Historic Preservation

(Letter from John McDermott to Arthur Stine, UB Archives)

The central argument for the SCAR movement hinged on the fight for historic preservation. Citizens of Fells Point lobbied federal and state agencies on historic preservation to classify Fells Point as an historic district. This classification provided some protections for the area under federal law. This argument was outlined in a letter from John McDermott, of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, to a concerned citizen named Arthur Stine. The letter above shows that Fells Point achieved historic status by 1971. This provided for federal review of funds dedicated to highway development in Baltimore. Historic preservation was a driving force in this struggle. It halted the condemnation of homes and businesses and forced Baltimore to reconsider the placement of a road in Fells Point.