Streets of Baltimore - Baltimore Ghosts

Photos by Adam Paul

Prologue: I was already originally planning to do a feature on this very neat old street, when it came to my attention that its survival is now threatened by redevelopment. Therefore, I decided to modify the scope of this piece into both a historical glimpse page like the rest of the pages in this site, but to also feature a community news sort of scope to the page as well...

Long before the cars, buses, and taxis rolled through the streets of Waverly, and before there was even such a thing as "33rd Street" or "Greenmount Avenue," there was Tinges' Lane. Before the city expanded it's boundaries in 1888 and again in 1919, there was Tinges' Lane. It was around to watch it's neighborhood change from a small rural community into a lively Baltimore neighborhood. It has seen streetcar tracks constructed across its path at Gorsuch Avenue to serve for years, and later be removed, and replaced by the #57 bus, later the #22, and finally nothing. During games at Memorial Stadium, it even served detouring buses itself while 33rd Street was set to one way flow. It has seen numerous cycles of struggles, rising, and falling in the Waverly neighborhood. But if developers have their way, it may not live to see the next year.

The date of origin of Tinges' Lane (as well as the name) is not quite known. However, the sleepy street was in full existence by the late 19th century, taking a winding path along property lines to serve the estates of Westerwald and Avon, and continuing on to Chestnut Hill (all of which are presently represented by street names). By the early 20th Century, the Waverly community was experiencing a rapid growth that would continue well into the 1950's with the construction of Frederick Law Olmstead's 33rd Street "Boulevard", the Memorial Stadium, and the Ednor Gardens Community.

Remarkably however, about half of the length of Tinges' Lane would survive, though all of the stretches would be renamed, aside from the initial two block jaunt from Old York Road. This survival would stay secure as the level of development would subside by the mid 1950's, and little Tinges' would be largely forgotten by most, aside from some motorists using it as a convenient short cut from Northbound Greenmount Avenue into Eastbound 33rd Street. Still, the little remnant street still retained a particular charm to it, no doubt helped by it's quaint sounding name.

"A TINGES TOUR"
Esso NDC Map showing Tinges' Lane both in it's current form, and with a green line showing it's original path. The 6 red ticks show the locations of the photos below.
Old York Road is the foundation for Tinges' Lane, and anchors one of the few Tinges' Lane street signs.	Starting off, Tinges is an interesting mix of Residential, Commercial, and Industrial uses.
The old A&P is seen on the left of this shot. This may be expanded across Tinges' if Giant Food gets their way.	The most picturesque block of what's still named Tinges' is this one connecting Gorsuch Avenue to 33rd Street.
After taking a sharp turn in the plane of 33rd Street, Tinges' Lane continues under the name of Belle Terre Avenue, starting along a very wooded stretch just below 33rd Street.
Just before approaching where Jenkins Run once was, Tinges' Lane momentarily follows Avon Avenue before venturing off into the houses in the center of the frame.	After fidgeting along the Western boundaries of the old Memorial Stadium property, Tinges Lane continues above 36th Street, following the Western Lane of Ellerslie Avenue before reaching it's Chestnut Hill Avenue terminus, where Ellerslie continues along the same plane.

However, the days for what's still officially designated as Tinges' Lane may be numbered. In continuing negotiations between the City of Baltimore and Giant Food over the redevelopment of the old Gorsuch Avenue A&P/Super Fresh, a plan has been revealed to enlarge the store right across Tinges' Lane, thus finally killing the most recognizable vestige of this old thorofare. This plan will also demolish several old houses, including some vintage "Victorians" in order to make way for parking and expansion. That these details of the plan were not revealed to the community when Giant was looking for community approval has angered many in the Waverly community, and has sent up a call to look for a far less drastic approach to the redevelopment. Let us hope that the community, Giant Food, and the City of Baltimore are willing to meet to find a solution that most can live with, one that would hopefully spare both the old Victorian houses that greatly symbolize the Waverly community, AND manage to spare centuries old Tinges' Lane from vanishing from both street map indexes, and the Waverly Landscape.

UPDATE...
Tinges Lane is now a memory, as well as several old houses which bordered it. The construction of the Giant Supermarket in Waverly has erased all traces of the named street, from Old York Road to 33rd Street. While a portion of Belle Terre remains, as do the parrallels on Avon and Ellerslie, the most impressive portions of the street are completely gone. In addition, an odd sign post North of 33rd Street reading Tinges Lane has also been removed with the construction of new street lamp posts. Alas, in 2004, we must lay Tinges to rest.

TINGES: SOME EARLY MAPS...
Ealry Tinges Lane Map

Waverly map of the 1890's shows the early winding path of Tinges Lane. Note also the Diagonals that would survive in part after the development of Peabody Heights.

Tinges Lane Survey Map

Early survey map from 1897 shows the largely sparse surroundings through which Tinges travelled on it's way to Chestnut Hill.

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