Parks in Baltimore Maryland Bay Shore Park , Carlins, Clifton, Druid Hill , Electric Park, Gwynn Oak

Kilduffs Park Page is not intended as a history of Baltimore Parks. It is simply a look at some of the material I have come across over the years which I thought people might enjoy looking at. As always, your comments are welcome !

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Updated 10-24-2009

Bay Shore Park

Before Baltimoreans traveled to Ocean City and the Atlantic Ocean Resorts, a day at the beach would often mean visiting one of the Chesapeake Bay Beaches or parks. Located in Eastern Most Baltimore County was Bay Shore Park, 30 acres of land , which included a pier jutting out on the water, where a hot summer day could be cooled by the Bay breezes. The park had a pier for the steamboats coming out of Baltimore City, and a streetcar line also ran down to the Park . The Park opened in 1906 , and was sold to Bethlem Steel in 1947 and torn down ( So the competition could not buy the property ) . One of the more popular rides was the " People Dipper ", a ride that was actually located in the Bay's waters, and would swing around and dip the riders into the water. The rides were moved to a new park around 1950, on Bay Island Beach, in which Bethlehem Steel again bought that site in 1964, and closed same. What was left of the that old park burned down a few years later.

............................................................ Baltimore's Bay Shore Park

.......................... .............. ...... ..............................................................Postcard View ......................Bay Shore Park Casino I'm not quite sure what would go on at the Bay Shore Park Casino, one of several structures on the site. All the structures were built to allow for Bay views with large porches and stairways.	............................. ........... Here are several old postcard views I have found of the railroad station at Bay Shore Park. For a detailed account of the old park and railway line, check out Adam's Baltimore Ghost site.
............... ..............................................................Postcard View ............... Bay Shore Park from the sky, Baltimore, Md.	............................................... ...........................................................................Program from Kilduffs Collection Program for Baltimore events with Bay Shore Park Salt Water Swimming on front.

...................................................... Baltimore's bay Shore Park

.................... .............................................. Postcard View ................................... Bay Shore Park Pavilion A night shot postcard of the Bay Shore Park Pavilion, circa the 1920's.	............. . ..........................................................................................................Postcard View .................................................... Bay Shore Park Merry Go Round An old postcard view of the Bay Shore Park Merry Go Round. The old merry Go Round has been gone now for many years.
..................... ... ..................................................................Postcard View ........................................................................Bay Shore Park Pier This is the pier where the steamboats would bring the crowds from Baltimore City. I have added several more postcards of the old pier , as seen below.	............

........................................................ Baltimore's Bay Shore Park

.................... ......................................................................Postcard View	.................................... .....................................................Newspaper ad ..........Old newspaper ad for the Bay Shore Park - Circa 1921
................. .............................................The Pier, Bay Shore Park	.............. ............................ Daytime view of the Moving Picture Pavilion. When movies were first shown to the public, they created quite a stir. Movie houses were popping up everywhere and Bay Shore Park even had a Moving Picture Pavilion to capture the excitement of a public that just couldn't get enough of the early films.

........................................................... Baltimore Bay Shore Park Pier

..........	.................. ....... Bay breezes, swimming, amusements, a trolley ride out of the City, were all part of Bay Shore Park. Gardens were set up with fountains and these was of course a band stand as well, as seen above. Below, the bowling alleys can be seen .
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............................................................... Baltimore's Bay Shore Park

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................................................................................... Bay Shore Park Baltimore

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Carroll Park
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.................................................. Baltimore's Carroll Park

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Carroll Park Baltimore Mansion Living Room

Carlin's Park

Below is a collection of old postcards of Baltimore's Carlin's Park. Located in Northwest Baltimore City, on the northwestern corner of Reisterstown Road and Druid Park Avenue ( commonly known as Park Circle ), the park operated until the 1950's, when it was closed and later converted into Carlin's Drive In Theatre, the only Drive In Theatre within the Baltimore City Limits. The Drive In also closed down by the 1970's and the site is a mix of industrial and businesses today.

