Baltimore is the largest city in the state of Maryland, and the 13th largest in the United States. It lies on both shores
of the Patapsco River, near the northern end of Chesapeake Bay. The first settlers were attracted there by the swift-running tributary streams of the Patapsco River which they could use to power grain mills. The deep harbour of the Patapsco allowed ocean ships to dock for exports and imports. The harbour helped the town, formed in 1729, to grow into a city. Although the grain mills were long ago replaced by factories, the harbour and port are still of great importance. The city was named after Baltimore family, who founded the colony of Maryland. During the American Revolution, Baltimore was for a time a meeting place of the Continental Congress and gained a reputation for building fast sturdy ships that were used as privateers to attack British shipping.
Baltimore is one of the series of large
manufacturing and port cities on the Atlantic seacoast. Of all these cities, from Boston, Massachusetts, to Norfolk, Virginia, Baltimore ranks 3rd in population and 3rd as a port. It is just as important as a manufacturing city.
The residential and commercial areas of the city have spread out to the south, north, and northeast toward other cities. The industrial areas have spread out along the shores of the Patapsco River and other nearby inlets of Chesapeake Bay. There the land is flat and the water is deep enough to allow ocean freighters to load and unload. The manufacturing and port activities help each other. The port attracts
industries, and the industries enlarge the port.
Baltimore accounts for a large percentage of the industrial and manufacturing work of Maryland. There are many types of industrial plant in or near the city. The grain elevators and copper refineries are old industries. There are also iron and steel mills, car assembly plants, and electrical and chemical industries. Electronics and biotechnology are more recent industries. Baltimore’s once well-known aircraft industry has changed over to the production of missiles, electronics, and equipment for the nuclear industry.
The old business section of the city is near the harbour. It has narrow, winding streets, small pavements, and old buildings, many with modern fronts. The United States National Aquarium is located in Baltimore.