The Irish Shrine
In 1997 a group of concerned citizens in West Baltimore formed the Railroad Historical District Corporation (RHDC). The purpose of this non-profit organization was to acquire and restore some important houses that were slated for demolition. While some saw the condemned buildings as a worthless nuisance, the members of the RHDC recognized that these little "alley houses" were in fact important examples of historic architecture and saw them as monuments to the lives spent by the families of those who worked for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Located on W. Pratt Street across from the old B&O Roundhouse (now the B&O Railroad Museum), this row of 1840s residences housed those who worked in the "yards" of what is considered the nation's first great railroad. A difficult battle was fought but the group was successful in preventing demolition and was awarded grants from the State of Maryland that enabled restoration to begin in 1999. The row of historic little houses has been officially declared eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Two of these structures, 918-920 Lemmon Street, have been saved to create a museum dedicated to honoring the many railroad families of the neighborhood that surrounds the B&O Roundhouse. Although there are several ethnic stories involved in this history, the Railroad Workers Museum's first project is The Irish Shrine. This memorial is offered out of respect for the tremendous Irish presence in the history of the neighborhood, at the B&O Railroad, and in the story of St. Peter's Parish. The Shrine was begun during the worldwide remembrance of Ireland's "Great Hunger" which brought so many immigrants to Baltimore and the rest of Maryland. The rowhouse at 920 Lemmon Street will be used to teach about the lives of Irish immigrants and their descendants, particularly as railroad families. The house will reflect the lifestyles of its occupants from 1848 and later, with an historical mural and archeological project in the garden.The Irish Shrine At Lemmon Street is Baltimore's first permanent monument to the Irish immigration experience and can be seen while visiting the B&O Railroad Museum.