Federal Hill (Images of America)

Baltimore's historic Federal Hill district thrives as one of the city's most active and resilient communities. In 1789, city residents gathered at Federal Hill Park to celebrate the ratification of the US Constitution. Later, the park would be occupied by Union soldiers during the Civil War. For decades, bustling shipyards ringed the harbor around Federal Hill. But in the 1960s, parts of the neighborhood, including the park itself, were targeted for destruction to make way for an interstate highway. Fortunately that plan was abandoned, and today, the National Historic Districts of Federal Hill, Federal Hill South, and Sharp Leadenhall--plus the adjoining neighborhood of Otterbein--are home to museums, restaurants, and breathtaking views of the Inner Harbor and skyline. Its quaint streets are lined with iconic Baltimore row houses from the 19th and early 20th centuries.