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287:. Over 1,500 buildings were destroyed, and the Custom House suffered major damage. Many of the granite blocks had been split by the heat. These had to be removed and replaced in what proved to be a difficult and costly process. The structure's northwest corner was almost entirely rebuilt. Despite this setback, construction continued, and the building was completed and occupied at the end of 1907.
718:
260:, (1764-1820), in an H-shaped structure and constructed in 1816–1820, the Merchant's Exchange Building was the largest domed building of its kind in America and a landmark of the city symbolizing its commercial importance. It continued to house the U.S. Customs Service, along with the U.S. Courthouse for District and Circuit Court of Appeals, Post Office and a branch of the
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The west (Commerce Street) side of the building reveals an "E-shaped" plan. The double-story Call Room pavilion forms the middle arm of the "E" and is on axis with the entrance. Rusticated corners flank a five-bay window arcade. The window spandrels are decorated with carvings depicting sea monsters,
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and separate wings for the first City Hall and another for offices of shipping companies, brokers, attorneys and related maritime businesses through the end of the 19th century. In April 1865, the rotunda was the site of a viewing ceremony during the long procession winding through the downtown city
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From the time of its completion, the Custom House was widely praised as a triumph of both design and workmanship. In 1908, the
American Architect and Building News declared, "The result achieved by the intelligent cooperation of architect and artist stamps Baltimore's new Custom House as among the
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The main lobby has a marble floor with an inlaid brass compass design. The walls are paneled with variegated marble. The lobby is flanked by elevators and stairhalls, with marble stairs and ornamental iron and brass railings. A narrow corridor connects the lobby to the historic Call Room where
346:, flanking the recessed window bays. Alternating segmental and triangular pediments carried on consoles top the second-story windows. The smooth columns support a full entablature and roof balustrade, which wrap around the building and conceal the attic story and flat roof.
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311:, on a gently sloping site bounded by Gay, Lombard, and Water Streets. The six-story building, 92 feet high from base to roof balustrade, displays an axial symmetry and imposing presence characteristic of the Beaux-Arts style. The building's architects,
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and named
Baltimore as one of 59 collection districts. The first Baltimore custom house was at the intersection of South Gay between East Lombard and Water Streets, across from the present location. Around 1820 the government began to rent a wing of the
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342:. The primary facade fronts Gay Street. A smooth-faced basement level (extending from grade up to a watertable course) rises to a heavily rusticated first floor. The second through fourth stories are articulated by three-story engaged
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212:, United States. It is a granite, steel-frame structure measuring 252 feet 8 inches (77.01 m) by 139 feet 6 inches (42.52 m). It is an exceptionally distinguished example of
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most successful public buildings erected in this country." Today the Custom House remains an outstanding interpretation of the Beaux-Arts vision and a monument to the dignity of the federal government.
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In 1900 the
Treasury Department held a design competition for Baltimore's third custom house. It was to be built on the site of the famed Merchant's Exchange. The winning entry was by the prominent
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shells, and other nautical ornamentation that reflect the Custom House's proximity to
Baltimore's Inner Harbor. A balustraded parapet shields the copper-clad roof of the pavilion.
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The building's cornerstone was laid on June 13, 1903, in a ceremony attended by several hundred people. On
February 7–8, 1904 as construction neared the third floor, a
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In the 18th and 19th centuries, Baltimore flourished as one of the nation's major commercial ports, its economy growing as foreign trade increased. In 1789, the
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on the east wall, and the borders of the ceiling panel depict the evolution of navigation. They portray over 125 vessels, from ancient
Egyptian ships to the
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with wrought-iron lamp standards with lamps resembling 18th century ship's stern lanterns. The entrance doors are protected behind wrought-iron grillework.
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1816-1820: The
Merchant's Exchange Building, designed by Maximilian Godefroy and Benjamin H. Latrobe, is constructed; one wing is used for Customs Service.
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and the experiences of their
European tours to apply French academic planning and organizational principles to American civic architecture.
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224:(1846–1912). It served as Baltimore's Custom House until 1953. Since that time various Federal agencies have occupied the building.
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The Call Room is the Custom House's most impressive, and historically significant, space. The walls have paired
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1903: The cornerstone of the present-day Custom House is laid on the former site of the
Exchange Building.
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1904: A devastating fire ravages a seventy-block area of
Baltimore, damaging the unfinished Custom House.
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1789: The U.S. Customs Service is established, and Baltimore is named as one of 59 collection districts.
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379:. The paneled cove rises to the central ceiling panel, measuring 63 feet by 30 feet, and adorned with a
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After four years of renovation and modernization work, the Custom House formally reopened in 1997.
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220:, a Washington, D.C. firm. The ceiling of the Call Room, located in the pavilion, was painted by
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543:: National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form for Federal Properties
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as later his decorated train traveled through the Northern States back to his home in
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The steel structure and masonry bearing walls are faced with granite quarried near
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1900: Hornblower and Marshall are selected as architects for the new Custom House.
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1997: The Custom House is formally reopened after a four-year renovation project.
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1972: The building is designated one of America's twelve Historic Custom Houses.
