Pigtown:All Things Baltimore

Baltimore call itself a City of Neighborhoods. Each and every one of these neighborhoods contributes to Baltimore as a whole. Some things about Baltimore are good while others aren't so good. One thing about Baltimore is that despite the bad press, it's trying harder than ever to become a world class self sustained American City.
Now what makes Baltimore Baltimore? The following list of is a combination of Baltimore's assets and challenges in no particular order. Gentrification, redevelopment, crabs, Babe Ruth, John Waters, Bee Hive Hairdos, Ethnic Population, Black Population, narrow row homes, vacant lots and buildings, crime, sanitation, drugs, prostitution, Corner Stores, Underground Punk Rock Scene, Proud of its quirky history, low High School Enrollment, rotting industrial buildings, Population influx, Population living in the same place for generations, and Marble front steps. Good or bad, this is Baltimore, home to 640,000 residents from Violetville to Lauraville. Now what if there were a neighborhood that was a micro organism for Baltimore as a whole? Well guess what? I've found one; for better or worse it's Pigtown: All Things Baltimore.
Pigtown got its name from the Pigs who ran the streets from the B&O Railroad Station to the many Slaughter Houses that graced the neighborhood. Not all Pigs made it there though, residents were known to snatch one up for dinner. Lately gentrification has de emphasized Pigtown's history thinking its name would turn perspective residents away. They thought "Washington Village" was more fitting. A true Baltimoron, would turn their nose at such a notion and embrace their quirky and proud to call Pigtown Home. Residents still celebrate their history with their annual "running of the pigs" it's exactly what it sounds like.The Corner Store and Watering Hole once was the principal source of neighborhood retail for Baltimore. Baltimore has largely abandoned this but Pigtown, with a few scattered exceptions has kept this tradition alive. If you look and listen closely in Pigtown, you may stumble upon an Underground Punk Rock Scene. This is a little known fact about Charm City but lots of Baltimore's diverse working class neighborhoods house some of tomorrow's budding Punk Rockers. Although born in Ridgley's Delight, Babe Ruth roamed the streets of Pigtown before being forced into St. Marys. John Waters credits Pigtown for keeping its quirky spirit alive and can be seen at SoWeBohemian Arts Festival where the number of BeeHive Hairdos give Hampden's "Hunfest" a run for its money.
Baltimore's housing stock is diverse however, the narrow 2 bedroom 1 bath row home reigns king. This is especially true in Pigtown. If you go to Baltimore and all you see are luxury condos, step away from the Harbor into Pigtown, and pretty much any other neighborhood that isn't "on the water." Although some have been demolished due to extreme blight and neglect Pigtown has vacant row homes that are in much better structural shape than its peers. Could this be your new home? You'd be surprised what a little elbow grease can amcomplish, just any Pigtown resident who's done a complete row house rehab they're easy to find.
Not all Pigs fly in Pigtown. It still struggles with Vacant Buildings, Homicides, Public Health, and low High School Enrollment. This mirrors Baltimore's largest struggles and is not being taken lightly. In an effort to deter crime Pigtown has organized "nights out", neighborhood watch, and Citizens on Patrol. Public Health and Low High School haven't been as successful with drug use and prostitution still rampant on the streets of Pigtown. The two go hand and hand unfortunately. Baltimore has been phasing out traditional High Schools including Southwestern where Pigtown was in the attendance area of. The City is banking on the fact that "Smaller Learning Communities" that emphasize Career finding and Magnet Programs that appeal to students will curb the City's high drop out rate. So far Baltimore's dropout rate is falling which menas that its graduation rate is climbing. Pigtown's drawing power is slowly solving the problem of vacant homes and store fronts.The racial makeup of Pigtown is one Baltimore's most diverse. According to the 2000 Census Pigtown was 49% White, 45% Black 4% Asian 1% Hispanic. Today, I beileve Pigtown to be 43% White 51% Black 5% Asian 2% Hispanic It's more White than and less Black than Baltimore as a whole but boasts one of Baltimore's largest Asian Populations. It's right in line with Baltimore as far as the Hispanic population goes. Pigtown is not a victim of White Flight. Pigtown's Population influx includes new White residents. On the flip side Pigtown has Black residents who have lived there for generations.In the form of gentrification in Pigtown, it came with the development of the Camden Crossing town home development. Although successful, it doesn't quite coincide with the traditional row home development of Pigtown. Camden Crossing however, is graced with tree lined streets, the homes are wider, many with two car garages. Camden Crossing is known as a "Brownfields" redevelopment site as it was built on former industrial land.
Gentrification isn't confined to Camden Crossing alone. Washington Bulevard has been designated as a "Main Street" which has brought new businesses into Pigtown. The above photo shows how close Pigtown is to Downtown. This proximity shows that Pigtown can capture potential Harbor Dwellers who prefer a traditional Urban Neighborhood like Pigtown.
This post shows how Pigtown has made amazing strides in the past several years and how Baltimore, the City of Neighborhoods has a microorganism known as Pigtown whose attributes mirror that of the City and 640,000 of its residents. Pigtown is truly All Things Baltimore.