The Diagonals of "Peabody Heights"
ALL PHOTOS BY ADAM PAULAt the turn of the Century, the area now commonly referred to as Upper Charles Village was more commonly known by a different moniker, namely Peabody Heights. This up and coming development of stately houses supplemented by some of the City's most handsome rowhouses would be defined by the borders of Charles Street and York Road (now Greenmount Avenue) on West and East, and 26th and 31st Street (New Waverly Avenue) on South and North.
Initial plans for this development were laid out in the 1890's, and by 1905, most of the construction was approaching completion. While served by the Towson Streetcar to the East, the line also brought with it a new, more upscale car line running North on Saint Paul Street to 31st Street, where it thence turned East on 31st to terminate just before Greenmount Avenue. This line was operating as early as 1897, if not earlier.
The general plan for the development was a simple and efficient grid of streets that would allow for the maximum number of usable lots. But being that this is Baltimore, there was a bound to be a conflict in this scheme...
The land on which the Peabody Heights Company wished to build on was already partially occupied. In fact, the block that would be bounded by Barclay and Greenmount between 30th and 31st was almost fully developed. In addition, a number of streets already existed, though unpaved. These "lanes" did not conform to the intended North-South grid pattern of Peabody Heights, defiantly defacing the intended grid with their diagonal running.
For a large part, the lanes were eliminated, but oddly enough, remnants remain of almost all of them today. Some are easy to detect, and are travelled heavily every day. Others however require a trained eye to detect their long established path, especially considering that normally accurate topo maps only recognize one diagonal street in all of Charles Village (Merryman's Lane) as still existing. Here, then, is a guide to some of the "Diagonals of Peabody Heights:"
Though Sumwalt's Lane is not in Peabody Heights proper, it's path did continue into the property under the other name of Quick's Lane, which some maps show designated as "Sumwalt Lane." This peculiar Street launched Northwesterly from Barclay Street above 25th Street and dead ended at the cut for the Baltimore Belt Line Railroad. It's general trajectory was resumed by Quick's Lane which continued until it met Saint Paul Street.
City Atlas Map of 1897 showing the Peabody Heights development, and it's stubborn diagonals. Surviving fragments or streets and rights of way are shaded in blue. Interesting to note in this plan is that there is no provision for Abell Avenue, which must have been squeezed in later between Barclay and Guilford above 30th Street.
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Gilmore Lane was the longest, most obtrusive, and most developed of the old diagonals. Starting at York Road (Greenmount Avenue) opposite the start of Old York Road, this lane started off heading West for a half a block, then sharply turned 45 degrees to head on a straight Southwesterly course to terminate at current day Saint Paul and 27th Streets, where it also met old Quick's Lane.
This tiny "driveway" is all that survives of Sumwalt's Lane, as it journeys off of Barclay Street. Note the bizarre acute angle of the small building on the right of the frame behind the van to accomodate for Sumwat's Lane. Just to the right of this building is the entrance for today's 25 1/2 Street. Interestingly, the garage in the distance on the North Side of 25 1/2 also has a very short diagonal driveway following the path of Sumwalt's Lane.
More allowance was made for Gilmore than any other of the old lanes, as the passage was allowed to remain North of 29th Street. It was renamed Vineyard Lane for "The Vineyard" property which bordered it, possibly by the city who wished to avoid confusion with Gilmor Street on the West Side. Later, construction of a school on the Northwest corner of 29th and Barclay required the elimination of the street for most of the stretch between 29th and 30th Streets. However, Gilmore Lane is very much alive and well in the 21st Century.
Masquerading as Vineyard Lane, Gilmore Lane is still the most pervasive of the diagonals. This view looks Northeast from 30th and Barclay. The street does not deadend in the distance, but rather juts Eastward to meet present day Greenmount Avenue.
Strugging in vain to reach its Saint Paul Street end, Gilmore Lane is rudely abbreviated by the school on Barclay. This view looks Southwest from roughly the same spot as the photo on the left. The Vineyard stood on the right of the photo in the distance.Catbird Lane was another of the lesser diagonals. Shooting Northwest from Gilmor Lane just above today's 30th Street, Catbird was certainly more of an alley than Gilmor, as no dwellings fronted on it. It ran until present day 32nd Street, on the property of Birckhead and Murdoch, the access to which may have been its primary purpose. Only traces of the street remain between present day Vineyard Lane and Barclay Street.
Though a couple blocks away from Peabody Heights proper, there is another diagonal in the number grids of Waverly with an equally interesting history. Merryman's Lane once ran from the present day intersection of Greenmount Avenue and 32nd Street over to about Roland Avenue and 40th Street. Most of the street now falls under the more metropolitan name of University Parkway, though interestingly, the Easternmost block was allowed to retain its original name, as well as a more leisurely width.
The recessed curbing (you'll probably have to click the image for the larger version) indicates the start of what was once Catbird Lane. For some time after its use as a thorofare, the right of way was likely used as a driveway, though not any more. However, the curb remains to indicate the path. Despite the dense pattern of structures in this oddly shaped block, there is absolutlely nothing built on the pathway of Catbird Lane, though trees have since taken over the land.
When the Peabody Heights Company set about surveying the land for establishing their grids, they laid small curbstones to denote this grid. Most of these have long since vanished, but this little guy persists on the North side of 31st Street at the alley between Abell and Barclay. Where the right edge of the alley meets the side of the frame of this photo is where Catbird Lane crossed it's path heading in the distance towards the left in its diagonal trajectory.
View from the 6 way intersection of 33rd Street, Barclay Street, and University Parkway reveals the other spoke of Merryman's Lane, now used primarily for parking and truch deliveries.
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