Five Minute Histories: Baltimore's Corner Bars

Baltimore’s Corner Bars are historic neighborhood institutions and you can find them all over the city! Join us for today’s Five Minute Histories to take a look back at Baltimore’s history of saloons as more than just watering holes, but also as vital community spaces. We are thrilled to be joined by Rachel Donaldson, a curator at the @BMIatWork, to talk about the BMI's upcoming Neighborhood Corner Bar exhibit! Thanks for watching and see you next week with another video.

This is our series called "Five Minute Histories." Every week, we’ll record a short video about a different historic place in Baltimore and post it on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.

#baltimore #fiveminhist #saloon #bar #history #bmoreheritage #historicpreservation

[larrymaddox]

My Grandfather and Grandmother lived on Battery Avenue in South Baltimore. They had large aluminum pitchers and took them to the local bar to be filled with beer when they had visitors, especially on Saint Patrick's Day. The beer run was called "Rushing the pitcher."

[buckodonnghaile]

Prohibition sadly wiped out your bars but helped pay off my family's farm in Canada. Times were tough, rumrunning paid, and the border was only a short boat trip away. Great video.

[finscreenname]

Most of those Baltimore "salon's" turned into neighborhood dive bars from the 1970's through 2000's. You could still see some of their grander hidden behind the "BUD" signs back in the 80's but the insane size mirrors they all had, would be cracked, bullet proof Plexiglas was over everything, if the whole building wasn't falling down around it. No one is going to sit around at the corner bar like they did back in the day. It's a destination now.

[ms.donaldson]

I always love to hear a Donaldson in Baltimore doing history.... story of my life!!! We have beer and baseball today because of a Baltimore Brewer. I used to live in Highlandtown on the block between the Mt. Pleasant Inn and Tommy's Lounge 🤣😂🤣

[stevehasler]

There were so many more saloons in the nineteenth century because refrigeration did not exist and families at dinnertime would often send, "Bucket Boys" or "Kesseljunges" to the closest saloon to fetch a pale of beer in a two-quart galvanized tin bucket, which is where we get the term growler. Sometimes the boy would carry two growlers, hanging the looped handles hanging from both ends a long stick across his shoulders.

[ThePhotogPhil]

I grew up on East Lombard Street in Highlandtown, and our corner bar was Kober's Bar. We young folk would hang around the door because whenever someone came out or went in, we had about three seconds to get a peek at the 8X10 glossy pin-up photos that were over the back bar. How innocent we were compared to what is available today!

[davidrada]

Brings back memories. Before I was 12 my father, my uncle and grandfather took me and my cousin to bars armed with gallon glass jars to get them filled with draft beer. My cousin and I would play shuffle board while waiting. Usually happened on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Boy do I have stories from Zinks(Belair rd), Pols in canton and Jerry's Stag Bar on Belair rd. That one opened at 6AM and closed at 2AM.

[michaelbrand]

Thanks for another enjoyable & informative video! I have fond memories of Baltimore's corner bars from when I lived in Laurel, MD, (2002-19). I think that my favorite was Snake Hill in Highlandtown. I'd love to visit the upcoming Neighborhood Corner Bar exhibit at the BMI, but since I currently live in SW Louisiana, I doubt that that will be possible. 😞

[kellydiaz]

My 3rd great grandfather Matias Palmer had a saloon called Oriole Hall back in the 1800s. :)

[mikecinquen]

Back in the 70's used to go to Joe's Bar at the corner of E. Baltimore St & Highland Av. Could walk in and ask for a six pack "on the arm" and walk out with it and pay later. Long ago and far away.

[Malikmalo]

😮 Thanks for the history..its amazing to here being from Baltimore

[GratitudeGriot]

hardboil eggs and beer + the honor system at the Black bar ❤❤ gotta love it lol

[amitisshahbanu]

Ms Mack was the widow of a sea captain. Her bar was on Streeper and Fayette. The exquisite green wooden window front and entry are gone. It was the home of the Mug Club and it was men only.

[dextermcgrubbin]

Great presentation- learned a lot about my home town!

[ergie]

I was looking forward to you showcasing the many many corner bars of Baltimore; at least like twenty of them, and I was very disappointed.

[adg]

It was me Johnny Hopkins, Sloan Kettering, and we were taking bong rips in the back of the car.

[lindafoster]

One Eyed Mike's prior being The Seafarer in Fells Point is on the HIstoric Trust- documented by the Smithsonian- it dates back to 1860 (I think) at 1 time Fells Point had more bars per capita than anywhere in the world!

[jasontodd]

My Great Grandparents owned Schafer's Tavern on Bowley's Lane in Baltimore.

[wwtom]

My Dad owned a corner bar on Hudson & Clinton Sts in Highlandtown after retiring from the Baltimore Fire Dept. When he got it, it still had an old 21hole Pinball machine with no flippers. In the back he had both Men's and Ladies Dart Leagues on different nights. He sold it after coming down with Cancer in his mid 70's. I had a different career and didn't want to run it It's still there but I don't know who owns it now.

[jimjohnston]

Along with the social aspect there was a practical aspect. Before air conditioning became popular in all homes, the local bar (usually within walking distance) might have air conditioning. In Locust point, after working all day at Domino Sugar, the shipyards, the B&O railroad, just to name a few, a man might want to relax in the comfort of the AC. He might go over for a couple of beers after supper. Homes were smaller and they didn't have club basements, some not even a TV. The corner bar generally had a TV and possibly a color TV to watch the Orioles or the Colts. Almost every street had a bar and there was a definite clientele that would frequent it. Really good topic.