It's easy to miss the tiny historic village of Dickeyville.
But if you have ever visited the neighborhood, it's not easily forgotten.
That's because not only does it offer a charming look at a well-preserved historic mill town along Gwynns Falls, but it also offers its residents a strong sense of community.
Wendi Snowberger, who moved to Dickeyville in August, found out just how neighborly its residents can be.
While talking with her mother on the phone one day about her plans for the weekend, which included cutting the lawn, Snowberger realized that it had already been cut.
"I found out it was my neighbor who knows I work for the Red Cross. It was right after Sept. 11, and he knew I was going to be very busy. So he took it upon himself to mow the grass for me," Snowberger said. "And it's not uncommon for things like that to happen here."
After moving from Atlanta to Baltimore a year ago, Snowberger fell in love with Dickeyville and waited until the right house came on the market.
"It's so close to downtown Baltimore but has a serene, homey setting," she said. "It's hard to believe Dickeyville is part of the city with the number of trees and quietness of the community. I can't think of any place I would rather be while living in Baltimore."
Just off Forest Park Avenue in west Baltimore near the county line, Dickeyville is considered by its residents to be a hidden treasure.
"The secret of Dickeyville is part of its charm," said Susan Wiest, an agent with the Catonsville office of O'Conor, Piper & Flynn ERA. "It's a unique place. It's a special place because you can be certain that almost always, your neighbors are interesting and friendly people."
Wiest, who grew up in Dickeyville, said the houses are nontraditional.
"The houses usually have a quirkiness to their floor plans. They are not traditional floor plans, so you have to use your imagination."
Many of the homes in Dickeyville are historic, dating to the 1800s when mill workers were the only inhabitants of the village. They include workers' cottages and more spacious dwellings that belonged to the superintendents who oversaw the mills. Some of the homes that were originally duplexes have been turned into single-family homes.
There are also newer homes, built during the 1940s, that conform to the style of the original mill houses.
Dickeyville homes can vary greatly in size and cost.
