Day 102 - Baltimore's Little Oasis -- Dickeyville

Fifties nostalgia

I had to go to Baltimore today to pick up my daughter, Lauren, who is visiting from San Antonio (she is in the Air Force).  On my way to the airport, I stopped in Dickeyville, one of my favorite places to go on a photo walk.

Stone House Gallery

I found Dickeyville accidentally about a year ago, when I took a camera to Service Photo in Baltimore for repair.  I set my GPS for home, and it took me past the sign for Dickeyville.  I veered off the road and into the little village, promising myself to return some day.

Garden Gate

Stone House

Glowing Holly

Backlit Leaf

The last time I was in Dickeyville, it was June (before I embarked on this daily photo walk project), and I probably had to make another BWI run, so I took my camera and walked the streets .  While I was there, I met Feather Davis, who was kind enough to invite me into her garden, where she specializes in plants indigenous to Maryland.  It was the beautiful yellow wood poppies that she saw me photographing, so she invited me on up into the garden to find bluebells, trillium, and violets.

Squirrel on a wire

The entire village of Dickeyville is on the National Register of Historic Places.  It began in the early 1800's as a growing collection of stone millhands' houses built around the thriving mill industry along the Gwynn's Falls.  With the decline of the mills, the village fell into disrepair, but the entire area was bought by a development company in 1934 and the most stable homes were repaired and saved.  Newer built homes were required to blend in with the old, and all homes, unless they are still of the natural stone color, are painted white, to help unify the look.

White Duplex

The streets are very narrow, with cobblestone gutters.  Homes do not really have driveways or garages, so most residents must park on the street.  All homes are neat and tidy and most have beautiful gardens, one of the hallmarks of Dickeyville.  There is a park, a river, and walking trails, in addition to the charming streets and homes.  The aforementioned Feather Davis maintains the Dickeyville website.

Cottage with fence

I was sure Dickeyville would be decorated for Christmas, and of course, it was.  I walked up and down the streets, but they are so narrow that it is sometimes difficult to back up far enough without getting onto the porch of the home across the street to try to get a complete shot.


If you ever want to visit this charming village in western Baltimore, be sure to take your camera.  No matter the season, it is always beautiful in Dickeyville.

Hurricane Sandy Relief:  Donate to the Red Cross, and I will mail you a 5 x 7 print from any of the photos I have posted on my blog OR any photo on my website.

Forward to me via email a receipt for donating to the Red Cross.  Tell me whether the photo is from the blog or the website, and Include its title along with a mailing address.  The name on the receipt to the Red Cross must match the name of the mailing recipient.  Send the receipt and the photo request to camscamerashots@gmail.com.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

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Visit my web site: camscamerashots.zenfolio.com
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Cam's rules for the Daily Photo Walk:

1. walk every day
2. the walk must be in addition to any other planned activity for the day
3. post a photo every day
4. use my Nikon P7100 (it is a very convenient size and weight)
5. no weather excuses
6. walk only where it is safe to do so