................... A look at the Midway of Carlin's Park. This is how the intersection of Druid Park and Reisterstown Road looked for years. The site was later converted into a Drive In Movie Theatre, and after the Drive In Theatre closed in the 1970's, the site was parceled out for businesses. Passing by the area today, one could never tell of the history that was once found on this site.	............
.......................... Two postcards of the same area in Carlin's Park, showing the rides. I almost think they dressed up the earlier postcard on the left and brightened it up for the later postcard, which seems much more colorful and inviting.	....

............................................................................................... Carlins Roller Park Baltimore

.............................	................ When dancing became big in the 1950's, Carlin's Park was hosting all night dance contests. Roller Skating was also popular at the old park.
.......................... Flying around in circles on the airplane ride. In the distance, you can see Park Heights Avenue.	................... Once again traveling around and around in circles, this time on the teacup ride.

............................................................................................... Carlins Park Baltimore

....... ..............	.................................... Ads for Carlin's in the 1920's played off the theme of " Jack" and " All work and no play ". Carlin's offered plenty of entertainment, and would even host traveling shows, including opera.
..................... The entranceway to Carlin's Park in the 1920's.	............................................ Commercially sponsored events and attractions, such as this one brought to you by White's Big Tip=Top Bread, where if you checked your loaf of bread very carefully, you might just find a free ticket getting you into either Carlin's Liberty Heights Park or Riverview Park .

......................................................................... Carlins Park Site today

The Carlin's site today. A mix of industrial use and businesses, and not a trace of the old Amusement Park or Drive In exists today. It's hard to believe that this address was once the location of such a park in Baltimore City. Below, you can see the same view from, circa the 1920's.

......................................................................... Carlins Park Baltimore

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... ........ ........... The Carlin's Park pool, as seen in a old postcard.	............................... At the end of it's run, Carlin's became a drive in movie theatre, the only Drive in I can find within the City Limits.

Carlin's Liberty Heights Park ads, circa 1921. " Continuous Dancing " to the music of the " Famous Louisiana Five and Mata's Tropical Marimba Band " were offered in addition to the " Colossal Midway " ( pictured above ), the Tokio Gardens, and 25 attractions with thrilling rides, swings, racers and Dips.

.......................................................................... Carlinjs Park Baltimore

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Below, an drawing found in the Eastern High School yearbook from the 1920's, with an honorable mention for Carlin's Skating .

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........... Carlins Liberty Park Baltimore

Clifton Park

Clifton Park isn't quite an amusement park, but is a City Park in East Baltimore which has several interesting historical areas within. Lake Clifton, the old East Baltimore reservoir was filled in years ago, and a High School built on the location. A look at old Baltimore maps clearly shows the old water way. Across from the lake, to the West, you will find the outdoor theatre, seen to the lower right , which still stands, but not quite in the condition seen in this picture.
................................................................. Clifton Park Fountain Baltimore

Below Left, is the " Roman Gates " to the park, and I'm not sure if they exist anymore or not . A reminder of the old lake is the pumping building, long since vacant and waiting for someone to come rescue it, as seen in the photo below right.

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Druid Hill Park
Baltimore, Maryland
Druid Hill Park has changed a lot over the past 100 hundred years, after the formal decication of Druid Hill Park on October 19, 1860, but out of all the parks in town, it has retained much of it's character as well. Even today (2009) the park remains the gathering spot of many people on weekends, although boating and sheep watching are now out of the picture. The boat lake is still there, although overgrown and in need of repair.

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........................................................... Druid Hill Park Baltimore

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.......................................................... Tennis Courts Druid Hill Park Baltimore

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Electric Park
Belvedere at Reisterstown Road
................................................................ Electric Park Baltimore

Electric Park was an early amusement park, which started out as a trotting track , located in the Northwest section of Baltimore City. The park was razed around 1915, and development since then has completely erased any traces of the old park. The postcard to the right shows the park around 1907. A trolley pulled up right to the gate of the Park, and light bulbs were used to light up the Park at night, a new curiosity in the early 1900's. The park, which started out as a trotting track, had rides, fountains, a theatre, and various amusements. In 1909, a airship launched from Electric Park and flew to downtown Baltimore, having a bit of a crash landing on a roof of a downtown business. Electric Park boasted 24 rides, including a carousel, 2 roller coasters, swimming pool, boat lake, vaudeville, band concerts, and the cyclorama of the Johnstown Flood, seen below .

