Charm City

Find MOTIVATOR

Baltimore, pronounced bawl-mer by the locals, is also known as Charm City and The City of Firsts.  Below are just a few of Baltimore’s more important firsts.

1792 - First water company chartered in the United States - Baltimore Water Company

1796 - First sugar refinery in the U.S. - founded by Garts and Leypoldt
1803 - First electric refrigerator- invented by Thomas Moore
1819 - First gaslight company in the country- Gas Light Company of Baltimore
1820 - First canning of oysters- by Thomas Kennett
1828 - First American umbrella factory - William Beehler
1830 - First coal burning steam locomotive built - Tom Thumb
1848 - First ice cream freezer - patented by W. G. Young
1869 - First candy factory to produce licorice - J.S. Young Company
1892 - First Ouija board - invented and patented by Isaac and William Fuld

They were good!

Ryleigh’s Oyster in Federal Hill is one of our favorite restaurants.  You know it has to be good, because they post crabbing regulations on the bathroom doors.

Not forgetting its maritime history, Baltimore is home to many historic ships and attracts others. 

A visit by the U.S.C.G. cutter Eagle

Great duty if you can get it

We couldn’t wait for them to open her up for tourists.

And, have our photo ops.

BOOM!

Yep, it’s 4:00 PM

At noon and 4:00 PM the USS Constellation fires its cannon.

Scared others too

Right down the dock are the Lightship Chesapeake and the USS Torsk.

While we were there, one of the last two Liberty Ships, SS John W. Brown pulled into Fells Point.

Also in the mix are:

Single wheel paddle boats

Twin paddle wheel boat

Coast Guard Buoy Tender CGC James Rankin

Roll on, roll off ships

Skipjacks

And, the harbor cruise boat, the Annapolitan II

The Annapolitan II was a great neighbor the three weeks we were in Baltimore.  They even gave us a couple of rides around the harbor.

Captain Jerry

We stayed to for Pollie and Haeden’s birthday celebration.

And, Trawler Fest

Then it was time for MOTIVATOR to think about moving south for the winter.

After a quick stop in Herrington Harbour North to grab a few things out of storage, we anchored in the Solomons and then in the Indian River.

Great anchorage

Then we departed the Chesapeake Bay and pulled into Norfolk passing the occasional war ship.