24 Public Parks. 



BALTIMORE. ^ 



Druid Hill Park, at Baltimore, was opened October 19, i860, by 

 a grand celebration, and an address by Mayor Swann. This site is 

 one of the most ancient estates in Maryland, the patent bearing date 

 16SS, and is situated in the northern part of the city, containing 550 

 acres. The name was suggested by the great number and magnifi- 

 cent oaks which abound everywhere upon it, and was selected on 

 account of the " suitability of the location to the wants of the people, 

 accessibility to the great masses of the community, and its facilities 

 for conversion to the plans and uses of a public park ; also its natural 

 beauty and attractiveness, and the cost of placing it in a condition to 

 meet the demands of the public." * 



A large portion of the Park is covered by a primitive forest of 

 oak, hickory, tulip, linden, maple, dogwood, &c. The ground is high 

 and gently undulating, with here and there a deep ravine, in which 

 are found springs and running brooks. It commands a fine vie-\y 

 from its height of Chesapeake Bay, Fort McHenry, and the city of 

 Baltimore. 



This park has its origin in the prudence and forethought of Mayor 

 Swann, who was impressed with the idea that the city passenger 

 railways should pay something as a compensation for the use of the 

 streets, and, in his address, he says, — " While Baltimore desired a park, 

 and while she was in no condition to impose additional taxes upon 

 her people, it occurred to the friends of this measure that she could 

 do nothing more wise or beneficial, after placing her tariff on an 

 equal footing with her sister cities, to avail herself of the only oppor- 

 tunity likely to secure an adequate bonus to be applied to the 

 purchase of a public park. Accordingly, when the ordinance 

 creating these passenger railways was presented for my approval, I 

 deemed it my duty to insist, as a condition of the franchise, that one- 

 fifth of the gross receipts should go into the treasury as a fund for 

 this purpose." 



This was done, and up to December 31, 186S, the sum of 

 $547,546.19 has been received from this source, which has been 

 applied to the payment of the interest of the park bonds, and its 

 improvement. The original cost was $512,193.44; this, with the 

 additions, improvements and interest, amounted, as the total cost, 

 December 31, 1868, to $1,302,410.61.! 



* Mayor Swann's Dedication Address. 



t Ninth Annual Report Park Commission. 



