Pigtown: Exploring Baltimore’s neighborhoods
Pigs were unloaded off trains at the B&O rail yards and herded through nearby streets to the slaughterhouses. That’s the abbreviated version of how Pigtown got its name.
- This photo of Pigtown, circa 1910, was taken by an unknown photographer. It shows a herd of about 100 pigs being driven through neighborhood streets, en route from Union Stockyards in W. Baltimore to a slaughterhouse in the city. THe picture was taken at corner of Ostend and Sargeant Sts., an area that residents and police say is now heavy in drug trafficking. (Baltimore Sun)
- July 24, 2002: Rodney and Narda Carroll are sculptors who have lived in the neighborhood since 1987. They purchased a former furniture factory and are rehabbing it into artists’ studio space. Here, some of their sculpture assistants work on window restoration for a studio space. Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun
- December 2014: The B&O Roundhouse, through the fencing in Pigtown. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Scenes from Pigtown/Washington Village in Southwest Baltimore. Here, Rodney Carroll’s shop sits adjacent to his sculpture garden. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Scenes from Pigtown/Washington Village in Southwest Baltimore. Here, Rodney Carroll’s shop sits adjacent to his sculpture garden. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- 11/28/1940: Washington Boulevard as it enters the city. Photo by Sun Photographer R.F. Kniesche.11/28/1940: Washington Boulevard as it enters the city. Photo by Sun Photographer R.F. Kniesche.
- 11/22/2014: Visitors explore the new Christmas decorations at the B&O Railroad Museum during the first weekend event of the holiday season on Saturday. Cassidy Johnson/Baltimore Sun
- May 29, 1975 – A clear road in and out of town. These are the B. & O. tracks to Washington in southwest Baltimore near Washington Boulevard. Photo taken by Baltimore Sun Staff Photographer Weyman Swagger.
- December 2014: Pigtown’s Main Street, Washington Boulevard. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- January 25, 2005: 784 Washington Boulevard, the gutted building second from the left, is one of about 11 vacant properties along Pigtown’s “main street,” Washington Blvd, to be acquired by the city at fair market value to spur redevelopment. Amy Davis/Baltimore SunJanuary 25, 2005: 784 Washington Boulevard, the gutted building second from the left, is one of about 11 vacant properties along Pigtown’s “main street,” Washington Blvd, to be acquired by the city at fair market value to spur redevelopment. Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Café Jovial, Washington Boulevard in Pigtown. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Fraternity Federal bank, Washington Boulevard in Pigtown. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Submitted by Erin Harty for Only in Baltimore. Caption info from Erin: Someone dumped an ugly orange couch on the side of the street in Pigtown. A day or two later, someone tagged it with this (ironic?) graffiti.
- 3/28/06: The rowhouses of Pigtown stand southwest of downtown. Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun
- December 2014: In Pigtown, The art-deco Montgomery Ward building in Southwest Baltimore was renovated in the hope it would improve the surrounding area, which lost 15 percent of its population from 1990 to 2000, according to the U.S. Census. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Nov. 16, 1993: The alley behind Pigtown’s Seargant Street is littered with debris and garbage. (Amy Deputy/Baltimore Sun)
- April 19, 2001: Lauren Iser, 13, of Baltimore, checks out books weekly from the Washington Village Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Pigtown. Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun
- 3/3/06: From left: Karen Brown, 26, her mother, Jane Brown, 58, and Karen’s daughter, Mallory Carnes, 3, take a shortcut at the end of Ostend St. on their way to the grocery store. The hill they are climbing used to be a dumping ground, and although some litter is still there, it is much better than it used to be. Karen Brown says, “It does seem to be getting a little cleaner. I hate to be hopeful about it. I’ve lived here my whole life and you get the feeling it’s never going to get better. Lately in different areas, there’s been some improvement.”.ÖWashington Village/Pigtown is an Environmental Benefits District, which means that the community received coordinated assistance from federal, state and local levels to address environmental issues, i.e. trash in the neighborhood. Lesley Smith, executive director of the Washington Village Pigtown Neighborhood Planning Council, helps coordinate efforts to clean up the community. Andre F. Chung/Baltimore Sun
- Nov 15, 1993: Theresa Teller, left, and her friend Ella Brenn, a Pigtown resident for 41 years, walk arm in arm down Seargeant Street after their morning shopping. (Amy Deputy/Baltimore Sun)
- 4/6/00: Bobby Starr jumps over a homemade ramp along James St. in Pigtown where SFPs (skaters from Pigtown) block off one lane of the road and set up the ramps. Elizabeth Mably/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Scenes from Pigtown/Washington Village in Southwest Baltimore. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- 4/1/2003: British Home Secretary David Blunkett , the English equivalent of John Ashcroft and Tom Ridge rolled into one, is escorted by Mayor Martin O’Malley to Washington Village Community Association on Washington Blvd., in Pigtown. to talk homeland security and tour a real Baltimore neighborhood. Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun
