Thursday Doors – Random Baltimore Doors

During the last week of June, I spent a few days in Baltimore, Maryland. I didn’t have a lot of time to explore, but I did have to walk to and from meetings and meals, and I was fortunate to walk past some very interesting doors.

Many of the doors are the kind most door aficionados understand very well – they are interesting doors that stand on their own merit. We don’t need to know much about the building, the builder or what sits behind the door – we just know that we like the door. Other doors in the gallery have a little history associated with them, and I’ve tried to include that in the captions. You can click on a photo to start a slide show, in which the full captions are visible. One set of doors is attached to nobility, which, in the United States, is rare. These are the doors of The Lord Baltimore Hotel. According to the National Registry of Historic Places nomination form:

“The Lord Baltimore Hotel is a 22 story, 120 f X 150* building located at Charles Center in downtown Baltimore. This steel frame structure with a brick veneer and granite base is capped with an octagonal tower and French Renaissance style mansard roof. The base of the building features three large arched multi-paned windows which can be considered Georgian in style. The base is decorated with Indian Head and Lord Baltimore stone medallions. The U-shaped brick shaft which rises above the base is sparsely decorated except for Benedict stone trim on the upper and lower levels and large lion head stone ornaments at the 17th floor. The tower which caps the building features granite trim at the roof line and a copper covered mansard with carved stone dormers.”

In terms of Lord Baltimore, the royal, there were actually six of those rascals. The one that we’re interested in is Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore for whom the city, and presumably the hotel, were named.

• Sir George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore (1579–1632)
• Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (1605–1675)
• Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore (1637–1715)
• Benedict Leonard Calvert, 4th Baron Baltimore (1679–1715)
• Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore (1699–1751)
• Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore (1731–1771)

While he may not sport a royal lineage, Norm Frampton, the organizer for the Thursday Doors blogfest, is a gracious host and a fine photographer. Norm’s doors are always worth a look, and they line the entrance to the Thursday Doors Gallery. From Baltimore, you need to travel about 450 mi (725 km) northeast to Montreal. I can make those arrangements for you, simply click here. When you get to Montreal, look for the blue frog – click that little tadpole and he’ll take you into the gallery here you view the other doors and share yours with the world.

Unfortunately, the gallery is lacking a great picture of the Lord Baltimore Hotel. Neither my pics or the ones submitted with the NRHP nomination form are very good.

Every city needs a gourmet popcorn shop – that’s a fact. However, this is actually a baby shop – thanks Joey!

This building once served as a Masonic Temple. Build in 1866, it was partially destroyed by fire in the late 1890s and again in early 1900. The building was sold in 1998 and went through a number of name changes. Today, the building is a hotel and an events venue.

From entrance of the Lord Baltimore Hotel.

Front facade of the Lord Baltimore Hotel.

This is the Turkish restaurant where I enjoyed salad and stuffed grape leaves.

Entrance to Cazbar.

When the bartender at the B&O Restaurant informed me that they were not serving food, he recommended two alternatives. One was Maisy’s. I chose the other, but I liked the doors.

Old St. Paul’s Episcopal church.

I like the doors on this building, but I really like the angled windows on the 2nd floor.

This is the historic home of the Central Savings Bank. The building seems to be condos and the lobby is now Dave and Dad’s coffee shop.

The Daily Record, a statewide business and legal newspaper.

The Daily Record. I always like seeing little buildings in a downtown setting.

When the bartender at the B&O Restaurant informed me that they were not serving food, he recommended two alternatives. I decided to eat at Mick O’Shea’s it was quite good.

Ballroom of the Lord Baltimore from NRHP nomination form.

Interior photo of Lord Baltimore hotel from NRHP nomination form.

Lobby of the Lord Baltimore Hotel from NRHP nomination form.

Details of the tower atop the Lord Baltimore, from NRHP nomination form.

Lord Baltimore Hotel from NRHP nomination form.