Pigtown, Baltimore

Pigtown, known sometimes as Washington Village, is a neighborhood in southwest Baltimore bordered by Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. on the east, Monroe Street on the west, Russell Street on the south, and the B&O Railroad Museum on the north. It is also known as the birthplace of the famous baseball player Babe Ruth. It is rumored to have got its "pig" name from the scores of pigs that would be herded through its narrow streets every day on their way to be slaughtered in meat-packing plants. Pigtown is well known across the country for its eclectic community festival, the Pigtown Festival.

Pigtown's proximity to the I-95 corridor, the University of Maryland Medical System campus, Gerald Field, Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium, and downtown Baltimore have brought upscale townhomes to the eastern edge of the neighborhood, including the eclectic renovations of Barre Circle, one of Baltimore's famous dollar-house neighborhoods.

However, other parts of the neighborhood have remained working class, as a trip down any alley or street will illustrate. This evolutionary process has created one of the few communities in Baltimore that are completely mixed racially, culturally and economically. There are approximately 2,740 homes in this community, which unlike many other Baltimore City neighborhoods continues to enjoy an influx of population. From 1980 to 1990 the population increased 3%, from 6,503 to 6,705 people, strengthening Pigtown's racial and socioeconomic diversity even more.

Pigtown, named as such due to the pigs that used to be brought in on the B&O Railroad and then run through the streets to the slaughter houses. Pigtown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in December 2006. This neighborhood is undergoing a revitalization and with its proximity to downtown Baltimore, I-95 and 295, and the MARC train to Washington DC, it is becoming more and more attractive to young residents who want urban living at an affordable price.

Transportation

Eastern portions of Pigtown are within easy walking distance of the Camden Yards Transportation Center, served by both the Baltimore Light Rail and the MARC Camden Line. The latter, along with the neighborhood's proximity to I-95 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, make the neighborhood of interest to an increasing number of people who work in Washington, D.C. but are looking to get out of Washington's expensive housing market. The bus that serves the area is the MTA Maryland Route 36.

References

External links

• Pigtown Festival
• Pigtown Historic District, Baltimore City, including photo from 2005, at Maryland Historical Trust