- Feb. 18, 1994: Albert Withrow, of the 1200 block of Washington Blvd., was determinedto chip away the last of the mounded ice with his pick, so that tomorrow’s sun could finish the job. (Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)
- 3/28/06: William Bus Chambers, known as the mayor of Pigtown, smiles as he passes a mural at the corner of Bayard and Ward Streets. Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun
- 6/25/99: To give a better idea of the scale of her work artist Mary Carfagno Ferguson, center left, stands next to her painting “Horseshoe Players” at the northeast corner of Bayard and Ward Sts. in the Carrolltown neighborhood of Pigtown. (Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun)
- 6/25/99: Artist Mary Carfagno Ferguson, painted the mural “Riverbank” in the 900 block of Washington Blvd. in Pigtown three years ago. (Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun)
- 9/14/02: Eight ten-week-old pigs (six are visible) from Porky Pines Farm, Clarksburg, MD, make their way across the cobblestones of the 800 block of McHenry St. for the “Running of the Pigs!” This is one of the events for The 1st Annual Pigtown Festival. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)
- 9/13/03: Six three-month-old pigs make their way along the cobblestones of McHenry St. in The 2nd Annual Pigtown Festival Running of the Pigs. They are followed by Tom Hartsock, Clarksburg, the farmer who raises them. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)
- 1/31/06: Alaina Hanchey, 19, of St. Joseph, MI, Isabel Leal-Rivera, of Sacramento, CA, Kristina Lentell, 20, of Denver, CO, and Natasha Dobias, 19, of Ludington, MI, clean up a corner in Pigtown. Volunteers from Americorps National Civilian Community Corps participate in a cleanup of Washington Village and Pigtown. Andre F. Chung/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Scenes from Pigtown/Washington Village in Southwest Baltimore. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Mobtown Ballroom, a renowned swing and salsa dancing venue. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Tasty Creations Bakery, which sells wholesale baked goods to many groceries and delis throughout the area. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Afro Fashion & Art, on Pigtown’s Main Street. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Scenes from Pigtown/Washington Village in Southwest Baltimore. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Murals depicting Pigtown’s naming history along Pigtown’s Main Street. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- Dec. 2014: Scenes from Pigtown/Washington Village in Southwest Baltimore. Kalani Gordon/Baltimore Sun
- 7/21/06: In Pigtown/Washington Village, large signs greets people coming into the neighborhood of Pigtown and explains the history behind the name. Monica Lopossay/Baltimore Sun
- July 6, 1999: Larger than life. To show the scale of her work, Mary Carfagno Ferguson stands next to her mural “Horseshoe Players,” at the northeast corner of Bayard and Ward streets in the Carrolltown neighborhood of Pigtown. Baltimore Sun file photo
- 10/11/14: Detective Jessica Armstrong, office of the chief of CID, is serenaded by, left, Anthony Lewis, 7, and his brother, Dylan Rouse, 4, of Pigtown. They are at the 13th Annual Pigtown Festival. Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun
- 10/25/14: Exterior of 2 Chic Boutique, a consignment shop in Pigtown. State Sen. Catherine Pugh, Betty Clark, Afra Vance, and Baltimore City Comptroller Joan Pratt are owners. Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun
- 10/11/14: Pygmy goats with Hogway Speedway Racing Pigs run a race during a show at the 13th Annual Pigtown Festival. Kim Hairston/ Baltimore Sun
- 6/25/11: Tony Ashton, Kingston, pitches a horseshoe in the opening match of the 1st Annual Horseshoe Tournament at the Pit in Pigtown. The event celebrates the preservation of the pit by Baltimore Green Space. Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun
- 3/3/12: Karon Nicholas and Jenny Sowden show off their swing dancing skills on Friday night at the Mobtown Ballroom where quickie dance lessons are available. Photo by Doug Kapustin
- 9/11/10: Pigtown artist Dominique Hellgeth, 22, poses next to a mural on Callender St. in Pigtown she completed two weeks prior to Pigtown Festival. Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun
- 9/11/10: Anjelica Hebern, right, and Hazel Alexander, both with the Buddhist group Soka Gakkai International, perform with hula hoops during the Pigtown Festival. Photo by Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun
- American League Championship 1973: Susie Palmer, wife of Oriole hurler Jim Palmer, leads Chessie System (Chesapeake & Ohio and Baltimore & Ohio railroad) employees in a cheer for the Birds. Mrs. Palmer is standing on the William Mason locomotive in the B&O Transportation Museum. The play-offs begin at Memorial Stadium Saturday. The crowd holds the banner “Go Orioles Go!”
