She recommends i go down to the.
Baltimore marble stoop.
Many scrubbing the steps by hand.
The marble found there is of such quality that it was preferred over the products of the much closer potomac marble quarries for many public structures in washington d c including the.
The use of marble for steps is due to the presence of high quality white marble in cockeysville a town 17 miles north of baltimore s inner harbor by highway.
If it s all about making a good first impression what better way to start than with the perfect stoop.
Cleaning the marble on saturday mornings was a youth chore.
Stoop sitting is a wonderful way to get to know your neighbors and enjoy your neighborhood and stoops are an aspect of baltimore architecture that go back to the nineteenth century.
I moved from new jersey to cockeysville when i was going on nine years old.
I m sure there are row houses in cities all over the world that have steps leading up to the front door but baltimore stoops are special.
Of course you have probably seen non marble steps in and around baltimore.
Marble steps became more than just a decorative fixture to baltimore s unique architecture design they were a vital piece that endorsed neighborhood involvement.
Looks much like others on its block.
These steps are well maintained by the home owners.
Before fenced in back yards became the norm marble steps were a central gathering spot for neighbors to come together relax converse and most importantly get to know each other.
I spent many summers swimming in beaver dam and never knew that marble stone was extracted from the quarry in the early twentieth century.
While the rowhomes erected were kept affordable for the working class the marble steps offered that touch of class to the otherwise modest home.
If you have ever visited baltimore city one thing that you notice immediately is the beautiful white marble steps in front of the traditional row homes.
Baltimore sculptor works in marble reclaimed stoops jul 21 2012 at 3 07 pm baltimore sculptor sebastian martorana is enamored with baltimore s marble steps and has endeavored to use.
Baltimore on first glance the three floor home at 2216 druid hill ave.
The marble that was used for many of the stoops in baltimore came from a quarry in cockeysville which is today known as beaver dam.
Vacant weathered boarded up and marked with white x s on red square signs that.
Marble is cool to sit on.
Baltimore didn t invent the concept of the stoop.