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| ..............................Bridges Around Baltimore Baltimore City has plenty of old bridges, many of which are still standing and still being used for traffic. Below, the Mt Vernon Water Pumping station sits at the foot of the 29th Street bridge ( built in 1937 ) , a thruway that connects East and West Baltimore across the Jones Falls Valley. Photo #2, to the right, shows that same scene in 2006. The Jones Falls Expressway, built in the 1960's, has really changed the view. While the 29th Street bridge is still clearly visible, you can hardly see the Mt Vernon Water pumping station , which peeks out from under the Expressway. Updated -2010 - |
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...............The 29th Street Bridge, crossing over the Jones Falls Valley. Just to the South of it is the newer 28th Street Bridge. |
| Another bridge to cross the Jones Falls
was the St. Paul Street Bridge. This view , below
, is looking south on St. Paul Street from Mount Royal Avenue, over
the Jones Falls . The building directly behind the bridge is the Mt
Royal Hotel, on Mount Royal Avenue, which is still standing
. The ornate bridge has long since been replaced and redecked to
a much plainer bridge for Calvert Street traffic. Below are two other
postcard shots of the old bridge in different contrasts.
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| ..Looking northwest at Baltimore's St.
Paul Street Bridge, with the old Union Train Station in the
background. Over the years, reconstruction projects have created
a less ornate bridge, and the ladies have been moved. The lady to
the right currently resides just to the west of the Jones Falls
Expressway, on Mt Royal Terrace, and just north of North Avenue,
only a few blocks from where she started from on St. Paul Street. |
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| One block to the West of the St
Paul Street Bridge , was the Calvert Street Bridge ( Built
in 1880 ) . The ladies on this bridge are replaced
by lions. The bridge has long since been replaced and the lions, or atleast
a few of them, currently reside in a park in Bolton Hill. .................................................................................... 
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...............................................Baltimore's Calvert Street Bridge, looking southbound towards Mount Royal Avenue. |
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The Cedar Avenue Bridge leading east
out of Druid Hill Park. The Jones Falls Valley has more or
less become the Jones Falls Expressway, and the old Cedar Avenue Bridge was
torn down years ago. Included here are four old postcard views of
the old bridge. |
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Edmondson Avenue Bridge, crossing
the Gwynns Falls in West Baltimore. |
| A gloomy 1913 view
of the Fallsway Viaduct. It appears to have been replaced by the
bottom end by the Jones Falls Expressway. Check out the Kilduffs
page on Monuments for more on the Fallsway Monument. When the Fallsway
was built, it replaced the need for 12 older bridges, and spanned from
Mount Royal Avenue to Baltimore Street , covering up the Jones Falls ,
which had become a open sewer and very prone to flooding. See Kilduffs page on Monuments for more on the Fallsway. ....................................................................... 
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One of my Favorite Baltimore bridges,
the old Hanover Street bridge ( Built in 1916 ) . The bridge
looks very much like this old postcard view today.( The water isn't
quite as clean though ) Before the Hanover Street Bridge was built, this
channel of the Patapsco River was crossed over by a span known as the " Long
Bridge " which was built in 1868 . In it's early days, it was a toll
bridge, described as a " mile of driven piles and timber girders ,
where families would often go to picnic on, fish, or watch the rowers
from the nearby boat clubs. In later years, the State took over the bridge
and passage was free. Sections of " Long Bridge " were visible for years after
it was taken down,and the old bridge went from the end of Light Street to
Acton's Park in Brooklyn. |
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...........................................................................A night shot of Baltimore's Hanover Street Bridge. |
| Over the years,
the old Howard Street bridge ( Built in 1938 )
has carried a lot of traffic into the downtown area. Many of the
bridges over the JFX ( Jones Falls Expressway ) have been replaced
or repaired so that the old charm has been lost. Not so with the
Howard Street Bridge . For years it was painted in some wild colors,
and the Mayor of Baltimore even had a contest to pick a new paint
scheme a few years back after the bridge completed a major overall. |
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....................................................................................Baltimore's Howard Street Bridge - postcard view. |
| Orleans Street
Viaduct Built in 1936 Upon opening - known as the Bath Street Viaduct ........ 
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.............Over the years, I have read different accounts of the the opening of the Orleans Street Viaduct. Many thought the idea was a good one, a pass over the Jones Fall Valley and the train yards that had been there. Others complained of the added expense of the project and whether or not it served any purpose.While the train tracks and stations are no longer there, the Orleans Street Vaiduct is still used and remains the most popular way to get from East Baltimore to Downtown and West, avoiding much of the traffic congestion. ........................................................... 
...........................A post card view of the Orleans Street Viaduct, with the Preston Gardens seen in the foreground. |
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