I JUST STARTED MY SIXTH MONTH – December 1
I entered my sixth month of this ‘run every street’ project today, which also sounds like I’ve reached the end of my second trimester.
Today’s run was in the South Baltimore community of Curtis Bay. It was my third visit to the area. But today’s run was a little different. It was 88 degrees when I first made it to Curtis Bay on August 7; today was 44. It could’ve been worse.
I chose Curtis Bay for a reason. After a post appeared on a local Facebook page, I was contacted by WMAR2 about my story. They asked if there was an important or preferred place for an interview. I suggested Curtis Bay.
Curtis Bay? A perfect place. Before I began this project I had never been to Curtis Bay, I heard only about it and it was often not positive.
I know it’s a difficult place. There’s a lot of activity there and I’m sure it’s not all healthy. And speaking of healthy, Curtis Bay residents have to travel way too far for fresh food. The factories around it don’t promote a healthy environment.
But it’s a part of Baltimore that I needed to know. It defines this project. Curtis Bay and Brooklyn feel separate and forgotten. Why wouldn’t they? They are.
So there’ll be a report tonight on Channel 2. I got to run around Curtis Bay, again, as part of the segment. I got to tell my story. And as I’ve said, I’m not out to win anything, but this long project has far exceeded any expectations of reward.
You can watch the WMAR report at this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSi0fzggJ6Y
IN SEARCH OF FAIRFIELD HOMES – December 3
I’ve always been intrigued with learning more and locating communities that have been erased, entire communities. That’s why I needed to find some sign of Fairfield.
Fairfield is (was) located at the far eastern end of South Baltimore. When you finally get to Curtis Bay and feel like you may have missed the turnoff, you haven’t. Keep going, at least until you reach Asphalt Street.
Fairfield was a longtime Black neighborhood that lacked many basic amenities; sewers didn’t appear until the mid 70s. (Outhouses were still in use.)
The Fairfield Homes housing project, built for steelworkers, spent its life in neglect and disrepair after it was converted to all Black tenants in 1953.
As the local industry force declined, cancer rates and health conditions skyrocketed. By the late 80s, it was decided that Fairfield had to be “evacuated” and repurposed. (See, I knew NOTHING about Fairfield until this project! And the saga of Fairfield is long and complicated.)
Today, Fairfield as a community, is gone. Erased. Even though I tend to avoid industrial roads and allow myself the right to decline due to safety issues, I needed to try to find something.
What I found was a few street signs and a building or two from that era. Everything else is gone. The signs of generations of Black family urban/rural life are gone.
The same with Wagner’s Point. That’s the “white ghetto” located even farther out than Fairfield. That has also disappeared. But at least Wagner’s Point had sidewalks, sewers, and street lights. That made Fairfield residents jealous, rightfully so.
If you choose to run and find signs of these former communities, stick to running on Patapsco Avenue. Find a safe place to park your car, down toward Fairfield Avenue, and do some backtracking. (The road and curve under the bridge is not the best, to say the least.) When you do get to Asphalt Street, turn left to Fairfield and right to Wagner’s Point.
You won’t find much but you’ll definitely smell the awful combination of chemicals and sewerage that these one-time communities had to accept and endure for decades.
ON THE ROAD WITH FOX45 – December 6
Well, before I explain the title of this post, I must acknowledge that this project began 5 months ago today. So I celebrate the day with two images; one was taken in 88 degree weather, the other was taken today with flakes of snow. I’ll let you decide. But I do look slightly deranged today.
As my story made its way on social media, I had several news outlets reach out to talk. The first came from the local ABC affiliate, discussed above. The next one came from FOX45. (A Baltimore Banner article will appear shortly.)
When I spoke with the FOX45 reporter, we talked about possible locations for an interview. After we discussed options, we settled on Hampden’s famous 34th Street, Baltimore’s home of Christmas light shows, as a timely and safe place for a backdrop. Besides, I hadn’t yet run that street!
But we had a last-minute change of plans. At their suggestion, we moved the location to West Baltimore. The local FOX affiliate heard about me talk about “hope” and they seemed to want to see it. And I think we found some.
FOX followed me as I ran through some less-than-ideal sections of the neighborhood. The reporter even joined me for part of the run, and we took on Shields Place.
When we entered Shields off Harlem, we found trash and debris on a neglected side street. It’s what you might expect to see. But one block later, we came across a wonderful tight block of rowhomes, painted in colors and clearly maintained. That, to me, is hope.