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Government buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Baltimore
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The Gay Street entrance is approached by marble steps that are flanked by
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The U.S. Custom House in Baltimore is located two blocks north of the
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507:"National Register Information System – (#74002217)"
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Milner, John D., National Heritage Corporation (June 22, 1973).
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387:. It depicts a fleet of ten sailing vessels: ships including a
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Custom houses on the National Register of Historic Places
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Category:National Register of Historic Places in Maryland
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and was built from 1903 through late 1907 from plans by
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256:, (1765-1838), and famous British-American architect
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History of the National Register of Historic Places
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606:. U.S. General Services Administration. 2009-08-24.
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U.S. Custom House, Baltimore, MD: Building Overview
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285:catastrophic fire swept through downtown Baltimore
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563:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
935:Portal:National Register of Historic Places
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252:to house the Customs Service. Designed by
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658:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
327:. They used Hornblower's training at the
46:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
537:United States Department of the Interior
478:1974: The Custom House is listed in the
319:(1851–1927), began their careers in the
265:streets for assassinated 16th President
976:1900s architecture in the United States
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407:entering the harbor. The panels of the
18:U.S. Custom House (Baltimore, Maryland)
971:Government buildings completed in 1903
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991:Neoclassical architecture in Maryland
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512:National Register of Historic Places
480:National Register of Historic Places
434:. All of the murals were painted by
229:National Register of Historic Places
227:U.S. Custom House was listed on the
986:Beaux-Arts architecture in Maryland
321:Office of the Supervising Architect
956:Custom houses in the United States
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621:U.S. Custom House, Baltimore City
280:firm of Hornblower and Marshall.
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472:1907: Construction is completed.
981:1903 establishments in Maryland
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1:
245:United States Customs Service
532:"United States Custom House"
361:customs revenues were paid.
250:Merchants' Exchange Building
27:United States historic place
907:National Historic Landmarks
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340:Mount Airy, North Carolina
915:
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262:Bank of the United States
166:NRHP reference
150:Hornblower & Marshall
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65:
61:
52:
43:
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1001:Baltimore City Landmarks
426:of 1907, accompanied by
156:Architectural style
600:"GSA - Find a Building"
545:. National Park Service
218:Hornblower and Marshall
214:Beaux Arts architecture
114:39.288167°N 76.609056°W
55:Baltimore City Landmark
681:Keeper of the Register
304:
258:Benjamin Henry Latrobe
254:J. Maximilian Godefroy
72:Baltimore Custom House
696:National Park Service
676:Contributing property
541:National Park Service
517:National Park Service
302:
271:Springfield, Illinois
133:1 acre (0.40 ha)
119:39.288167; -76.609056
436:Francis Davis Millet
385:Entering the Harbour
329:École des Beaux-Arts
313:Joseph C. Hornblower
222:Francis Davis Millet
208:building located at
885:South and Southeast
870:North and Northwest
325:Treasury Department
241:First U.S. Congress
210:Baltimore, Maryland
192:Designated BCL
110: /
87:Baltimore, Maryland
961:Downtown Baltimore
880:East and Northeast
875:West and Southwest
452:Significant events
317:John Rush Marshall
305:
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686:Historic district
519:. April 15, 2008.
202:U.S. Custom House
199:
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187:February 15, 1974
179:Significant dates
38:U.S. Custom House
16:(Redirected from
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336:Laurel, Maryland
315:(1848–1908) and
278:Washington, D.C.
243:established the
235:Building history
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815:Queen Anne's
740:Anne Arundel
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547:. Retrieved
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428:J. P. Morgan
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309:Inner Harbor
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295:Architecture
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273:for burial.
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206:custom house
201:
200:
105:76°36′32.6″W
102:39°17′17.4″N
895:Other lists
397:barquentine
373:entablature
117: /
93:Coordinates
950:Categories
835:Washington
825:St. Mary's
805:Montgomery
775:Dorchester
490:References
423:Mauretania
160:Beaux-arts
861:Baltimore
845:Worcester
780:Frederick
728:by county
549:April 16,
445:in 1912.
383:entitled
369:pilasters
303:Call Room
231:in 1974.
146:Architect
141:1903–1907
840:Wicomico
820:Somerset
755:Caroline
735:Allegany
662:Maryland
559:cite web
417:lunettes
405:schooner
403:, and a
173:74002217
82:Location
902:Bridges
865:Central
790:Harford
785:Garrett
770:Charles
760:Carroll
750:Calvert
442:Titanic
440:R.M.S.
432:Corsair
421:R.M.S.
415:, five
351:plinths
323:of the
830:Talbot
795:Howard
669:Topics
413:frieze
389:whaler
377:frieze
338:, and
765:Cecil
726:Lists
393:barks
381:mural
366:Ionic
138:Built
800:Kent
565:link
551:2021
411:and
409:cove
401:brig
399:, a
395:, a
195:1977
130:Area
863:: (
660:in
168:No.
952::
602:.
573:^
561:}}
557:{{
539::
534:.
515:.
509:.
498:^
391:,
887:)
650:e
643:t
636:v
567:)
553:.
482:.
20:)
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