Pigtown
» Border streets: W. Pratt St., S. Carey St., Scott St., S. Pace St., W. Hamburg St., Bush St., Bayard St.
» Neighboring areas: Barre Circle, Hollins Market, Union Square, New Southwest/Mount Claire, Carroll Park, Ridgely’s Delight
» More neighborhoods
By the late 1970s, however, the charming imagery of squealing swine on a death march wasn’t working for neighborhood advocates intent on rebranding the area as Washington Village.
“With the improvements on Washington Boulevard and new businesses like McDonald’s coming here, how can you call it Pigtown?” David Whitman, president of the Washington Boulevard Merchants Association, said in a Sun article published on July 17, 1979.
Fast forward three-and-a-half decades and the simple utterance of “Washington Village” can elicit eye rolls and shrugs from residents. Pride in Pigtown appears all around this Southwest Baltimore neighborhood.
“We’ve tried to celebrate the name and heritage in a new way,” said Ben Hyman, the executive director for Pigtown Main Street. “We wanted to be a little more playful with the name. One example of that are the street pole banners. They’re all a little bit different. They’re all puns on pork and the name and the city. That one says Top Choice, [others say] Rich in Flavor, Certified Local.”
Hyman’s job is to improve Pigtown’s image and draw new businesses to the area, particularly the commercial corridor on Washington Boulevard. The challenges he faces are many: crime, vacant properties, lack of current retail, negative perceptions from outsiders.
But the opportunities, Hyman notes, are even greater. Pigtown – within walking distance to Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium, the Inner Harbor and University of Maryland-Baltimore – has one of the most desirable locations in the city. Carroll Park, a 117-acre green space with athletic fields, an outdoor skating rink and a nine-hole golf course, offers recreational opportunities and hosts an annual summer music event. And overall, Pigtown is still one of the most diverse – racially and socioeconomically – neighborhoods in Baltimore.
“The strongest, most vibrant neighborhoods in Baltimore, I would argue, are the neighborhoods surrounding the Inner Harbor,” Hyman said. “We’re one of the few neighborhoods that is within walking distance of all those great amenities that has not enjoyed the same revitalization, or at least to the same extent. … Our challenge is how do you leverage that and maximize it and make a difference for the people who live here and the business owners.”
Since Hyman assumed his post a little more than two years ago, Pigtown has added eight businesses, including 2 Chic Boutique (a consignment shop owned by state Sen. Catherine Pugh) and Afro Fashion & Art. Other notable businesses on Washington Boulevard include Mobtown Ballroom (a renowned swing and salsa dancing venue), Tasty Creations Bakery (which sells wholesale baked goods to many groceries and delis throughout the area) and Café Jovial.
Rob Dickerson, co-owner of Work Printing & Graphics on Washington Boulevard, opened his store eight years ago. He had previously rented a space in Federal Hill for seven years, but the Pigtown prices simply couldn’t be beat. Still, an investment in the neighborhood back then took a major leap of faith.
“It’s no longer a ghost town. It used to be,” Dickerson said. “When we first moved here, most of the foot traffic were junkies, panhandling and buying drugs. There’s a lot more people around. The amount of cars on the street today would’ve never happened eight years ago. More businesses, more opportunities. A lot more activity.”
As more commerce has entered the area, growth has spread off the main street and into the residential areas. Camden Crossing, a development of newly constructed townhomes, offers luxury living (and garage parking) just a few blocks north of Washington Boulevard. Renovated rowhomes are significantly cheaper here than in Federal Hill or Canton.
The missing piece, Hyman says, is an anchor restaurant on Washington Boulevard. Pigtown residents have told him that they don’t want the neighborhood to become Federal Hill Lite, but at least one sitdown restaurant, plus more complementary retail, would go a long way toward drawing more people.
“My pitch is that [Pigtown is] close to lots of nice things to walk to,” Dickerson said. “Eventually there will be nice things here, too.”
This is part of an ongoing series from The Baltimore Sun about the history, culture, and future of Baltimore’s neighborhoods. Have a suggestion for what neighborhood to explore next? Let us know.
Loyd smith
Feb 11, 2017 @ 21:11:12
Thanks for the update. My family lived at 703 w. Barre st. In the early 40 ‘s. this brought back some good memories.
Thanks again.