““To promote the material and moral To promote the material and moral welfare of the community”welfare of the community”

Neighborhood Improvement Associations in Neighborhood Improvement Associations in Baltimore, Maryland, 1900 – 1945Baltimore, Maryland, 1900 – 1945

Geoff BuckleyGeoff Buckley

Department of GeographyDepartment of Geography

Ohio UniversityOhio University

Neighborhood Improvement and Neighborhood Improvement and Protection AssociationsProtection Associations

occupied a prominent position in the decision-making occupied a prominent position in the decision-making hierarchy prior to comprehensive city zoninghierarchy prior to comprehensive city zoning

adept at attracting amenities to the neighborhood, while adept at attracting amenities to the neighborhood, while discouraging unwanted land usesdiscouraging unwanted land uses

approximately 70 ca. 1910approximately 70 ca. 1910

reinforced patterns of segregationreinforced patterns of segregation

Mayor J. Barry Mahool (fourth from left)was a proponent of Baltimore’s segregation ordinance.

Mount Washington (ca. 1900)Mount Washington (ca. 1900)

““A Place for Boys. . . . A boy in a good neighborhood, A Place for Boys. . . . A boy in a good neighborhood, with social equals for his chosen friends, may, as it were, with social equals for his chosen friends, may, as it were, be turned loose in the country, yet when so turned loose, be turned loose in the country, yet when so turned loose, is far more under his parents’ eyes, than in the streets of is far more under his parents’ eyes, than in the streets of a great city. They know who he goes with, they know a great city. They know who he goes with, they know where he goes, they know, approximately, what he is where he goes, they know, approximately, what he is doing, and for him the country is full of healthy interests doing, and for him the country is full of healthy interests and excitement. . . . You owe it to your children to bring and excitement. . . . You owe it to your children to bring them up where nature intended they should grow up.”them up where nature intended they should grow up.”

““After listening to a delegation After listening to a delegation from the from the Peabody Heights Peabody Heights Improvement AssociationImprovement Association at at the City Hall yesterday the City Hall yesterday afternoon, Mayor Preston afternoon, Mayor Preston announced that he would get announced that he would get behind a bill authorizing the behind a bill authorizing the appointment of a city forester, appointment of a city forester, and giving the municipality and giving the municipality control over the planting, care control over the planting, care and removal of shade trees and removal of shade trees on streets within the city on streets within the city limits. . . .”limits. . . .”

- Baltimore Morning Sun- Baltimore Morning Sun, 17 February , 17 February 19121912

Mayor Preston was a proponent of the street tree ordinance.

Peabody HeightsPeabody Heights

April 10, 1922April 10, 1922

““The question was raised as to what the zoning The question was raised as to what the zoning regulations may do in regard to segregation. Mr. Norris regulations may do in regard to segregation. Mr. Norris stated that no valid law can be enacted to effect stated that no valid law can be enacted to effect segragation [sic], but the segragation [sic], but the property owners in any section property owners in any section may by contractual agreement bind themselves not to may by contractual agreement bind themselves not to sell to a negrosell to a negro. The sentiment was expressed that . The sentiment was expressed that protection was needed against invasion of the protection was needed against invasion of the neighborhood by so-called “kike” Jews as well as by neighborhood by so-called “kike” Jews as well as by negroes.”negroes.”

South Baltimore (ca. 1938)South Baltimore (ca. 1938)

Much of the effort “to promote sports for children . . . has been Much of the effort “to promote sports for children . . . has been accomplished under great handicaps. South Baltimore has felt the accomplished under great handicaps. South Baltimore has felt the need for additional recreational facilities for many years. . . . Each year need for additional recreational facilities for many years. . . . Each year thousands of children flock to these places and thousands of children flock to these places and it is to be regretted that it is to be regretted that many of them have great distances to walk before reaching an area many of them have great distances to walk before reaching an area that is safe for playthat is safe for play..

This condition is true to even a greater extent with the colored children. This condition is true to even a greater extent with the colored children. South Baltimore offers very meager facilities for the Negro youthSouth Baltimore offers very meager facilities for the Negro youth. The . The public school yards are too small to allow participation in the usual public school yards are too small to allow participation in the usual activities and are most unattractive.” activities and are most unattractive.”

With regard to “indoor centers”: “Here again, With regard to “indoor centers”: “Here again, the Negro youth finds the Negro youth finds himself without adequate recreation spacehimself without adequate recreation space.”.”

HOLC (ca. 1938)HOLC (ca. 1938)

HOLC - B2 (Mount Washington)HOLC - B2 (Mount Washington)

HOLC - C4/B16 (Peabody Heights)HOLC - C4/B16 (Peabody Heights)

HOLC - C5/D4 (Mount Royal)HOLC - C5/D4 (Mount Royal)

HOLC - D5 (South Baltimore)HOLC - D5 (South Baltimore)

"The belated introduction of suitable "The belated introduction of suitable parks might be a very important and parks might be a very important and valuable element in a sound general valuable element in a sound general program of rehabilitation, intelligently and program of rehabilitation, intelligently and realistically directed toward salvaging realistically directed toward salvaging such districts and reconverting them into such districts and reconverting them into really satisfactory and attractive really satisfactory and attractive residential communities . . . But, in the residential communities . . . But, in the face of wide-spread uncertainty about face of wide-spread uncertainty about the future trends of a district, random and the future trends of a district, random and uncoordinated expenditures of a few uncoordinated expenditures of a few hundred thousand dollars here and a few hundred thousand dollars here and a few more there, intended to benefit a more there, intended to benefit a diminishing population, the future diminishing population, the future distribution of which no one now has a distribution of which no one now has a sound basis for estimating, is far too sound basis for estimating, is far too liable to be an extravagant and futile liable to be an extravagant and futile gesture.  gesture.  Certainly it is a very risky Certainly it is a very risky venture in which to invest trust funds venture in which to invest trust funds when a safer one that is entirely when a safer one that is entirely appropriate is clearly availableappropriate is clearly available."."

Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. toFrederick Law Olmsted, Jr. toTheodore Marburg (letter datedTheodore Marburg (letter datedJuly 12, 1939)July 12, 1939)