Gary Helton

Highlandtown Revisited Gary Helton

Highlandtown is arguably the most colorful, eclectic, and diverse neighborhood in Baltimore. Dating from the mid-19th century, the community gained its foothold when a plethora of European immigrants settled into modest brick row houses neatly laid out on numbered streets that replaced early farms. A majority lived within sight, sound, and/or smell of the waterfront factories, foundries, and shipyards where mostly men toiled. With last names like DiPasquale, Markwood, Skurzynski, Vogler, Regan, and Schultz, each brought with them a unique language, heritage, and culture. Aromas of ethnic cooking mingled with those of nearby businesses and industries, and the air was filled with chatter in German, Italian, Polish, Russian, and heavily accented English.