Historic Places

Baltimore City Hall. The Hippodrome Theatre. Lloyd Street Synagogue. The Scottish Rite Temple. The Garrett-Jacobs Mansion. Those are just a few of the landmarks that might not be part of Maryland's landscape if it weren't for Baltimore Heritage, an advocacy group that works to protect and promote Baltimore's historically and architecturally significant buildings, places and neighborhoods. This spring the organization is marking the 50th anniversary of its founding with an awards gala at the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion on June 11, tours of local landmarks, citations to "centennial" families that have lived in the same house for more than 100 years, and other events designed to appeal to the "inner preservationist" in everyone.

Cleora B. "Cleo" Thompson, a city planner who became Howard County's first archivist and whose countywide architectural survey resulted in many structures being placed on the National Register of Historic Places, died Feb. 13 of Alzheimer's disease at a daughter's home in Newton, Mass. The former longtime Columbia resident was 79. Cleora Barnes was born in New York City and raised in New Haven, Conn. After graduating in 1949 from Milhouse High School in New Haven, she earned a bachelor's degree in 1953 in political science and history from the University of Connecticut at Storrs.

Developers doing a hit job on the environment I am disgusted by the hit job on the environment currently being orchestrated by the Maryland home builders ("Storm water regulations would cost jobs," Readers respond, Jan. 26). The poll they just released suggests that anything we do to improve the Chesapeake Bay will drive the economy further into recession. Their public statements have made practical environmental safeguards look heavy-handed and senseless. They are doing this to fight against new rules that would reduce urban and suburban runoff pollution that goes into the bay. Rather than requiring expensive underground pipes that divert rainwater directly to rivers, the rules require developers to use simple design techniques like putting deep plant beds next to parking lots to absorb dirty runoff.

Community:: Havre de Grace Location:: Harford County Average sales price:: $241,000 (January through June) Notable features:: Water, water, everywhere. Havre de Grace's northeastern boundary is the Susquehanna River, and along its southeastern edge flows the Chesapeake Bay. There's a boardwalk promenade along the river and boats galore, plus a quaint downtown on the National Register of Historic Places. Some of the homes here are historic and stately. Some are just darn cute, with splashes of bright color and inviting porches.

Community: Havre de Grace Location: Harford County Average sales price: $241,000 (January through June) Notable features: Water, water, everywhere. Havre de Grace's northeastern boundary is the Susquehanna River, and along its southeastern edge flows the Chesapeake Bay. There's a boardwalk promenade along the river and boats galore, plus a quaint downtown on the National Register of Historic Places. Some of the homes here are historic and stately.

10 FOR THE ROAD Most-endangered historic places The 10 -- plus one -- most endangered historic places in the United States, from the National Trust for Historic Preservation: 1. Brooklyn's industrial waterfront, New York 2. El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail, N.M. 3. H.H. Richardson House, Brookline, Mass. 4. Hialeah Park Race Course, Hialeah, Fla. 5. Historic places in transmission-line corridors, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware 6. Historic structures in Mark Twain National Forest, Mo. 7. Historic Route 66 Motels, Illinois to California 8. Minidoka Internment National Monument, Jerome County, Idaho 9. Philip Simmons' Workshop and Home, Charleston, S.C. 10. Pinon Canyon, Colo.

Seeking to rally public support for saving some of Maryland's most historic buildings, a statewide group of preservationists published a list yesterday of landmarks "endangered" by neglect, decay and development. What Preservation Maryland uncovered in the process, though, was just how difficult it can be to get consensus on how to save some old sites - or even agreement that they're in need of help. Leading the preservation group's list of threatened historic properties was St. Peter's Cemetery, an overgrown 19th-century West Baltimore graveyard.

A long-simmering feud over what to call the Southwest Baltimore neighborhood that sometimes goes by Pigtown, sometimes by Washington Village and other times by a hyphenated hookup of the two, erupted recently in the unlikeliest of spots. This brawl over authenticity, pride and, of course, pigs overwhelmed an otherwise subdued hearing on - of all things - Pigtown's application to the National Register of Historic Places. Name game Do you have a better name for Pigtown? Submit your suggestion at baltimoresun.

THE MARYLAND State House in Annapolis is not only the site of the state capitol, it was the nation's capitol from November 1783 to August 1784. It is the oldest state capitol building in the United States in continuous legislative use and was designated a national historic landmark in 1960. The building's original Senate chamber was where George Washington resigned his commission and where Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris. Over the years, the building has had several additions and renovations, including a recent restoration of the original wooden dome.

Baltimore preservation officials have endorsed the creation of the largest historic district in the city -- an area of about 175 blocks containing almost 6,000 significant properties. Dubbed Old West Baltimore, the district is made up of five distinct African-American neighborhoods rich with architectural and cultural significance. The district is one of four that received approval Tuesday night by the city's Commission on Historical and Architectural Preservation for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.