I'll never forget that wonderful day on my birthday when I was showing my friend Ruth from Baltimore around the city. She is a fellow art historian, so we were enjoying our sojourn around the city. Driving down Lindell Boulevard, I decided to hang a right on Lake Street and show her Westmoreland Place, one of the toniest private streets in the city. Hey, I'd done it a million times with my parents in their Mercedes Benz.
To put it bluntly, trying to drive a Chevy Cavalier with Maryland tags down Westmoreland Place is not a good idea. A rent-a-cop appeared out of nowhere and angrily demanded the reason behind our presence in such august surroundings. I stammered that I was taking my friend home, at which he requested the address. My BS skills were lacking that day, so I was bereft of my usual quick lies that I am so good at in difficult situations. He told us to turn around and leave, which I did.
The gates to Westmoreland Place are always locked now, and you can see them along Kingshighway. Quite frankly, the private streets in this area are hardly a quiet enclave anymore, beset at one time by housing projects to the north and the loud, thumping stereos of locals--not to mention that constant roar of traffic from the busiest north-south thoroughfare in the city.
It's fascinating to see how the stone has slowly deteriorated over the years.
I'll never forget that wonderful day on my birthday when I was showing my friend Ruth from Baltimore around the city. She is a fellow art historian, so we were enjoying our sojourn around the city. Driving down Lindell Boulevard, I decided to hang a right on Lake Street and show her Westmoreland Place, one of the toniest private streets in the city. Hey, I'd done it a million times with my parents in their Mercedes Benz.
To put it bluntly, trying to drive a Chevy Cavalier with Maryland tags down Westmoreland Place is not a good idea. A rent-a-cop appeared out of nowhere and angrily demanded the reason behind our presence in such august surroundings. I stammered that I was taking my friend home, at which he requested the address. My BS skills were lacking that day, so I was bereft of my usual quick lies that I am so good at in difficult situations. He told us to turn around and leave, which I did.
The gates to Westmoreland Place are always locked now, and you can see them along Kingshighway. Quite frankly, the private streets in this area are hardly a quiet enclave anymore, beset at one time by housing projects to the north and the loud, thumping stereos of locals--not to mention that constant roar of traffic from the busiest north-south thoroughfare in the city.
It's fascinating to see how the stone has slowly deteriorated over the years.
I had this same experience. A friend of mine and I were going for a walk in that area and some security cop car stopped us and asked what we were doing in the area. He then threatened to arrest us for trespassing and told us never to come back in that area. This infuriated me but I nevertheless left without saying a word. I was curious to ask him however, since we were on a sidewalk at the time, on who's property exactly we were trespassing on.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately for us, while the streets look like regular, public streets, they are technically collectively owned by everyone who owns a house in Westmoreland Place. Consider them in effect private driveways. If you know someone with an expensive car (I'm not joking about this) get them to give you a ride around the streets. You won't be harassed that way by the rent-a-cop; the way I get in is with my parents' Mercedes Benz.
ReplyDeletehey, nice pics! I found out tonight that these deteriorated gates were designed by Theodore Link -- you know, from Union Station.
ReplyDeletelol
ReplyDeletei live on this neighborhood
the cop is dennis he is sooooo nice if you no him !!!!