Baltimore
Baltimore, the largest city in Maryland and an important seaport, lies north of Washington on the wide estuary of the Patapsco River, which forms a much ramified natural harbor, 14 mi. from Chesapeake Bay and 170 mi. from the Atlantic. Its industries include shipbuilding, aircraft construction,
automobile manufacture, engineering, the production of electronic apparatus and oil processing. With several famous universities, in particular the Johns Hopkins University, museums and a renowned symphony orchestra, Baltimore is a major east coast cultural center. It was the birthplace of Edgar Allan Poe.
History The settlement of Baltimore was established in 1729 and named after the Barons Baltimore, founders of the colony of Maryland. Commerce and shipping brought it prosperity, and in 1796 it was granted its municipal charter. Its place in American history was won in 1814, when British forces bombarded Fort Henry for 25 hours without bringing about its surrender. The sight of the American flag still flying over the fort on the morning after the bombardment inspired Francis Scott Key's poem "The Star Spangled Banner", which became the text of the national anthem. The old town center and the inner harbor area have been thoroughly renovated.
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