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Northeast Baltimore

Photo Credit: LiveBaltimore.com

Northeast Baltimore is home to many historic and beautiful communities, one as welcoming as the next. Walking through this area you may feel like you stepped back in time, it’s not unusual to see neighbors talking to neighbors and enjoying each other’s company in the middle of the day.

Here in Northeast Baltimore you’ll find the quintessential city neighborhood, the ideal suburban neighborhood…you’ll even find Beverly Hills. It’s an area that has a lot to offer, including comfort and convenience.

Northeast Baltimore neighborhoods include:
Belair-Edison | Arcadia | Beverly Hills | Lauraville | Mayfield | Morgan State University | Waltherson | Westfield | Original Northwood | Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello | Ramblewood

Belair-Edison
You’ll want to stroll the sidewalks and hike the walking trails in the northeast neighborhood of Belair-Edison. This is a friendly place where neighbors know each other, where children play freely, where homeowners take pride in their neighborhood, and residents gather for family events organized by the lively community association.

This neighborhood is home to charming brick rowhouses that are built to last. These classic porchfront houses, dating from 1920 to 1950, feature french doors, hardwood floors, and stained-glass windows. Attractive plantings and landscaping make the front and backyards comfortable places to relax or visit with friends.

Belair-Edison may have more green space than any other neighborhood in the city. Not only are there 300 acres of woods, stream, and paths at Herring Run Park, but there is also an 18-hole golf course at Clifton Park. Lake Montebello, which borders the neighborhood, offers scenic views and a track for walkers and bikers

The best part about the community is that it’s only 15 minutes from downtown (yes, even during rush hour), and close to I-95, I-895, and major Baltimore institutions, including John Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins University, and Morgan State University. The main streets of Belair Road and Erdman Avenue offer a mix of restaurants, banks, drugstores, salons, and more – all within walking distance. There are also several churches, schools (public and parochial), a library, and a post office.

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Arcadia
Nestled in the northeastern corner of Baltimore, Arcadia is the neighborhood jewel of Charm City. As you travel the tree-lined streets you have the feeling that you are not in a big city anymore — here neighbors know and care about each other.

Arcadia is a community of more than 450 period homes built in the 1920s. As one of Baltimore’s most established middle-class neighborhoods, the area is noted for its unique architecture, vintage lampposts, front porches, and friendly neighbors. Residents of Arcadia range from people who have grown up in the neighborhood to an eclectic mix of those who moved here because they recognized the unique nature of this community. Arcadia is conveniently located to the downtown area, and walking distance to a variety of local restaurants, taverns, parks, and shops.

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Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills 21214 is, of course, no relation to Beverly Hills 90210. Although most Baltimore residents know the Beverly Hills in California, many aren't even aware that there is a Beverly Hills in Baltimore. In fact try and tell them where you live and they think you're joking.

Beverly Hills is situated between Lauraville and Hamilton, and it's an area rich in history. Dating back as far as the late 1800's, this area was composed of about 60 large estates, farms and a few businesses.

1993 marked the 65th year of the Beverly Hills Improvement Association, making it the oldest continually operating community association in the city. Most of the houses located here were built between 1926 and 1933; today it is still a stable neighborhood, with, a homeownership rate of about 90%. This high percentage of ownership has resulted in beautifully kept homes, safe streets and, most important, a genuine care of neighbor for neighbor.

As you drive through the slightly hilly neighborhood, you'll see a variety of architectural styles - large Victorian homes, small rowhouses and brick duplexes, Spanish style houses, cottages and single-family homes. Although the population is 27% senior citizens, the neighborhood is popular with young professionals, particularly those with children.

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Lauraville
Though today’s Lauraville was largely built up over the two decades between 1910 and 1930, the community has a history dating back at least from the late 18th Century. Early settlements were sparse and limited to a scattering of farms along the Harford Road. One of the earliest community buildings in the area was a log schoolhouse-reputedly the first in Baltimore County- that stood just outside of today’s Lauraville, approximately where Echodale and Twin Oaks Avenues meet. Traces of the schoolhouse’s foundations remained at the site until well into this century. The schoolhouse land was owned by the Read family, who also owned quarries and in the early 1800s built a grist mill along the Herring Run.

While Lauraville was built up over a period of years by various developers, most of the houses are detached, single family frame or cedar shingle structures, similar in style. The Lauraville neighborhood benefits from irregular street patterns, and from the considerable number of shade trees that the residents have striven to protect. No longer an isolated rural village, Lauraville still maintains a feel of cohesion and community spirit reminiscent of its earlier days.

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Mayfield
This area is a prized location with schools, churches, and shopping centers in close proximity. Ten minutes away are Johns Hopkins Hospital and The Johns Hopkins University, two of the largest private employers in the city.

