War Memorial Plaza facts for kids
War Memorial Plaza is a public park and open space in Downtown Baltimore. It sits between City Hall and the War Memorial Building. It's a place where people can gather and relax in the city.
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A Look Back: The Plaza's History
This area has a long and interesting past. Before it became a plaza, it was home to many important buildings.
Early Schools and Famous Writers
In the 1850s, Loyola High School and Loyola College first opened their doors here. These schools later moved to different locations as they grew.
A famous writer named H. L. Mencken went to a school nearby in the late 1800s. He later became a well-known reporter for "The Baltimore Sun" newspaper.
The Old Holliday Street Theatre
For many years, the famous Holliday Street Theatre stood on this site. It was a very important playhouse in Baltimore. A big fire destroyed the first theater in 1873, but it was rebuilt.
This theater is famous for a special reason. It's believed that the song "The Defence of Fort McHenry" was first publicly sung here in September 1814. This poem was written by Francis Scott Key after he saw the British attack on Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. This poem later became our national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner"!
The Old Assembly Rooms
Next to the theater was the "Old Assembly Rooms." This building was a center for social events and learning. People would gather there for dances and meetings. It also housed an important library.
Later, a school called "Central High School of Baltimore" (now Baltimore City College) used the building. This school, founded in 1839, is one of the oldest public high schools in America.
Creating the Plaza
Both the theater and the Assembly Rooms were destroyed in a big fire in 1873. Later, in 1917, the entire block was torn down. This was done to create the new War Memorial Plaza and the War Memorial Building.
The idea was to make a beautiful "civic center" for the city. This new design also helped to open up the view of the Baltimore City Hall, which was built across the street. The War Memorial Building was finished in 1925. It was built to honor Marylanders who died in World War I.
The Plaza Today
Today, War Memorial Plaza is a key part of Baltimore's city center. It's part of the Business and Government Historic District and the Baltimore National Heritage Area.
The "Negro Soldier" Statue
In the plaza, you can see a statue called "Negro Soldier." It was made by a local artist named James E. Lewis in 1971. This statue honors African American soldiers. It was moved to War Memorial Plaza in 2007.
