The origins of the present community of Franklintown date to a land grant called Morning Choice, which was patented by John Scutt in 1695. In 1827, the Franklin Turnpike was chartered to connect Franklin Street at the then existing Baltimore City line to landholdings northwest of Franklintown. When it was completed in 1831, Benjamin Latrobe described the turnpike as "decidedly the best turnpike out of Baltimore." As a result of the turnpike, Franklintown was on the route to the Central Racecourse, which was opened in 1831 on a tract of land at what is now the intersection of Ingleside Avenue and Johnnycake Road. One of the large landholders in Franklintown was William H. Freeman, who lived on the estate Arlington, in today’s Colonial Park (Baltimore County). In 1832, Freeman decided to develop what was probably Baltimore’s first planned suburban community – Franklin Towne. This community was comprehensively planned but only partially completed. In 1834 there was a run on the Maryland State Bank, which was financing the project, and further development was abandoned. Freeman built the Franklintown Mills and the Franklin House Hotel, as well as a stone market house. In addition, the streets were laid out and the area extensively landscaped. The street grid planned by Freeman, including the parks and ovals, was not altered when Baltimore City annexed this area of Baltimore County. The current street pattern still follows this original plan.
During the Civil War, Washington Park, later known as Horn Park, was the site of an encampment of Union cavalry soldiers. These soldiers were stationed in Franklintown to help prevent Confederate activity along the turnpike and to curb the activities of noted Confederate sympathizers, such as Freeman and Ross Winans.
Historic Franklintown still has many of its original buildings – the Franklintown Mill, the Franklin House (the Franklintown Inn), The Homestead, the original schoolhouse, and others. These buildings, together with the Saint Agnes Cemetery and the land that was the site of the Union encampment, define an area that contributes to the heritage and development of the community and of the City of Baltimore. In addition to the early and mid 19th Century houses and buildings, many other significant buildings were built in subsequent periods in Baltimore City and the adjacent areas of Baltimore County. These buildings contribute to the atmosphere of Historic Franklintown – a rural mill town in the city.
A portion of Freeman’s original Franklintown is still in present day Baltimore County, although the majority of Franklintown was annexed by Baltimore City in 1918. Franklintown is bordered on the east by Leakin Park and is near the western end of the Gwynns Falls Leakin Park Trail. Thomas Winans’ historic Russian-style house, Oreanda, is located in Leakin Park near the Winans Meadow entrance to the trail.
Franklintown is bordered on the west by Lorraine Park Cemetery (Baltimore County), which contains many elegant and unusual gravesites. The Lorraine Park gatehouse and the nearby Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Franklintown is approximately one mile south of Dickeyville. The mansion house at the renowned James Lawrence Kernan Hospital, which forms part of the boundary between Franklintown and Dickeyville, is also on the National Register.
On April 18th 1999, Franklintown became Baltimore’s 20th historic district.
Franklintown today is a dynamic forward-looking community on the western boundary of Baltimore City. The Franklintown Community Association represents residents of both Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Franklintown also has the Franklintown Land Trust to help preserve its rural character. The Baltimore City Fifth District City Council members describe the Franklintown Community Association as "…one of the shining stars of the Fifth District."
If you want to learn more about Franklintown or to arrange a guided tour, contact one of the members of the design review committee:
Bill Eberhart, 410.448.9944
Carroll Frey, 410.448.0857
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