Local History Resources

"The William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund supports Baltimore's artists, the city's rich and diverse cultural offerings and the participation of its residents in the region's creative life. Explore the site to see the breadth and diversity of the Baltimore region's artists."

"The Baltimore News American was an active daily newspaper that existed in various forms for over 200 years. The last issue was printed on May 27, 1986. The University of Maryland Libraries has custody of the newspaper's collection of over 1.5 million photographic images, dating roughly from 1906 to 1986. The collection encompasses images of all aspects of the human experience - people, places, and events from Baltimore to the world." From the University of Maryland, College Park.

"The Cator Collection of Baltimore Views consists of nearly 200 etchings, engravings, watercolors, prints and other lithographs, from 1752 to 1930." From the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

"The collection contains almost 18,000 images! All aspects of life in Baltimore County for the last 130 years are contained in Legacy Web, a "digital collection" included in the library's online catalog. Included are most aspects of rural living, including photographs of people, buildings, sites, and events in the Baltimore County area. Search or browse this growing archive of annotated, digitized photographs of Baltimore County." From the Baltimore County Public Library.

"2,200 paintings and miniatures, including portraits of Maryland heroes from the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, the world’s largest collection of paintings by members of the Peale family, 7 portrait paintings by Joshua Johnson, the first professional African American portrait painter in the United States, and 10 Maryland landscapes by Francis Guy, considered one of the most important English artists to come to America in the late 18th century." This links to the digital content only.

"There are over one million photographs in the MdHS collection that depict Maryland history."

"Although Sachse created other bird's eye view maps, the five and one-half by twelve foot bird's eye view of 1869 Baltimore is his most ambitious work. He is reported to have said it took three years and three months for four artists to complete the map, first producing a detailed layout of the streets, then traveling around the city to draw the buildings. The map was issued in twelve separate pieces showing remarkable detail of the entire city, whose boundary at the time was Northern (now North) Avenue, and beyond." From the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

"This collection of mostly black and white photographs depicts the lives of Americans from the 1890s to the 1970s. The images of this collection allow us a glimpse into the past of the social, economic, and political lives of African American Marylanders." From the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

The images included in the Baltimore Collection depict major historical events and scences from everyday life in and around Baltimore during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The 96 photographs that make up this collection were gathered from diverse sources and present a broad look at the people who lived in Baltimore and the various events that have shaped the city's history.

Prints, negatives, transparencies, and digital files dating from the 1930s through 2012.

The collaboration between the three photographers produced images of Baltimore and its citizens that are windows into the culture, neighborhoods, and daily life of everyday people during the 1970’s and 1980’s.

9 boxes. Photographic survey – Maryland cities, towns, neighborhoods – Trade and Industry – Scenic views – Individual and group portraits – c.1980

UMBC also owns the Hughes Company Cirkut Negatives Collection, comprised of 457 panoramic views taken between 1916 and 1949, including Baltimore and surrounding areas, industrial parks, military installations, city skylines, group portraits, trains, and much more. Items can be viewed at Special Collections. A printed finding aid is available, as well as exhibit catalogs from the 1986 exhibition, Extended Views of Maryland: Hughes Company Panoramic Photographs, Special Collections, Bafford Collection, TR661 .A53 1986

"The bulk of the approximately 3,000 images UMBC received depict Baltimore and environs, street scenes, promotional and advertising photographs, businesses, churches, schools, monuments, factories, machinery, portraits and signs. The photographs were created circa 1905-1940 and were made with an 8x10 inch view camera."

The photographs presented in this digital collection include scans of photographic prints taken in Baltimore, circa 1940-1980

The Baltimore Public Works photographs include lantern slides, stereoviews, and glass negatives of Baltimore City circa 1890-1930. Subjects include political campaign advertisements, public works, city improvements, architecture, streetscapes, factory work, waterways, and military forts.