My Daddy (aka Chopper) and our friend Adam arrived last Friday for a long weekend visit. It was so much fun being a tourist in Baltimore with my history professor father. Being a good Certified Tourism Ambassador I asked our guests what they were interested in seeing vs. subjecting them to my love of art galleries and museums. After rallying off a few options the B&O Railroad museum won out as the first stop. I will post our other visits separately. I simply adore the architecture of the Round House and love to visit this spot over and over. It's the most wonderful space to have an event for 40 guests up to 2,000.
When you enter there is a new exhibit with Charles Carroll of Carrollton. His statue speaks. He brags about laying the the first cornerstone of the first railroad in the United States and how everyone thought he was crazy for backing such a venture. He was the oldest living signer of the Declaration of Independence and one of Maryland's most famous dudes.
The trains can move in and out of the Round House exiting through these large doors. There was a horrible roof collapse in 2003 after a massive snowfall and the building truly looks brand new.
My all time favorite exhibit in the whole museum is the model railroad in an old rail car behind the Round House.
The model has a Bromo Seltzer Tower, Camden Station and the warehouse at Camden Yards in Baltimore. It is like the best Richard Scary
book coming to life showing the ports, the loading of goods onto the trains and the cars heading into the heartland of America.
book coming to life showing the ports, the loading of goods onto the trains and the cars heading into the heartland of America.
The city row houses and grain silos are in the first section near the ports.
This train station looks like the one in Kalamazoo.
The trains move (this one is a blur on the left corner) past rivers and streams and conjures up great memories of an overnight train trip Dad, Mac and I took from Chicago to Memphis when we were little. I can still imagine the towns whipping past us out the window.
They have stepping stools for little kids. I could sit and watch the trains moving back and forth for hours.
Dad nearly opened the coal hatch on a big, big train. There wasn't a sign saying he shouldn't but still.
I got to sit in the conductors seat. This is my kid-in-a-candy-store-expression.
The B&O is a wonderful museum to bring family and friends. There are little kids everywhere enjoying story time on the weekends. I'm so proud we have such a unique part of American history in our back yard.
Thanks Daddy and Adam for being up for new adventures. It was so much fun having you visit Baltimore.
4 comments:
My husband would have loved that museum as he always has been fascinated of both big and small trains. He has a large collection of Märklin trains, but only in boxes.
the roundhouse is the largest 22-sided building in the US. it's always a good quiz question.
You and your daddy look adorable! Love your flats.
LOVE the B&O! Have been to several parties there and my sister used to managed group tours there! Fun!
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