In the early part of the 19th century, Colonel John Eager Howard, a Revolutionary War hero, Maryland governor and U.S. senator owned the land that is now Mount Vernon. The 700-acre property was then called Howard's Woods. When the citizens of Baltimore wanted to build a monument for George Washington, Howard donated land from his woods as a tribute site. Designed by Robert Mills, this is the first public monument to be dedicated to George Washington. After the public gardens surrounding the monument were finished in 1931, Howard's family divided the surrounding area into lots. The new development was named Mount Vernon. Lots were purchased by wealthy residents who built mansions, supported cultural undertakings and promoted society events.
Thus, from the 19th century Mount Vernon has been an intellectual and cultural center within Baltimore. Located just ten blocks from the Inner Harbor, it is home to the Walters Art Museum, the Maryland Historical Society, the Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute and the George Peabody Library, the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center, CENTERSTAGE, the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion, the Washington Monument designed by Robert Mills, the Enoch Pratt Free Library and the Basilica of the Assumption, the first Roman Catholic cathedral in the U.S., designed by Benjamin Latrobe.
Mount Vernon abounds with restaurants and nightclubs and boasts some of the best and most diverse shopping in Baltimore with boutiques, vintage clothing, furnishings, music, art galleries and more. It is within walking distance of the Inner Harbor or the No. 3 and No. 11 bus will take you there.
What to see and do and where to eat in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon Place, the Heart of Baltimore: http://www.wam.umd.edu/~jlehnert/welcome.html