Baltimore is chock-full of history, as befits a town created way back in 1729. Since then, the city has seen many landmarks pop up.
"The Star-Spangled Banner" may be our national anthem now, but it had to come from somewhere, right? In 1814, a British fleet attacked Baltimore. However, 1,000 American soldiers in Fort McHenry held back that fleet. The battle inspired Francis Scott Key to pen our nation's now famous national anthem.
Today, Fort McHenry is maintained by the National Park Service and is open to the public as a national monument and historic shrine.
In 1849, Baltimore housed the tortured genius author Edgar Allen Poe . Unfortunately, the city was Poe's last stop--he died in a local hospital after being found lying in the street.
Today, Poe's grave , a site surrounded by mystery, can be found in the burying ground of Westminster Hall .
Fast-forwarding to 1953, Baltimore became the new home of Major League Baseball's St. Louis Browns, where the team was renamed the Orioles .
A few years before, in 1950, Baltimore's football team, the Colts, had joined the National Football League. Sadly the team left town in 1983, moving to Indianapolis. Football fans rejoiced in 1996, though, as a new football franchise debuted: the Baltimore Ravens .
During each of their sports' seasons, the Orioles and Ravens can be seen at their respective home stadiums, Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium, which happen to be in very close proximity to each other.
While the town had experienced some problems following World War II, Baltimore had a resurgence in the 1970s and '80s. Two of the most visible results of that growth are the Maryland Science Center and the National Aquarium . The Science Center is comparable to the Richmond Science Museum. However, the National Aquarium quite outdoes anything in Virginia.
Both the Science Center and the aquarium are open to visitors almost every day, and have different exhibits throughout the year. With the two located about half a mile apart, it may be possible to visit both locations in one day, although it would be tough to see all that they have to offer.
After visitors have finished seeing all these sights, they will, no doubt, want to find some sustenance. Luckily for them, Baltimore has no shortage of restaurants. The city is known for its seafood, and Baltimore.org listed 43 results for seafood restaurants . From the Italian and vegan catering of A Germano's to Tug's family atmosphere, no one should leave this city with his stomach growling.
Baltimore is a city rich with entertainment and learning opportunities, so anyone with the time would do well to head up north and have a look-see.
--Compiled from Web resources
Sam Krieg is a student at Germanna Community College.