Mayfield prides itself in maintaining beautiful, architecturally diverse homes and gardens. The styles range from colonial mansions, Victorians, 1930's style single family homes, to the graceful Tudor and colonial style duplexes and brick row homes with white marble steps. Homes are built of stone, stucco, wood and brick and include unique exterior features. Most homes have spacious yet manageable landscaped lots that provide privacy and comfort. Inside, homes contain architectural features like hardwood, inlaid floors, stained glass windows, and spacious rooms.

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Morgan State University
North of Argonne Drive between Hillen Road and Herring Run is the campus of Morgan State University. This property on Hillen Road was purchased at the end of World War I when an earlier location in West Baltimore proved to be too small. The original Morgan College was established as the Centenary Bible Institute by the Methodist Conferences of Baltimore, Washington, Wilmington and Delaware in 1867. Its mission was to train young men as Methodist ministers. In 1880 when the student body of 125 had outgrown the Saratoga Street building $18,000 was raised to complete a building in 1881. Additional donations in 1890 from Dr. Lyttleton F. Morgan, for whom the college is named, enabled the school to offer general collegiate courses. At that time the institution became known as Morgan College.

In 1935 the Federal courts ordered the State of Maryland to provide equal college education for blacks or accept them into the state-run white colleges. To meet this need the state purchased from the Methodist Church for $250,000 Morgan College, which had now moved to its present location on Hillen Road.

Today the campus covers more than 30 acres and services almost 3,000 students. A compact educational community of twenty-six academic buildings, service facilities, and residence halls, it is bisected by Cold Spring Lane into a north and south campus.
The conversion from college to university took place in the 1970s with the rapid expansion that resulted from the post-World War II "Baby Boom." Although now completely integrated, it is still predominantly a black institution. Morgan State is today continuing to expand its quality programs at the graduate level.

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Waltherson
The history of Waltherson began as the history of the little villages that sprung up near each of its corners, but our history is so much more.

Two of the area’s most distinctive landmarks are the Waltherson sign and the glassphalt paving. Both came about through the efforts of the Waltherson Improvement Association in the 1980's. Today the neighborhood remains a stable, attractive, and affordable place to live, with well-built and maintained housing stock. A study published in 1992 by a Temple University professor rated Waltherson as one of the three safe neighborhoods in Baltimore. Much credit for its continuing stability can be given to the active Citizens on Patrol program, which began in 1997, the ongoing vigor of our Improvement Association, and our coalitions with HARBEL and NOGLI, the Neighborhoods of Greater Lauraville.

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Westfield
Westfield is a quiet neighborhood featuring tree-lined streets and charming houses, situated 20 minutes from Downtown Baltimore, Towson or White Marsh. Schools, churches and the library are all within walking distance. While small eateries, food markets, a bakery and many unique shops add to the convenience and character of the neighborhood.

Houses are surprisingly affordable and range from spacious Victorians to cozy cottages. Many of the houses feature details such as stained glass, inlaid wood floors, or covered front porches.

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Original Northwood
Designated an Historic District in 1988, Original Northwood represents the largest unified collection of the architect, John A. Ahlers, whose planning for the inclusion of the natural terrain in his design, made Original Northwood among the first totally planned communities in the nation. The canopy of oaks and elms are enjoyed today as a result of Ahlers’ planning. Slate roofs are another prominent feature of the neighborhood and an additional element that helps to blend the homes with the surrounding environment.

Original Northwood is a close-knit community in which resident involvement is key. Events such as the Annual Newcomers' Party, held each September, encourage the active participation of a wide range of resident; including original occupants, retired couples, single professionals and new families. The neighborhood socials – Wine and Cheese Party, Crab Feast, Night at the Orioles' and the neighborhood activities such as the Garden Club, the Newsletter, and the Neighborhood Association help create the warm, friendly community the residents want in a home environment. At the same time, all the attractions and conveniences of downtown are just 15 minutes away.

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Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello
The large Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello community takes its name from three early nineteenth century estates. Predominantly residential in character, the neighborhood is generally composed of small and medium-sized rowhouses constructed during the first quarter of the twentieth century. A number of duplexes and early frame dwellings may still be found in the west-central portion of the community. Some commercial and industrial land use occurs along the Harford Road as well as along the community's southern border near the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad tracks. A large portion of the community is also devoted to educational use.

Although Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello contains diverse housing types constructed during the second half of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, most houses are of the daylight type built in the late 'Teens and 1920s, many by Frank Novak and by E. J. Gallagher. These two-story homes with large porches were designed so that daylight would reach all rooms. Both builders advertised the high and healthy location of the neighborhood as well as its proximity, to the Harford Avenue streetcars, City College, Clifton Park, and Lake Montebello. Other builders active in the area included the Potomac Development Company and Charles H.Steffey.

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Ramblewood
Ramblewood community is primarily an urban bedroom community. It is comprised of 660 moderately priced and well- maintained three bedroom town homes, and an apartment complex located on the southeastern boundary. The neighborhhod is conveniently located to major colleges, a golf course, an ice rink, ball fields, many private schools, and the Good Samaritan Hospital. The community also has easy access to downtown Baltimore, Towson, Whitemarsh and the Beltway.

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