In Memory of John Hampden

The Hampden section of Baltimore was named after 17th Century English politician and Member of Parliament, John Hampden, by local rich guy, Henry Mankin, in the early 19th Century. Why it was named after this relatively disconnected historical figure, at least from the Jones Falls Valley where the mill community flourished, is a mystery. But we can venture a guess.

John Hampden's most notable historical feat was his adamant opposition to "ship money", a tax King Charles I levied on all citizens, without the approval of the English Parliament, to pay for ships to protect the Isle from invasion. Hampden vigorously argued the practive was taxation without representation. The dispute set the stage for the English Civil War which Hampden was a figure at the beginning of, fighting against the Royalist forces of Charles I. Hampden was killed during the war while fighting for the Parliamentary side, which eventually claimed victory and executed King Charles I.

So why did Mankin name the town after Hampden? Early on in the 19th Century, fresh off of the American Revolution, it makes perfect sense a community would be named after a historical who stuck it to the British Crown, particulary over the cause of taxation. The use of Hampden's name for the then Baltimore County mill town (Hampden wasn't annexed into Baltimore City until 1888) gave the community a historical context of being part of a tradition of Anglo-Saxon resistance to what was considered unfair taxation, a central reason for the formation of the spanking new United States of America.

Urban Renewal

Cities are constantly in a state of flux. The rates of change may differ between different cities and different neighborhoods within them, but the strength of urban areas around the world has always relied heavily on their ability to adapt to new circumstances, new economic conditions, new challenges.

I'm a recent transplant to the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore, having spent the past decade plus in one of the fastest changing cities in the world, New York. Having grown up in the Baltimore area and having several close friends that work and/or live in Hampden, I've kept a watch on the changes taking place in the area for years now. Now I myself have become a part of that change, bringing my life and experience to this vibrant section of the City.

Throughout this year I've followed developments in Hampden by logging onto the delightful Hampden Hawker, which now, sadly has moved on as the moderator has relocated to New Jersey. The purpose of this blog is partly to pick up where the Hawker left off as a community blog for the area, but also to the following:

• Document the changes taking place in the neighborhood.
• Provide a forum where people can express themselves and offer new ideas about changes and developments in the neighborhood.
• Hopefully, help build an online community that can positively affect the paths Hampden takes going forward.

The Hampden of 2008 has two clear sets of demographics in its population. Those whose families have lived here for generations (Old Hampden) and those who moved here recently (New Hampden) - paying significantly higher property prices in the process...to Old Hampden. There should be no mistake from the outset : this blog is not about the tired New versus Old, The Town versus The Gown, Locals versus Gentrifiers conflicts. We all live in this neighborhood and we all live together. Those having moved here in the last decade obviously need to respect the history of the neighborhood and the overwhelming majority do. Those who have been here for generations have a justifiable pride in a neighborhood that has remained a wonderful place to live despite the decline that has sadly affected many other areas in the City of Baltimore. However nobody should let their pride get in the way of positive changes in their community, and the overwhelming majority of Hampden's longtime residents do not.

It should also be noted that I am neither an expert on Hampden nor on the City of Baltimore. What I can provide however is a, hopefully, fresh perspective to both the neighborhood and the city as I continue to learn about my new home.

In closing, this blog is about making this community work better. The good news is we're starting from a good position already, but there is always room for improvement, the most sensible ambition for any individual or community.