Lost Baltimore

Alexander (coauthor of Images of America: Capitol Hill) and Williams (Lost Washington, D.C.) combine images of Baltimore’s architectural history with meticulously researched text, offering a clear, concise vision of the storied city’s past. Organized chronologically from the 1860s through the 2010s, the decades and facades of Baltimore are covered via entries specific buildings, parks, and areas of interest: cast iron bridges, a jail, and the Baltimore Bullets basketball team among many others. The authors trace the narratives of the city and its inhabitants and, in the photographs, bring renewed life to many formerly beautiful structures that have been razed, such as the country estate Montebello. Of particular note is the tale of Merchant’s Exchange, which tells of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the England-born “Father of American Architecture.” Images of buildings that no longer exist illuminate a side of Baltimore no contemporary visitor to the city could see, as does the lore recounted by the authors (including the tale of the mysterious “Poe Toaster,” who would visit Edgar Allan Poe’s grave on the author’s birthday and raise a glass of cognac to his memory). This coffee-table volume will appeal to readers interested in Maryland, as well as those with a passion for architecture and U.S. history. 150 photos. (July)