Photo Essay: Druid Hill Park

"Hidden in plain sight."

In a lot of ways that phrase could be used to describe Baltimore's relationship to the rest of the country. To the uninitiated this is a city known primarily through various appearances in popular culture, none of which (and this is just the nature of things) capture its full character.

The phrase can also be used, however, to describe Baltimore to its own people. The city is blessed with an almost impossibly rich history, the depth of which only becomes truly clear the more one digs to find it. There are gems large and small virtually anywhere you choose to look. None more impressive than Druid Hill Park.

Created in 1860 when the City purchased the Rogers family estate, it quickly became a crown jewel. Visitors were drawn to its unique combination of wildlife, natural springs, and carefully cultivated foliage. It was, in those days, as renowned a city park as any in the country. So much so that, in 1894, the journal Garden and Forest declared Druid Hill Park "one of the finest pleasure grounds in the United States."

It is, naturally, a different place today than it was then. Yet it's no less majestic. To spend time in Druid Hill Park -- particularly when venturing off its beaten paths -- is to witness almost incomparable splendor.

In this month's photo essay, Bmore Media staff photographer Arianne Teeple takes a look at the park as spring kicks into gear. If you find yourself inspired to do some exploration of your own -- and you should really do that -- this Urbanite article from last year sheds some light on the park's history and provides great information on what to see and where.




Comments? Questions? Find us on Twitter, Facebook, or send us an email.

Learn more about Bmore and sign up to receive a new issue every week via email.