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Lansdowne Improvement Association
Baltimore MD 21227
410-242-6067
Welcome
In order to make sure every
citizen of Lansdowne has a voice, we have opened this website to help get
information to you. LansdowneOnline.com is a medium that you can take
advantage of to voice your opinion, concerns and suggestions.
In a technical age, it is important that we
keep up with technology and use it to our greatest advantage. What a great
way to communicate to the citizens of Lansdowne. This website is still
growing. And, as we grow we want your input.
There are more pages planned for the site
such as the new C.O.P.s page to keep abreast
of your needs; an education page that will give you school information, possibly
a list serve where members can post information and communicate via email.
There many possibilities, but your website committee needs your input.
Please let us know what you want to see on this website. Your suggestions are
always welcome.
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President's Message
Updated:
July 05, 2008
Dear Lansdowne,
Well I must first apologize for being
behind on getting the website updated every month. I have been very busy at work
doing air conditioning work, my daughter graduating and keeping things at home
up and running.
So, let’s get down to business with our
community. I'd like to say how happy I was with our association on how well the
100 year Lansdowne Parade Celebration went. So many people came up to me and
also called to say how wonderful the event was and hoped we would do it again.
County Executive Jim Smith expressed how excited he was that we were able to
pull off such an event. He also said he has not seen a community so excited as
when he attended our Lansdowne Day Parade. He hoped we will make it an annual
event. We will certainly consider the idea since it went so well. I would like
to thank the Baltimore Community Foundation for their help in supporting our
community event.
I can’t express enough that we need to
not only do things or have such events to celebrate our community pride but
reflect our community in a positive light. Good things will begin to happen when
you decide that it can come to light. If you sit back and not water the flower
the flower will weep and soon die. So, let’s energize our community and take
charge of our future.
Our June meeting we bid farewell to our
resource Officer Bill Rubie. Bill will be transferring to the Catonsville area.
We will be welcoming Officer Jim Wickless onboard at our July meeting. Jim grew
up in our area and since becoming a police officer has patrolled our area and is
ready to keep our community safe and secure. Welcome Officer Jim Wickless.
July starts our new fiscal year and many
challenges lie ahead. I ask for your support as well as your neighbors. Please
reach out and bring a friend to our next meeting. Streetscape has been put out
to bid and now going through the process of being awarded so it can begin early
Fall. So, we need now to begin the process of working together with the County
in bringing the best out of this Project. So first up in July we welcome Jason
French from CSX Railroad to discuss how the railroad will work with the
streetscape project. Please plan to attend and bring a friend to our next
meeting.
Join the List Serv. If you would like to be alerted of news and tidbits,
please join our Email list serve.
See our listserve page
for details.
See You Soon
Craig Rankin
410-242-6067
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Lansdowne History
In the late 1800's, the Whitaker Iron Company
mined for ore in Lansdowne. Abandoned pits from the mining were filled up
by underground springs creating small ponds and lakes. Lansdowne was
mostly farmland, including the Kessler farm, MacLeod farm and Wades farm.
When the railroad came, Lansdowne became
knows as a B&O town. Most people worked for the B&O, commuting by train
into Baltimore City. The first station was names Coursey Station.
The Coursey Station senior housing center takes its name from this.
The two main roads were Hammonds Ferry Road
and Hollins Ferry Road, both of which led to the Patapsco River where you could
take a ferry across to the other side.
Early churches included the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, St.
Clements Catholic Church, Lansdowne United Methodist Church, Lansdowne
Christian Church and the First Baptist Church. The site of the original
wooden school house was on the property that is now St. Clements.
In the 1950's housing developments sprang up in the Baltimore
Highlands and Riverview areas. Schools were build for these neighborhoods.
In Lansdowne, the Lansdowne Elementary School, Lansdowne Junior High (middle
school) and Lansdowne Senior High were known as the "Golden Education Triangle."
In the early 1960's the B&O closed the railroad crossing and
Lansdowne Boulevard was constructed, connecting Lansdowne to Washington
Boulevard, bridging over the railroad tracks. A tunnel was also
constructed under the tracks for pedestrian crossing. Some old railroad
cars were erected as a museum and shopping area alongside Hammonds Ferry Road
and the railroad tracks.
In the 1980's Baltimore County Recreation and Parks opened a
large parcel of land for public use. Southwest Area Park is located on the
Patapsco River, just below Baltimore Highlands.
A small library was built by Baltimore County in 1966, on Third
Avenue. In 1993, the Lansdowne Library was closed due to budget cutbacks.
The building is now used as the Police Athletic League Center. In 1989 the
Lansdowne/Baltimore Highlands Senior Center was built directly behind the
Library building.
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