As I circled the area with my run, we came across the Perkins Square Gazebo. You may not know where it is but, trust me, you’ve been driving by it for years. It’s just off MLK near Franklin.
And don’t tell me it’s new. It’s not. It’s been there for 150 years. It’s in great condition and obviously cared for and respected. (Here’s an image of it, with apologies to Wikipedia. I forgot to snap a photo.)
That gazebo used to be surrounded by rows of dilapidated homes before that neighborhood was destroyed and replaced by the Murphy Homes high rise project. (Murphy Homes was nicknamed Murder Homes, as I’ve recently learned.)
Those high rises were imploded in 1999 and a new smaller neighborhood developed in its place.
That gazebo has seen a lot, Imagine if it could talk. That gazebo, to me, another sign of hope.
I want to thank Rebecca Pryor and Nathan Aaron at FOX45 for spending time with me and doing so at my home and in West Baltimore. I think we all found some hope today. I’ll post the link to the report when it airs next week.
And did I mention that it snowed on the run? More hope!
Click here for the FOX45 story! https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/maryland-moment-baltimore-man-on-a-mission-to-run-every-single-street-in-the-city-michael-lisicky#
WORTH THE WAIT – December 8
Ever since my treasured road map took shape, there always was this elliptical space of ‘un-run’ land just north and east of the Penn North intersection. It wasn’t avoided for any particular reason. I knew I would eventually get to it.
Some people might tense up when you think of Penn North. It has had its share of troubles and it became the epicenter of demonstrations after the death of Freddie Gray in 2015.
But I thoroughly enjoyed my time running that neighborhood. It’s quirky, cordial, rough, and everything in between. It had everything.
I also met two very nice “people.” The first was Lexy, a sweet sweet pit bull puppy who had an older dedicated owner. Lexy was a little firecracker but she was full of fun.
The other was B. He sat on a corner step and kept an eye on me running the area. It was easy wondering or speculating what B was thinking and he eventually asked, “are you running?” I assured him I was.
And within moments, B and I struck up a good dialogue. I told him what I was doing and he seemed interested and asked lots of questions. He asked if I ran here, or if I ran there. I was able to say ‘yes’ and describe it. He seemed genuinely happy to hear my story and told me I should be on TV. I told B that I was way ahead of him…
Now, don’t let looks deceive you. In order to run this dense strip, it took time. This neighborhood, once completed, clocked in at 5.71 miles.
I started the run with some folks at the Baltimore Banner. They caught wind of my story and reached out. But that’s for another post. And I’ll make sure there’s a link to it once it appears.
Between Lexy, B, some quirky homes, and cordial folks, this run defined why I am so deeply moved by this project. It was well worth the wait.
MIRACLE ON FALLSTAFF ROAD – December 10
I went in search of my perfect Happy Hanukkah display so I planned my run in the northernmost part of the city. It did not disappoint.
Hanukkah inflatables are not a dime a dozen but when spotted they are worth their wait in blue and gold.
I found my winning display on Fallstaff Road, but Bonnie Road and Nerak Road did not disappoint.
GRADUATION FROM CHERRY HILL – December 14
I graduated from Cherry Hill yesterday and it only took a span of four days. In 1982, I graduated from Cherry Hill (East High School) in New Jersey and it only took a span of four years.
Every time I hear ‘Cherry Hill’, it’s hard for me not to go back to visions of my once-idyllic Southern New Jersey hometown suburb. Baltimore’s Cherry Hill is much different.
Cherry Hill, NJ has one of the first and largest (and still-successful) indoor shopping malls on the East Coast. Baltimore’s Cherry Hill neighborhood lost its best source of fresh food when the A&P closed decades ago.
But that’s not the reason I’m writing about Cherry Hill, Baltimore or New Jersey. When I first took on Cherry Hill (MD), it was July 19. I returned in September and finished yesterday. Since July, the temperature has grown colder and the sky has lost its blue brilliance.
My takeaway is that I enjoyed my Cherry Hill runs much more in the warmer months. That’s nothing against the community, it’s just that it was quiet yesterday. There were very few interactions with people. Maybe that proves why I truly enjoy these runs. Saying hello or giving a wave helps you learn what makes Baltimore tick.
One last thing. The Cherry Hill neighborhood largely consists of the Cherry Hill Homes public housing project. And the one thing I love about Baltimore’s housing projects is the art carved into its community centers and office spaces.
These works of art date from another time. But I fell that they are often ignored. I’d love to know more about them. (Are they a product of famed local sculptor Henry Berge?) I wish I knew. I wish the information was easy to find. The little things you discover. Always keep your eyes open.
