Many many people, especially in the burbs, talk about Baltimore (and american cities in general, though applicably globally) back in the day as some wonderland. But cities were significantly dirtier, water more polluted, and more run down. Not to even bring up the smack in your face racism and in general discrimination.

We've had amazing progress in the last 50yrs. And we need to stop romanticizing the past. The past was the worst.

What I enjoy about this picture is the confirmation. Got in argument on here about how much of downtown was surface lots for a stretch. I've always been curious about the city feeling during transition phase from working docks/harbor to office/tourism. Was it at hopefully as the politicians sold it to be?

That’s incredibly ugly and I’m so glad it doesn’t look that way today.

This is after they tore Down the factories, warehouses, (fish)market(s)and merchants stands for construction.

I’m not this old, but my understanding is that a lot of people have bad feelings towards the development of the inner harbor, it took much of the cities priority, focus and resources away from “rest of Baltimore” and funneled it all into the waterfront and it’s neighborhoods while other former retail districts and residential areas deteriorated due to disinvestment. It also didn’t help that this was during urban flight and suburban growth. And shortly after the race riots of the assassination of MLK (1968). That being said, the overall benefits of the change from working harbor port to current tourism/amenity redevelopment are obvious.

Omg it was worse haha?

-Many of the old restaurants were still doing a good business.

- There was still a moderate size middle and working class to keep the tax base afloat

- The juggernauts like Hopkins & Uni MD had encroached a lot, but not to the extremes as we see today

- Federal money was poured into the city for new civic buildings, including many social services

- This was the time of the early efforts for "sweat equity" and house restoration.

- Citizens still had a modicum of pride in their city and esp their neighborhoods. As seen in the city fair.

- Many ethnic communities put on fairs of their own.

-Many of the old restaruents were still doing a good business.

But there was whole sale demolition , esp on the west side of grand buildings

- City schools scrapped many technical and vocational programs and other vital programs and features that every school needs, such as libraries, cafeterias which actually cooked food, Art, music and other programs.

- White flight was still happening as was all middle class flight.

- Drugs were hitting hard in poor communities.

- Economic stagflation was hurting every one, but esp those in working and poor communities.

- The landscape was further scarred by big new highways, which exacerbated traffic congestion.

-City leaders were thinking about cutting costs by outsourcing services which were once job opportunities for many city residents.

The list goes on.

is that an oil plume?