.................................................... Baltimore's Electric Park

...............	.................................. ...... .........................................................................................Postcard Views
.	.................. Electric Park had a building where the flood of Johnstown Pa was recreated.

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.......	.... ...............................................................................................Postcard View
.......	.......................... Same location seen in above postcard, circa 2007, and bottom 1910. ..........................

Enchanted Forest
Ellicott City, Maryland

The Enchanted Forest opened in the mid 1950's, 15 miles west of baltimore City on Rt 40 west, and the park lasted for years, up until at least the 1980's, when it closed and the site became a shopping center. Some parts of the old park exist still. The park was a kiddie park, which rides for younger kids, in a fairy book style theme......
............................................................. Enchanted Forest Baltimore

..................................................Entrance to the Enchanted Forest - Ellicott City Maryland, Postcard View

About 15 miles West of Baltimore, on U.S. Rt 40, from the mid 1950's to about the late 1980's, a good local place to take the kids was the Enchanted Forest. The castle above was the main entrance to the park.
............................................... Enchanted Forest Baltimore

.......................................... ........When the park first opened, kids were .50 and adults $1.	....................... ...................................................The Crooked Old House
........................ ...........................................................Teacup Ride	...................... .........................................Peter Pumpkin Eater House

......................... .............The Old Woman in a Shoe , which was actually a sliding board.	..................... ......................................................Little Toot Boat Ride
....... ......................Hansel and Gretel's House, then and now.	..........
........... ....................................Humpty Dumpty	............ ............................................Mother Goose

............ Enchanted Forest Baltimore Whale

............................................The Whale

................. Enchanted Forest Pigs House

......................................................Three Pigs

................................................. Enchanted Forest Baltimore

................... Mt Venivus Enchanted Forest Baltimore

.......................................Mt Venivus

............ chapel in the woods Enchanted Forest Baltimore

..........................Chapel in the Woods

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....................................Little Red Riding Hood

........... Snow White Enchanted Forest Baltimore

.............................Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

............................................................... Three Bears Enchanted Forest Balltimore

...........................................................................................Three Bears House

Federal Hill
Baltimore, Maryl
FederalFederal Hill is the park , just to the South of Baltimore's Inner Harbor, which allows for a great view of the City skyline.

......... Federal Hill Baltimore 1908

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..... Federal Hill Baltimore

...............................Postcard Views

Frederick Road Park

There isn't a lot written on Frederick Road Park. It appears to have been in the Irvington Area of Frederick Road, and I'm still looking for an exact address. The ads are from the the 1920's.
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Gallagher Park
The Alameda & Loch Raven Blvd.

The fountain on the right is located just south of Loch Raven on the Alameda, in a small park. From what I can find, the park opened in 1954, by his sons, and Edward J. Gallagher was a developer who built homes in the area. If you have more information, please tell us !

.......................................................................... Gallagher Park Baltimore

Gywnn Oak Park

Another of the amusement parks in Baltimore, Gywnn Oak Park could be found on Gywnn Oak Avenue in Northwest Baltimore, between the City County Live and Woodlawn. The Park has been gone since 1974, partly due to Huricane Agnes damage. Adam has a great page on the old park. The park was serviced by streetcar lines, and has rides which included the Ferris Wheel, Looper, Moon Rocket, Flying Scooter, and Dodgem Cars. The park was also popular for picnics.

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........................ ......................................................................................................................Postcard Views Gwynn Oak Park was developed around the Gywnns Falls, which in the 1970's , flooded over and took away what was left of the old park.	............ ..........................................................................................................Postcard View A tightrope walker entertains the crowds in this postcard of Gywnn Oak Park, circa the 1910's .
\\\\\\\\\\\\\......... Postcard View ................................................................. Merry Go Round, Gwynn Oak Park	..

