When I married my husband, I dreaded the thought of moving into his home in the city. Coming from the county, in my naïve mind, the city was the land of no parking, and no dog parks. I soon learned that I was mistaken. I now jokingly refer to Hampden as “City Light,” in the sense that there is always parking and it's safer and quieter than many other areas of the city. The biggest perk for me was finding Wyman Park; a stunning creek-cut park with wooded trails and open fields unlike other in the city. Wyman Park, only blocks away, is a wonderful place to walk dogs in an overall very dog friendly neighborhood. I quickly found myself fascinated with eccentricity of the area and took up photography just to capture the flavor of the neighborhood. A few of the photos from my extensive collection are featured in this post.
We are looking to move in hopes of growing our family; it is bittersweet decision for us. As our house has been on the market we have found that we are competing with flipped row homes with a generic cookie cutter look to them. I truly believe, and not because it is my house, that our home is the most unique and distinctive in Hampden, and in the perfect location.
Unlike most homes in Hampden, our house is a single family home with a lovely wrap around porch. It is great for drinks, reading or simply people watching. The entire yard is fenced. The secluded rear portion is complete with a pond, garden, and a large patio. There is also a detached Garage/Shed.
Our house was built in the 1880s holding an abundance of history. We have multiple entryways to gain access to the house. In the early 1900s the first floor suite was used as a doctor's office. Today we use the large sunroom as an office and the attached room for entertaining. This space was previously used as a guest suite complete with a private entrance.
The Dining Room features a gorgeous bay window overlooking a pond and patio. There are built in benches below the windows that open to a spacious storage area. Handmade upholstered bench cushions are stored inside.
In the basement there are artifacts left from previous owners. Such items include an antique Singer Sewing machine and a cast iron safe, both likely from the early 1900’s. We recently came across a sheet of plaster with a note left by a former owner (photo below). All of these artifacts will come with the house, because you are not just buying a house, you are buying a piece of history. There are some small etchings in the wood of the basement wall which add additional character.
Hampden is undoubtingly the most unique neighborhood in Baltimore. It was recently featured in Forbes Magazine boasting it's charm. Hampden’s “Avenue” is known for its independently / locally owned stores, antique shops, Spas and Yoga Studios, many of Baltimore's best restaurants, and several coffee shops. Our home is centrally located one block from "The Avenue."
And to make city living even sweeter, there is a weekend Farmer's Market that runs from May through December right around the corner.
To add to it's charm, a mysterious group of knitters knits sweaters on trees and poles during the Fall and Winter months.
Most notably, Hampden is the home of the world famous, "Miracle on 34th Street", which is consistently voted one of the best Christmas Displays in the Nation. The display attracts approximately 100,000 visitors from all over the country annually and is also one of the most entertaining New Years Eve displays in all of the city.
Café Hon, a Hampden staple. Every year the owner hosts the annual Hon-Fest; a spectacle not to be missed. The event features a variety of vendors as well as a "Miss Hon" pageant where people compete for the best dressed "Hon." This typically consists of a 60's beehive hairdo, colorful eye shadow, spandex pants, and leopard print clothing. According to the Hon-Fest Website, in recent years, the festival has been acknowledged by The New York Times, Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels, Nightly News with Brian Williams, The New York Post, Southern Living, The LA Times, HGTV, CNN, and just this April by The New Yorker.” For more information about Hon-Fest: (http://www.honfest.net/whatis.html)
Two blocks north, The Rotunda is being renovated to include a luxury movie theatre, 130,00 square feet of retail space, 1100 parking spaces, office space, 379 luxury appts, and a MOM's Organic Grocery Store. For more information, click on the links below.
A little history…
Per Wikipedia, “Hampden received perhaps its most prominent nationwide exposure in 1999, when Baltimore native John Waters filmed his movie Pecker there. Starring Hollywood actors like Edward Furlong, Christina Ricci, Martha Plimpton, and Lili Taylor, the film depicted a very elaborate & fictional view of Hampden and a young Hampden resident's dream to escape it.
Additionally, the novelist Philipp Meyer grew up on Hampden's 36th Street during the late 1970s and 1980s; much of his novel American Rust was reportedly influenced by his childhood there.”
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