The History of Baltimore’s Federal Hill Neighborhood

The elegance and tradition of yesterday unite with the beautiful and modern life of today in Baltimore’s Federal Hill neighborhood. Located just south of Baltimore’s central business district, Federal Hill has a number of structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Federal Hill, named for the large, green hill near the city’s Inner Harbor area, has a little bit of yesterday and today in its own history.  The hill served as the starting and ending point for parades and civic celebrations, especially when the US constitution was ratified in 1789.  In the beginning, the area was called Signal Hill because of its ties to merchant and shipping businesses up the Patapsco River.

Federal Hill During the Civil War

During the first year of the Civil War, The hill was overtaken by union troops (May 12, 1861) as General Benjamin F. Butler built a small ammunitions fort—cannons and other weapons were centered on Baltimore’s business district. The plan was to “persuade” the city and state of Maryland (under the threat of war) to become allies with the Federal Government.  To this day, the area contains a flag, Grand Army of the Republic monument, and several cannons as a memorial to Federal Hill’s contributions to the Civil War.

Baltimore’s Federal Hill Neighborhood Today

Fast forward to more than 100 years later; Federal Hill became a basic family-oriented, working class neighborhood. Federal Hill apartments and houses were mostly full but the buildings were aging and many were in disrepair. Industrial jobs were disappearing by the late 1970s, but the neighborhood was in the early stage of rehabilitation. Investments and rising property values helped to spur the area’s economy and make Federal Hill an attractive location for young professionals and nearby office workers as THE place to live. Federal Hill apartments (including 1201 S. Charles) are available; the area has the goods too — as in shopping, restaurants, entertainment, culture, recreation and a nearby public library. You can learn more about Federal Hill and its role in the Civil war; get a walking map and tour the notable sites of the area’s rich, important history.  To expand your interest in Federal Hill’s history and the modern life of the twenty-first century, check out the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Federal Hill Hospitality Association and Federal Hill Main Street.

Federal Hill Apartments

Tours of any Federal Hill apartments would not be complete without taking a look at 1201 S. Charles—it is right in the thick of everything! The Federal Hill apartment building features a variety of floor plans for its two-bedroom units.  Pet-friendly and energy efficient, the Federal Hill apartment building at 1201 S. Charles is LEED certified and meets all Baltimore City Green Building Standards. Each apartment has large windows that allow natural light to stream inward.

When visitors come into an apartment building, the first thing they see is the lobby.  Old, shabby furniture and outdated, poorly-maintained equipment can be a real turn-off to your guests but that’s NOT what they’ll see at 1201 S. Charles in Baltimore’s Federal Hill neighborhood. The lobby at 1201 S. Charles features modern industrial designs and colorful accents. Its comfortable space is so inviting — you will never want to leave!

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