Staying in the historic Jonestown neighborhood for another week in our Baltimore Building of the Week series, Dr. John Breihan shares an exceptional example of the characteristic federal row house: 9 North Front Street. Read on then click here for an additional photo of 9 North Front Street from the interesting Monument City project.

Image courtesy Jack Breihan

The federal style of architecture was popular during Baltimore’s most vigorous period of growth, from the 1790s to the 1850s, when Baltimore vaulted into second place among American cities. The new residents were mostly housed in 1, 2, and 3½-story dormered brick row houses, less ornate than their Georgian predecessors. They are to be found all around the bustling harbor, from Fells Point through Little Italy and Jonestown to Federal Hill. A good example is 9 N. Front Street, the home of Baltimore’s second mayor, Thorowgood Smith, built in 1790. It was saved from deterioration by the Women’s Civic League during the 1970s. Other federal row houses preserved for public use include the Mother Seton House, the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, and the Edgar Allen Poe House.

This week’s featured Baltimore Building of the Week from Dr. John Breihan is the Carroll Mansion built in 1811 at 800 East Lombard Street. If you enjoy this post be sure to support Carroll Museums, follow their blog, become a fan on Facebook,  or follow @CarrollMuseums on Twitter.

Image courtesy Jack Breihan

The years just before and after 1800 saw Baltimore’s greatest expansion. With it came a new style of architecture – called “Regency” in Great Britain and “Federal” here. Although still using Flemish bond brickwork and gabled roofs with dormer windows, the Federal style was lighter than Georgian, with moldings less deeply inscribed and gables less steep.  Shallow decorative panels adorned exterior walls, and entrances were often marked by elegantly slim columns. A leading example is the town mansion of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, signer of the Declaration of Independence and one of the young republic’s richest men.  When not residing in this house along the Jones Falls, Carroll lived at his country house, Doughoregan Manor in what is now Howard County. After Carroll’s death his house was put to a number of uses, causing increasing dilapidation until it was saved by the City of Baltimore.  It is now lovingly tended by the Carroll Museums, Inc.