THE DEFLATABLES OF NE BALTIMORE – December 18
2023 has to be the year of the holiday inflatable. And I’m not just talking Christmas, or even Hanukkah. I’ve never seen such a massive display of pumpkins and turkeys during my runs. They are in every neighborhood, especially in the far NE corner of the city.
I’ll just say that I have not been a big fan of these air generated decorations. I’m old school. Give me window candles, lighted bushes, and plastic lighted nativity sets. But I guess I have matured over this ‘run every street’ project.
One issue with inflatables is that when the power goes off, they deflate. Many yards, especially in NE Baltimore, look like nylon graveyards during the day. I initially thought these yards just looked sloppy but then I matured.
Now, I love deflatables, as I call them. What looks like nylon colored trash now keeps me going even more during these holiday runs (jogs). Now I go through neighborhoods in search of my favorite deflatable. I often stop and wonder was it could be when the power comes on.
So bring ‘em on. I’m going to stick with lighted trees for myself but I do have a new appreciation for these nylon masses. I guess I had to grew up and open my mind. Maybe people can change.
RUN EVERY STREET – December 21
”Run every street” was certainly the theme of the day. Since I started this project I’ve driven to many distant parcels of this city, but today was above and beyond the call of duty.
It is amazing to see up close how I-95 and I-895 slashed through the city’s far east border, almost up to the county border, but not quite.
Today’s winner of ‘Interstate Destruction’ is at 62nd and Manor Place. There is an elbow of seven homes that serve as Baltimore city orphans.
The only way that you’d know that they are part of the city is through researching old road maps and seeing the small strip of sidewalk. (The sidewalk stops at the eighth home.)
So what am I supposed to do? Ignore this tiny separated elbow of the city? No. I can’t, basically because I know it’s there. And these homes have been there since 1930.
All I’d have to do is safely run across busy Pulaski Highway, after a planned visit to Hollander Ridge, to see 62nd & Manor.
But I’ll plead ignorance. Hollander Ridge is gone. The 1000-unit high and low rise public housing community has disappeared, even though its past looks impressive on the map. Hollander Ridge has been gone since 2000.
So instead of running around Hollander Ridge’s streets and courts, I ran through the remnants and warehouses of 62nd Street and Jim Rowe Court. (Who is Jim Rowe?)
There is one more street I want to mention from today’s run. Fairhill Avenue. It bet you don’t know it. It’s tucked away off Moravia Park Road and Pulaski Highway.
When you get to Fairhill, you’re not even sure you’re there. But a blurry sign and two hidden homes, amid garages, prove otherwise.
Welcome to Fairhill Avenue, Hollander Ridge, and 62nd Street. Run every street.
GUILT – December 28
I felt dirty today. Part of that was from running (jogging) after a heavy rainfall and the other part was from my desire, attempt, and justification of connecting two Keith Avenue segments on my road map.
Keith Avenue is in far southeast Baltimore. This heavily industrial area is home to potholes, the Port of Baltimore, and the above-ground ventilation structures for the Harbor and Fort McHenry Tunnels.
Normally I’d convince myself that a run amongst all that truck traffic is too dangerous. Safety can be a motivating factor. But since a large portion of this area has a sidewalk, I am psychologically forced to run these occasionally-named streets alongside shaking and noisy truck beds.
There’s nothing more rewarding, maybe that’s an exaggeration, than connecting lines as streets are marked off from one run to the next. But as I studied my map and the Google Maps app, I wasn’t sure how I could safely connect my Keith Avenue sections.
One way to do it would be to wait for all trucks to eventually pass. Then I could run down the shoulderless road and jump into the brush once the truck traffic resumes. The other way is to run alongside the roadway on an active train line in order to mimic the distance in a semi-safer manner. I chose to do both.
That said, I did not physically make it to my Keith Avenue connection by running up the unsafe elevated roadway. However, I ran that distance on the adjoining train track. So, considering the math, I connected it on my map.
It still makes me feel a little dirty and that is why I am mentioning it. If I go before the City of Baltimore Running Justification Board and my crossed off Keith Avenue section is declared invalid, I will bring out the White Out. (Yes, I do have White Out at an arm’s reach to correct mistakes.)
Please realize that this area warrants special circumstances. It is a tough, busy, and dirty area. And I’m giving 100% as I promise to run every street in this city.
CLOSING OUT 2023 WITH TWO YEAR-END VIEWS FROM TODAY’S WEST BALTIMORE RUN.
Michael Runs Baltimore 