............................................................. Gywnn Oak Maryland

..................... Above, a map shows the location of Gwynn Oak Park. In the 1950's, coupon books allowed for discounted rides, as seen on the right.	........... .......................................................................................................................................................Postcard View On a hot summer day, there was nothing like a open air street car ride out of the City to Gwynn's Oak Park , to enjoy the park and amusement rides.
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Lincoln Beach
................................................. Lincoln Beach Baltimore 1938

.......................................................................Lincoln Beach , South Baltimore 1938

Love Point
I have more coming
................................................. Love Point Maryland

Patterson Park Baltimore Maryland. ........................................ Patterson Park is a large park , just off of Eastern Avenue in East Baltimore. The park is still there, and enjoyed by many in East Baltimore. The pond in the park has recently been restocked and once again you can fish there.	. . .............
......... ............................. The Conservatory of Patterson Park - Postcard View I get alot of questions on this one. Yes, there was a conservatory in Patterson Park. There were also conservatories in Carroll Park ( Southwest Baltimore ) ,Clifton Park ( Northeast Baltimore ), and of course Druid Hill Park ( Northwest Baltimore ) . The Patterson Park Conservatory was torn down in the late 1940's.	.............. The old Casino Building - in Patterson Park - a old dance hall being converted into a senior center.
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River View Park
Baltimore, Maryland.

Riverview Park opened as Lowrey's Place, a beer garden, which later named itself Point Breeze. By 1898, the beer garden made way for the RiverView Amusement park, which last to 1929, when it was torn down for the building of the Western Electric's Point Breeze plant. Riverview was said to have been one of Baltimore's more popular parks back in the day, with good rides and good food. It 's knickname for years was the " Coney Island of the South". As seen in the postcards below, Riverview had quite an entranceway, and over the years, the park survived several fires.

................................................................. Riverview Park Baltimore

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.................................................... Riverview Park Baltimore

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Below, the train that rode through part of the park. To the right, Western Electric Building that was built on the Park Site. .......	.................

Tolchester Beach
........................................................ Tolchester Beach Maryland

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I get plenty of emails on Tolchester Park. I promise to make a more interesting
entry for this park soon.

Wonderland Park

Still working on this one. Found in a old Baltimore City News Paper

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Wyman Park
Baltimore Maryland.

Wyman Park is a quiet strip of land that divides Hampden from Hopkins. The area hasn't been developed , until recently , and the best part of the park is Stony Run, that runs through the middle of the Park. ( See photo left )
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Wyman Park Drive ( See below left ) is a cut through from Remington to University Parkway. For years, it was a neat drive , if only for a mile or two, where you felt you were no longer in the City, but far out on a country drive . A winding road, where trees once towered over you from both sides, has seen development by The Johns Hopkins University slowly developing the tract. While Hopkins has attempted to keep the buildings from destroying the ride, the feeling of being far away from the City has been lost.

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..................................................................Postcard View

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I Wonder Park
2100 S. ( ?? ) Clinton Street

A small 1/2 acre park, located on Clinton Street . Opened around 1901, by 1941 it was gone.

Did we miss a park ? Please let us know. KilduffsTheatreIndex@gmail.com (( I am working on material sent in by several emailers on others parks )
Updated 2-7-2010

We would love to hear from you and hear what you think of this page or anything on Kilduffs. Did we miss something, or is there something you remember that we could add to the site ? Please email us -
We heard from plenty of people on this subject , thank you. Working on information and plan to add these soon : Avon Park - Halethorpe area park. City Springs Park Darley Park - in the area of Belair and Harford Roads Herring Run Park Lakeside Park - small park near Lake Roland - a few rides. Long gone. Leakin Park Hollywood Park ( Essex ) Liberty Park ( Essex ) I Wonder Park ( Clinton Street ) Hollywood Park - ( Essex ) Back River Homewood Park ( Johns Hopkins University area - 1890's ) Jack Flood's Park - to the South. Johnny Jump Hill - in the area of present day Dolphin Street and Mt Royal Avenue. ( Late 1880's ) Liberty Park - ( Essex ) Back River Area Ridgewood Park - 1892 -located near the site of the Mount Holly Casino , it only had a few rides and apparently had very poor access. It may also have been near the Mt Holly Inn, which burned down in 1920. ShoreLine Park - South Baltimore - Broening Park / Cherry Hill ( included two smaller parks - Meeter's Park ( Brooklyn ) and Klein's Park ( Cherry Hill ) Jack Flood's Park ( Anne Arundel County )	Like the Page ? There's much more on Kilduffs !