Canton, Baltimore

While most people living in Maryland are familiar with Baltimore’s famous Inner Harbor, fewer know about its outer harbor, the home of the Canton neighborhood. Built around the O’Donnell Square Park, Canton is best known for commercial district, which features several coffee shops, bars and restaurants, along with a small art gallery and several other businesses. In addition to O’Donnell Square, Canton is also has a lovely waterfront park and several marinas and boat launches.
Looking at cozy, modern Canton with its quaint homes and friendly shops, one would not suspect that it is built on land once worked by slaves. Following the Civil War, the plantation was broken up into a number of lots that were purchased and use for both housing and business ventures. By the beginning of World War I, Canton was a small melting pot of immigrants from all over Europe.
Recent gentrification efforts have restore Canton to much of its former glory. Families and young professionals often move here because of its small town feel of the two to three story row houses and the wide, shady streets. Others are attracted to the modern apartment complexes that have been built in renovated factories. Most enjoy having the pleasures of a Main Street America within just a few miles of the employment opportunities available in downtown Baltimore.