"City Boundaries (& Stones) - Past and Present"
WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO STEVE SCHULER AND MIKE PRUETTIt is often tragically joked by locals that "you can tell you've entered the city once the streets suddenly get abominably rough." As much truth as there is to this logic, one would think that there would be some other degree of tangible proof that you've officially entered Baltimore.
Sure there are a handful of recent metal signs at major arteries welcoming the traveler to Baltimore, as well as the "Totem Pole" that sits along the Baltimore Washington Parkway. Another good hint on lesser arteries are those small road signs denoting "BEGIN STATE MAINTENANCE."
However, in the Monumental City, one would certainly assume that the City's Boundaries would be marked in a much more grand fashion than a simple metal sign. The boundaries of such a city must certainly exist in stone, shouldn't they?!?
The answer is indeed YES, though that "yes" for now seems to have trickled down to a lukewarm "yeah." When the city boundary was only as far as North Avenue, there were indeed boundary stones set in place, as well as corner stones. The Northwest Cornerstone, for example was at the Northeast corner of North Avenue and Payson Street, while the Northeast Cornerstone sat where Loney's Lane (Edison Highway) would have met North Avenue.
When the city boundaries were enlarged in 1886, Boundary Stones and Cornerstones were again laid at intervals along the boundary. Four cornerstones were laid as well, located at (NW) the East side of Eldorado Avenue at the alley between Belvieu and Groveland Avenues, (NE) just West-Northwest of the intersection of Harford Road and Montebello Terrace, (SE) just East of the Lazarretto Lighthouse on Clinton Street in Canton, and (SW) along the Western areas of Loudon Park Cemetery North of the Catonsville Branch right of way. I've enlisted a free-lance search for some of these stones, but have yet to receive any replies on the matter. If you're interested in details on this search, click here!
OLD NW CORNERSTONE DISCOVERED! 
The next time you're heading down Eldorardo Avenue from Groveland Avenue in West Arlington, look to your left as you pass the alley, and viola, you'll see it, right at the edge of this back yard! The Old Northwest Corner Stone survives!
Not at all hidden, though a tad disappointingly plain, the old stone shows light traces of old markings on it's faces, possibly a "B" on the face to the left. The top shows evidence of a copper or brass rod once having come out of the top. Seeing it, I was dying to know if the property owners had any idea what it was!Primary investigation into the 1886 stones by myself has apparently found one of these boundary stones. Interestingly, it was the stone which I looked upon the easiest to locate, and it was in the exact spot where it should have been. While any markings on the stone were not readily apparent, the stone has a symmetry to its shape, and parallel flat faces that almost certainly indicate that it's not a natural shape. It will now be a matter of investigating other possible boundary stone sites to see if a similar stone can be located there, which would thus confirm this stone as being an 1886 boundary stone...
At the top of a hillside right at just North of the bridge on the Geynns Falls Trail near Wetherdsville Road and Franklintown Road lies this easily overlooked stone.
Closer investigation of the stone reveals a flat facing, and a remarkably symmetrical shape to the stone.
A look from overhead shows two virtually parallel flat faces, which, combined with the symmetry make it's shape almost certainly man made.
Though no stone seems to remain to define the 1886 border along York Road, it's easily apparent to the trained eye just where the old boundary was. Looking South on York Road, one will quickly notice a sharp reduction in the width of the street. The actual boundary corresponds to the light pole on the left. The boundary stone here was placed just to the right of the roadway.The current city boundaries were established in the late teens of the 20th Century, and by this time, were memorialized with pebbled markers. It is not known if Boundary Stones were laid, or if only Corner Stones were laid. Regardless, a search for a cornerstone just East of the intersection of Park Heights and Slade Avenue has yet to reveal any evidence.
However, another of the city's corners DOES have it's stone still in place, and it watches thousands of motorists pass by it daily in quiet, conservative dignity...
Located on the South Side of Frederick Road near Overbrook Road lies this marker denoting the current day city limits (yes, that's my {empty} bus there in the background). Though not as ornate as a granite or other stone maker can appear, the old boundary still does provide a fascinating glimpse into the past, and it's lettering offers no doubt as to just what it is!
UPDATE! - Thanks to the kind lead of Steve Schuler, and with the confirmation of Mike Pruett, it has been confirmed that there is a twin to Frederick Road stone. At the intersection of Hanover Street, Jack Street, and Ritchie Highway in South Baltimore lies another 1919 City Boundary marker, at the kink in the city line. Due to it's placement amidst a complex intersection of 5 streetsThe stone appears to have seen at least one indignity of automobile related contact on its Northern side, but otherwise, appears to be in sound shape.
It's doubtful that the City Fathers of the early 20th Century would have envisioned that their boundary marker at Ritchie Highway and Hanover Street would be impeding the proper use of a sidewalk wheelchair ramp.KNOW OF SOME MORE BOUNDARY MARKERS?!? CONTACT US!!!
