Known to locals as a “small town feel with big-city amenities,” Baltimore’s Charles Village area combines an urban grid street pattern and rowhouse character with suburbanesque landscaped front yards and park-lined boulevards.
On the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, Charles Village is a distinctive, well-defined area in North Central Baltimore City taking up nearly forty-five city blocks.
Sitting just south of two City landmarks, Johns Hopkins University and The Baltimore Museum of Art, Charles Village is a great place to visit, and to live. In fact, the American Planning Association (APA) named Charles Village as one of 10 Great Neighborhoods in America in 2008.
Here are 5 more things you should know about this charming historic neighborhood:
- The Waverly, or 32nd Avenue, Farmers Market is held year-round and attracts more than 500 people every Saturday. So make sure to get there early because this popular spot is so busy that many vendors sell out before the five-hour market closes for the day.
- Whether or not you’ve seen the vibrant “Painted Ladies” in San Francisco, you’ll still appreciate the neighborhood’s own rendition painted in 1998 as part of a competition to spruce up homes. The row of houses underscores the importance of civic activism and pride evident in Charles Village.
- Charles Villagers always have something in the mix, whether it’s the Charles Village Festival and Halloween Fair or the Abell Street Festival and Johns Hopkins Spring Fair.
- Thanks to the local students at Johns Hopkins and the many establishments that cater to their budget, Charles Village offers a variety of delicious and affordable options.
- Looking for a place with a claim to fame? Pete’s Grille has won national recognition as one of Olympic superstar Michael Phelps’ favorite hang-out spots.
You get it all in Charles Village, and you get all walks of life as well. Charles Village is home to everyone from college students and blue-collar workers to young families and older singles. Some residents consider themselves “typically atypical.” You truly get a blend of old tradition and new ideas in this part of town. An eclectic and colorful neighborhood, you can’t help but fall in love walking around the blocks of Charles Village.
