Fells Point Historic District

Fells Point is an 18th-century maritime neighborhood on the Baltimore waterfront in Maryland, occupying a strip of cobblestoned streets and brick rowhouses between the Inner Harbor and Canton along the Patapsco River's north shore. Founded as a shipbuilding settlement in 1763, it served as Baltimore's original deepwater port, and the USS Constellation and other vessels of the early American Navy were laid down in its yards. The neighborhood retains much of its original brick streetscape, and Broadway Market at the center has operated continuously since 1786, making it one of the oldest public markets in the United States. The waterfront promenade along the south edge of the neighborhood overlooks the harbor channel toward Fort McHenry, with pleasure craft and water taxis arriving and departing from the Fells Point docks throughout the day and evening. The commercial core clusters around the intersection of Thames Street and Broadway, where more than fifty restaurants and bars operate within a six-block radius in mid-19th-century commercial buildings — giving Fells Point its reputation as Baltimore's most vibrant dining and nightlife district. The Robert Long House at 812 South Ann Street is the oldest surviving urban residence in Baltimore, built around 1765, and is visible from the street. Ghost tours of the neighborhood's maritime history and colorful past run seasonally from the Broadway Market area. First Fridays in Fells Point bring gallery openings and extended shop hours. The Baltimore Water Taxi connects Fells Point to the Inner Harbor, Canton, and other waterfront stops on an all-day pass, making it easy to incorporate into a broader Baltimore waterfront itinerary without a car.