A Brief History of Charles Village

by Gregory J. Alexander and Paul K. Williams
Published by The History Press, 2009. $21.99

A Brief History of Charles Village

Charles Village: A Brief History focuses on the historic neighborhood of Charles Village, home to Johns Hopkins University and formerly Goucher College. Baltimore Orioles, infamous bootleggers, novelists of the Jazz Age and famous musicians have all wandered and lived among the stately Victorian homes and vibrant “painted ladies” of Charles Village, and the book follows the neighborhood’s transformation from a series of country villas for the wealthy elite to its diverse and vibrant cultural hub today.

The book begins with the neighborhood's early estates, while subsequent chapters explore the important role of The Peabody Heights Company and how Charles Village today came to be as an amalgamation of several small neighborhoods, including Old Goucher, Abell and Peabody Heights. The book also touches on how, after the Civil War, more and more Baltimore residents yearned for a more suburban living, and how the development of public transportation made commuting into the city easier. The influence of Johns Hopkins University, as well as the notable commercial, cultural, educational and religious institutions—creating a “city within a city”— are detailed in later chapters.

A Brief History of Charles Village is available by contacting us for a signed and personalized copy, or at Atomic Books, Barnes & Noble, Greetings & Readings, Eddie's of Charles Village, as well as other local bookstores and shops.  We encourage you to buy local!