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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Jones Falls Mills, Baltimore

The city of Baltimore's location is very logical; it sits as far inland as possible for oceangoing ships, and more importantly, just a mile north of the harbor the land rises dramatically into rugged hills and cascading waterfalls that plunge hundreds of feet down to the arms of the Chesapeake Bay. Here, the fledgling industrial revolution in America began in earnest in the early Nineteenth Century; water wheels powered by the Jones Falls provided the power, and the port of Baltimore provided the transportation. Above is the Woodberry Mills, obscured by the thick underbrush of abandonment. You can see the Woodberry Mills on this 1905 map, courtesy of Monumental City. Below is the fascinating Meadow Mill, which is now a health club.This may be the same company that now has its own website. It's funny to think that a company that once operated with waterwheel power now is on the internet.Below is Mount Vernon Mill #4, which can be seen here on the 1905 map in the lower left portion. Mount Vernon Mills is definitely still in business, and their website is here.The mills are located on the Jones Falls, and the expressway of the same name dominates the whole area. Woodberry is the factory town on the west side of the Falls, and Hampden grew up on the east. Remember, what is so fascinating is that this is right in the middle of Baltimore, but it's hard to tell at times due to the rugged nature of the Jones Falls' surroundings. Tomorrow, I will show you some of the original houses of Woodberry.

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