Five Minutes of Baltimore History

For about 100 years, from the 1860s to 1959, the Chesapeake Bay was like the Wild West in what was called the Oyster Wars.

Finally, we get to the bottom of this classic Baltimore summertime treat, one tasty bite as a time.

Why Baltimore’s Revolutionary War monument called the “Maryland Line Monument,” why it is dedicated to the “Bayonets of the Continental Army"?

Charles Village’s painted ladies literally brighten our lives. But what exactly are Baltimore’s painted ladies?

"Mondawmin" is a word the Ojibwe people used for corn. So how did a neighborhood in northwest Baltimore end up with that name?

A WWI German spy ring in downtown Baltimore?

Sometimes, you want to go where everybody knows your name

The Shot Tower, when it was built in 1828, was the tallest structure in the United States until 1846. But what was it designed to do?

The history of Lake Trout, a quintessential Baltimore food that's deep fried, delicious, and definitely not trout!

Started in 1828, St. Frances Academy is the oldest predominantly African American Catholic high school in the country.

The stories of enslaved people used the B&O Railroad as part of the Underground Railroad, making their way to freedom in Pennsylvania and beyond.

Baltimore album quilts were created to be showcased on walls and often featured iconic Baltimore scenes like the Battle Monument, Clipper ships, as well as symbols from everyday life.

Painted window screens are a unique folk art tradition in Baltimore, started in 1913 by a grocer to display produce without putting it outdoors.

During Jim Crow segregation and racism, the Green Books helped African American motorists find hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other safe places to patronize, including Mrs. Watson's Tourist Home in Baltimore.

Who is that handsome man in front of the Mitchell Courthouse?

The Baltimore Harbor Tunnel is a 1.4-mile, four-lane tunnel opened in November 1957. At the time, the tunnel was considered an engineering marvel.

Shake & Bake Family Fun Center is a fabulous neighborhood recreation center and gathering place in Upton. Let's go skating!

The Marble Bar in Baltimore, once a hotspot for punk rock and new wave bands, has been vacant for years. But what a history!

A bronze statue of Frank Zappa, a Baltimore native and rock and roll legend, stands outside the Southeast branch of the Pratt Library in Highlandtown, Baltimore.

Exploring the neighborhood where Billie Holiday began her life in Baltimore.

Baltimore word association: Natty Boh, crab cakes, formstone, and…duckpin bowling!

“What is that crazy little island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay?” It’s Fort Carroll!

What’s with all of those climbing ceramic cats on the sides of buildings in Baltimore?

Little Willie Adams, a Baltimore businessman, made significant impacts in entertainment, politics, and business.

One thing we know for sure is that people are passionate about it. Formstone, created here in Baltimore!