Baltimore Penn Station

altimore’s Penn Station is located on a rise in the land between the busy Amtrak Northeast Corridor and the Jones Falls Expressway. North Charles Street, which runs along the station’s beautifully landscaped front plaza, leads downhill to distinctive areas such as the gracious Mount Vernon neighborhood, populated with celebrated cultural institutions including the Walters Art Museum and the Peabody Conservatory of Music; the central business district marked by skyscrapers; and the popular Inner Harbor, home to the National Aquarium, historic sailing ships, and a bevy of shops and restaurants with magnificent views of the waterfront.

Completed in 1911 and dressed in the triumphant garb of Beaux-Arts classicism favored during the American Renaissance, the $1 million Pennsylvania Station emphasized Baltimore’s importance as a dominant rail hub and major East Coast metropolis. Throughout the 19th century, Baltimore used its location on the western edge of the Chesapeake Bay to establish links with emerging Midwestern markets whose goods were transported by road and rail to the city’s extensive docks. From there, they were shipped up and down the East Coast and around the world, and in the process, Baltimore fashioned itself into a major international port and Maryland’s largest city, holding sway over the state’s political, economic and cultural life.

Considered the “cradle of American railroading,” Baltimore has a rich physical rail heritage that includes rights-of-way, tunnels and numerous stations in diverse architectural styles. Railroad infrastructure that is no longer in use has often been repurposed to serve new needs. For example, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s (B&O) Camden warehouse was incorporated into Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team. Near Penn Station, the B&O’s elegant Mount Royal Station was restored and internally reconfigured to house studio space for the prestigious Maryland Institute College of Art.

By the end of the 19th century, the B&O and the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) dominated rail transportation within the city. At the time, the PRR was not only regarded as one of the nation’s finest railroads but was also respected worldwide as an efficient and well-run corporation that set standards in the transportation industry. To enhance its reputation and fulfill local clamoring for a modern facility, the PRR financed the construction of a new Union Station to replace an older French Renaissance style brick structure that had been built during the Victorian era.

From among eight competing plans, railroad officials chose the design of Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison, a well-known New York architect who had trained at the famed École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Over his career, Murchison became well regarded for his rail station designs, which also included the PRR station at Johnstown, Pa.; structures for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in Scranton and Hoboken; and Union Station in Havana, Cuba.

Under the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project, Baltimore Penn Station was renovated in 1983-84. In particular, the work focused on the station’s historic details, such as the skylight. Covered with blackout paint during World War II, the glass was revealed and refurbished. Repairs were also made to the terrazzo and mosaic flooring, glazed wall tile and marble detailing. Interior spaces were reorganized to provide better passenger movement, and important mechanical systems were upgraded. A decade later, the current plaza and below-ground parking garage were constructed in front of the station. At the center of the plaza is a 51-foot tall aluminum sculpture by artist Jonathan Borofsky. Named “Male/Female,” the piece depicts two intersecting human forms with a glowing heart.

Great American Stations