Ghosts of Druid Hill Park

"Druid Hill Park"
Forgotten Landmarks in this popular park
All photos by Adam Paul
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As it has been since the middle of the 18th Century, Druid Hill Park in Northwest Baltimore remains a favorite leisure destination for people from all over the Baltimore area. The park draws people to it with it's Zoo, Lake, Arbetorium, and Pool, not to mention the leisurely driveways, plateaus and shady groves that abound within it.
Still, Druid Hill has seen a number of changes since its early days. In the 1870's the park was home to a steam railway "Dummy" line that ferried patrons from the gates inward to the natural oasis within. The park was also once home to boating lakes, springs, and ponds that no longer exist, or so one might think.

THE MAP:
BLUE LINES DENOTE ROADWAYS NOW CLOSED TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
RED LINE DENOTES PRESENT BOUNDARIES OF THE BALTIMORE ZOO
INDIGO LINE SHOWS PATH ONCE TAKEN BY CARS ON THE DUMMY LINE
KEY TO ARTIFACTS:

A- Three Sisters Ponds I - Wagner Monument Q - "Turkish" Tower

B - Site of High Service Reservoir J - Skating Lake R - Granite Graveyard

C - Rogers - Buchannan Cemetery K - Novalux Fixtures S - Philosopher's Walk

D - Site of Morris Fountain L - St. Paul Cemetery T - Edmund's Well

E - Garrett Bridge M - Columbus Monument U - Crises Spring

F - Council Grove Dummy Station N - Orem's Dummy Station (reloc.) V - "Mystery" Spring

G - Site of Madison Fountain O - Rotunda Dummy Statiion (reloc.) W - Washington Statue

H- Mansion House P - Druid Lake Gate X - Wallace Monument

The most intersting part of the park for the Urban Archaeologist rests at the Northern end, where one can park the car, and head off onto the closed off driveways in search of forgotten artifacts of the Park's past. Finding these "ghosts" can be quite challenging, particularly in Summer months, when heavy growth and leaves make passage and views difficult. Still, with a bit of intuition, and lots of energy, the ghost hunter can find theirself immersed in what was once a pond with a fountain in the middle, and all by theirself, in the heart of a popular park in the middle of a large city.

Before the Druid Park Lake Drive was constructed, this gateway at Madison Avenue and Cloverdale Road was the entry to the park, greeting trolley riders on the Madison Avenue line. Note the emerged streetcar rail in the foreground.

ARTIFACTS:

The "Three Sisters":
One interesting ghost of Druid Hill is a trio of man-made ponds, that once served as the Sea Lion Pond for the park. Later, the creatures were moved inside the gates of the zoo, and the ponds were mostly drained, letting nature reclaim the area. The soothing look of the water, combined with the healthy shade, must have certainly been relaxing to the visitors who could enjoy this gem when it was in its former glory.

Near the entrance to what is now the Disc Golf Course, near the curve in the driveway, lies this overgrown pond enclosed behind iron railing. This is the "middle" of the "Three Sisters" pond, and is the only one still containing water.

Another view through the gate of the lost pond reveals that the water within is actually quite clear. The water flowed from this pond down a small stream off an embankment leading Northward. From within the gates, a distinct flowing water sound could be heard, but was unable to be pinpointed to the source.

At the Southern end, on the leg of this "Q" shaped pond, the pond rests on slightly higher, and dry ground. Within the gates could be seen another iron enclosure, likely once housing a fountain or drain of some sort. Note the concrete posts on the background revealing the narrow width of the pond at this point.

From the top of the pond comes this view of the center enclosure, which indeed seems to be either a drain or a fountain of some sort.

The "Forgotten" Fountain
Very close to the center "sister" to the West lies the "forgotten fountain", which rests directly in the center of the looping kink in the Disc Golf Course's main driveway, officially "The Crow's Nest Road". This elliptical watering hole is easily accessed by using one of the Stairways to Nowhere detailed on PAGE 2.

Near the center of the Forgotten Fountain lies the Fountainhead, partially decayed, but still reasonably sturdy.

Another view of the fountainhead. Note the shallow wall in the background of both photos, revealing the depth of this fountain to once be about 3 feet deep. This pond was the Westernmost, and smallest of the "Three Sisters"

Yet another drained pond is located East of the Center pond, as evidenced by the retaining wall. This was the largest of the "Three Sisters."

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