Baltimore is the largest city in the state of Maryland, and is located in the centre of the state along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of Chesapeake Bay. The city is independent and does not fall within any county.

 

The city was origanally settled in the early 17th Century and named after Lord Baltimore, the founder of Maryland. With its excellent harbour it has been one of the principal ports in the US since the 18th century, even becoming a pioneer shipbuilding centre.

 

Baltimore has a long and storied sporting history encompassing many teams from many different eras. The Baltimore Orioles, have represented Major League Baseball locally since 1954 when the St. Louis Browns moved to the city of Baltimore.

 

Once a major industrial town, with an economic base focused on steel processing, shipping, auto manufacturing, and transportation, the city suffered a de-industrialization which cost residents tens of thousands of low-skill, high-wage jobs.

 

While it retains some industry, Baltimore now has a modern service economy providing a growing financial, business, and health service base for the southern Mid-Atlantic region.

 

The city is also home to the Johns Hopkins Hospital, which will serve as the center of a new biotechnology park, one of two such projects currently under construction in the city.

 

Baltimore is an independent city — not part of any county. For most governmental purposes under Maryland law, it is treated as a "county"-level entity. The United States Census Bureau uses counties as the basic unit for presentation of statistical information in the United States, and treats Baltimore as a county equivalent for those purposes.

 

Historically a working-class port town, Baltimore has sometimes been dubbed a "city of neighborhoods," with over 300 identified districts traditionally occupied by distinct ethnic groups.

 

Most notable today are three downtown areas along the port: the Inner Harbor, frequented by tourists due to its hotels, shops, and museums; Fells Point, once a favorite entertainment spot for sailors but now refurbished and gentrified (and featured in the movie Sleepless in Seattle); and Little Italy, located between the other two, where Baltimore's Italian-American community was based.

 

Further inland, Mt. Vernon is the traditional centre of cultural and artistic life of the city. It is home to a distinctive Washington Monument, set atop a hill in a 19th century urban square, that pre-dates the more well-known monument in Washington, D.C. by several decades.

 

For tourists the renowned Inner Harbor is the place to visit with the surrounding historic villages offering a multitude of unique shops and restaurants that cater for all differents styles and tastes.

 

For more information about Baltimore visit the official tourist website by clicking here.

 

 

---

 

 

Founded: 1729

 

Population: 637, 445.

 

Average Temp. For July: 77F

 

Average Humidity For July: 53% 

 

Time Difference: -5 hours

 

Last Time Palace Visited Baltimore: 2007.