Endangered Maryland 2009

10. UPTON MANSION Starting out as a Greek Revival country house for a prominent attorney, Upton Mansion once served as headquarters of Maryland’s oldest radio station (WCAO); home to the Baltimore Institute of Musical Arts (the only accredited music school south of Juilliard open to African Americans); and as a public school building for the city school system, says nominator Johns Hopkins of Baltimore Heritage Inc. “Now in the middle of a very urban part of west Baltimore and no longer sitting alone on a country estate,” says Hopkins, “the proven adaptability of this rare surviving 19th-century house makes it a hopeful anchor for the Lafayette Square and Harlem Park historic neighborhood in West Baltimore.” The City of Baltimore has owned and used the building for educational purposes since 1955. And the building has been under the purview of the Housing Department after the Department of Education moved out in 2006. Unfortunately, vandalism and neglect threaten the structure. The original ironwork was stolen in 2006; in 2007, vandals removed plumbing and electrical wiring, damaging interior walls. “Upton Mansion is so interesting and important because, in many ways, it is Baltimore in miniature,” says Hopkins. “In one building, it tells the story of how Baltimore has changed over the last 200 years.” “The Upton neighborhood is filled with a rich history, and the Upton Mansion being recognized as a historical site is an exciting triumph for this community,” adds Paul Graziano, Baltimore housing commissioner. “Our ultimate goal for the mansion would be to see it restored for community use.” The Baltimore Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation nominated the building to the city’s historic-landmark list last year. Ongoing effort by the city and concerned citizens is needed to find new and continuous uses for this rare property, says Hopkins.

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10 New Sites Worth Saving Endangered Maryland 2009 Meet the Endangered Maryland Selection Committee 1. Brumbaugh-Kendle-Grove Farmstead 2. Falkland Apartments 3. Friendship Hall Linwood Village 4. Handsell 5. High Winds Gun Club 7. The Mechanic Theatre 8. Mount Nebo African Methodist Episcopal Church 9. St. Patrick's Catholic Church 10. Upton Mansion Historical Community Awards Endangered Maryland 2008 Update

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