Charles Village, first known as Peabody Heights, was developed after the Civil War as a get-rich-quick scheme. Investors thought high-salaried professionals would be attracted to the area because of its proximity to the estates of Baltimore’s most affluent residents. But it just didn’t sell as easily as they hoped and while the developers didn’t get rich, the neighborhood is now one of Baltimore’s richest in culture and character. The area finally began to prosper around 1910, with demand for houses so great they couldn’t be built fast enough. Growth slowed mid-century but the community was given an image boost when, in 1967, local resident Grace Darin renamed it Charles Village and wrote newspaper articles promoting the area. Located near Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood campus, the neighborhood is known for its multi-million-dollar restored Victorian Painted Lady row houses on a strip called Pastel Row. Over time, Charles Village has become an alloy of old and new; much of its history is preserved, yet new developments such as the Charles Village Project have brought in modern apartments and businesses.
Learn more about markets featured in this article: Baltimore, MD.
