Double Exposure: Mermaid, who posed with Mayor Schaefer for iconic 1981 photo, shares her tale three decades later

Jan 4, 2013

Double Exposure: Mermaid, who posed with Mayor Schaefer for iconic 1981 photo, shares her tale three decades later

The Baltimore Sun 0 Comment Double Exposure, Maryland, The Baltimore Sun Deborah Lee Walker, mermaid, National Aquarium, William Donald Schaefer

5 photos

It was quite the gig at the National Aquarium. A skin-tight, sequined mermaid costume with a 15-foot train. A team of frogmen carried her across a makeshift pond and placed her on a rock. Cameras clicked and flashed. Three seals paid a visit followed by then Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer in an old-fashion swimsuit.

Deborah Lee Walker, who posed with Schaefer for the iconic 1981 photo, shares her tale three decades later: “I had no idea it was going to be as big a deal as it was. But it turned out to be the most fun I ever had on a job.”

The many faces of William Donald Schaefer

Apr 27, 2012

The many faces of William Donald Schaefer

Robert Hamilton 0 Comment Maryland, Retrospective, The Baltimore Sun Baltimore, Inner Harbor, Maryland, politics, William Donald Schaefer

1 Slideshow

Charismatic politician William Donald Schaefer served the people of Maryland for 50 years at both the local and state level. It was one year ago today that Schaefer was buried at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium. During his tenure, Schaefer won praise for his “do-it-now” philosophy. His focus was as much on getting potholes patched as launching major developments such as Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. At times, Schaefer could be a charmer, a task master and enigmatic, but he was never dull. With that in mind, we decided to take a look back at the many faces of this man-of-the-people.

The Sun’s 175th Anniversary: Baltimore Personalities

Apr 21, 2012

The Sun’s 175th Anniversary: Baltimore Personalities

Robert Hamilton 4 Comments Maryland, Retrospective, The Baltimore Sun 175th anniversary, Arunah S. Abell, Babe Ruth, Baltimore, Baltimore Sun, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, Divine, Duff Goldman, Eubie Blake, Frank Zappa, H. L. Mencken, Hasim Rahman, John Waters, Johnny Unitas, photography, Spiro Agnew, Stacy Keibler, Thurgood Marshall, Wallis Simpson, William Donald Schaefer

38 photos

The Baltimore region is full of character and life, and so are the people who live here. Their photos have filled the pages of The Sun since 1901, when photos were first published in the newspaper. They’ve made news, changed history and often entertained our readers. With this in mind, we look at some of the people who helped define our great city. These are just a few. Who do you feel we left out? We would love to hear your suggestions in the comments.