will open in Spring 2003. 100 Heron Boulevard, Cambridge, MD 21613, 410-901-1234, www.hyatt.com
The Inn at Perry Cabin
Additions complete Winter 2003
The famed inn doubled its size during a $17 million renovation that includes the addition of luxury suites and guest rooms with water views; the enhancement of public areas, dining room and grounds; and the addition of a conference facility. The inn dates to the early 19th century and has evolved over the years to become one of the finest, upscale retreats on the East Coast. 308 Watkins Lane, St. Michaels, MD 21663, www.perrycabin.com
RECREATIONAL ACTIVTIES
Friendship Farm Park
Trail opening November 2002
A new interpretive hiking trail will be added to the park, which currently includes two ball fields and a boat launching facility. Signs will help hikers spot bald eagles, monarch butterflies, beavers, great blue herons and white oak trees. Friendship Landing Road off of Route 425, Nanjemoy, MD, 301-932-2470, www.charlescountyparks.com
Ripken Stadium and Baseball Academy
Opened June 18, 2002
Named for famed former Baltimore Oriole Cal Ripken Jr. and built in his hometown of Aberdeen, the stadium is home to a new minor league team called the Aberdeen IronBirds (a New York-Penn League short-season A Orioles affiliate). When Ripken announced his retirement in 2001, he made it clear that the minor league stadium and its adjoining baseball academy would be his new focus. Students will play in replicas of several major league stadiums, including Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The first phases of the academy will be complete in Summer 2003, with three youth fields that will host camps, clinics and tournaments throughout the summer. Ripken Stadium will host the nationally televised Cal Ripken World Series in August 2003. 923 Gilbert Road, Aberdeen, MD 21001, 410-823-7595, www.ripkenbaseball.com
Southern Maryland ATV Park
Opened October 2002
Maryland’s first ATV park is located near the Maryland International Raceway at Budds Creek. The 300-acre facility features 20 miles of trails and a “pee-wee” track where even the youngest drivers can get into the action. Jumps are built into some of the paths, and the park includes benches for spectators. The park is limited to four-wheelers and dirt bikes, and visitors must bring their own equipment. Route 234, Budds Creek, MD 20659, 301-705-8933, www.atvpark.tripod.com
SPECIAL ANNIVERSARIES
175th Anniversary of American Railroading
Celebration runs through July 6, 2003
Baltimore’s B&O Railroad Museum, the most complete museum of railroading in the United States, celebrates the 175th anniversary of American railroading with a 16-month festival that will culminate in the Fair of the Iron Horse in July 2003. The March 2002 kick-off date marked the 175th anniversary of the first governmentally chartered railroad in the world, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The July 2003 date commemorates the 175th anniversary of the ceremonial placement of the railroad’s first stone in July 1828 by Charles Carroll, who was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence. That celebration will be marked by a parade of trains along the first mile of commercial rail track in America. These trains will include the “first, best and only” locomotives from railroads, museums and private collections around the world. 901 W. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21223, 410-752-2464, www.borail.org
175th Anniversary of the C&O Canal
Celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2003
The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, which began in 1828 as a way of carrying goods and supplies westward and aided in the migration of people from the East Coast across the country, will celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2003. Sadly, the C&O was already obsolete by the time it was completed, as the railroad outpaced it and was able to do the same tasks with more efficiency. The federal government recognized the historic significance of the canal, however, and designated it a National Historical Park in the last century. Today hikers and cyclists traverse the towpath once traveled by mules pulling barges. Six visitors centers in Washington, D.C. and Maryland give visitors a better understanding of the history and impact of the canal, and two sites (Georgetown in Washington, D.C. and Great Falls in Maryland) offer mule-drawn barge rides. www.nps.gov/choh
Centennial of Aviation
Being celebrated throughout 2003
Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first successful flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in December 1903. In 1909, they came to College Park, Maryland, and began teaching military pilots how to fly. Today the College Park Airport is the oldest continuously operating airport in the world, and it’s home to the delightful College Park Aviation Museum. That museum is one of four Maryland sites banding with museums, attractions and parks in Washington, D.C., Virginia and North Carolina to sponsor “America’s Aviation Adventure,” a travel program that encourages travelers to visit multiple sites that celebrate the history of aviation and aeronautics. They can get their “passports” stamped at each site they visit, and after eight sites they receive an America’s Aviation Adventure pin. 888-824-7463, www.americasaviationadventure.com
TRANSPORTATION
Aer Lingus
Returning to BWI Airport March 2003
The national carrier of Ireland announced in early October that it plans to re-establish direct air service between Baltimore/Washington and Shannon/Dublin. The airline launched service from BWI in September 2000 and because of demand for seats, quickly increased the number of flights per week. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the airline pulled out of BWI last October. The return of service will better allow Maryland to co-market with its sister region in Ireland, Ely O’Carroll Country. The Irish carrier’s other four American gateways are Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.
Posted: 11-13-2002
