About Pigtown
The adage is that the southwestern Baltimore neighborhood
known as Pigtown wasn’t born: It “happened” when pigs
were herded from the B&O Railroad Terminal and Union Stockyards to
South Baltimore. Legend further has it that community residents along
the route would reach out of the street level cellar windows in an attempt
to grab a pig for the family table.
While boundaries of Pigtown can be disputed, they are generally agreed to be Russell Street to the South, Pratt Street to the North, Carroll Park to the West, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the East. Today, Pigtown’s location centers around Washington Boulevard, the neighborhood’s main street.
| Picked by City Paper as Baltimore's Best Neighborhood in 2004 |
Pigtown is rich in both history and diversity and can take pride in its special Baltimore character. The neighborhood is unique because it represents a virtual microcosm of the commercial and industrial development that fueled the economic growth of the City of Baltimore. In the 18th and 19th centuries, shipyards, grist mills, brick yards, iron works, the B&O Railroad Terminal, racing stables, taverns, inns and other amenities all called Pigtown home.
In the 1980s, Pigtown was designated an urban renewal area by the City of Baltimore and renamed Washington Village. Yet the moniker Pigtown has stuck, and remains affectionately known as such to area Baltimore residents, alike. During this time, Pigtown was home to the nation’s largest homesteading act-which brought a new influx of middle-class families into the neighborhood. This progressive initiative was called the “dollar houses, “ which received national recognition for its success at attracting new urban homesteaders. This eclectic enclave, now is home to professors, university students, young professionals, and artists seeking the convenience of living downtown, which is designated a Federal Register of Historic Places. Community revitalization continues within the neighborhood, spearheaded by the efforts from the Pigtown Main Street Program, and community residents.
