WELCOME TO SMALLTIMORE
Visit Baltimore debuted our mobile visitor center , dubbed “ Smalltimore ,” at the 149th Preakness Stakes in May . Smalltimore is designed to resemble our iconic brick and formstone row homes and act as an extension of Baltimore by offering a sampling of what visitors will experience when they come to our city . It has the flexibility to host a variety of activations that reflect Baltimore to audiences at regional and out-of-state events .
Elements of Smalltimore were intentionally selected to celebrate our community and embody the resilience and spirit of Charm City :
• Original mural created by Ernest Shaw , Jr ., a Baltimore native who has painted many notable works around the city , inspired by Baltimore ’ s rich Black history and culture .
• Replica “ Greatest City in America ” bench by Goodwood Designs built with material from Camp Small , which sources reclaimed wood from rowhomes .
• Rowhouse numbers 2131 ( Cal Ripken Jr .’ s record-breaking consecutive game ) and 1814 ( the year the Star-Spangled Banner was written ).
• Replica ghost sign ( a faded hand-painted advertisement from a bygone era often seen on brick buildings around Baltimore ) celebrating Baltimore ’ s legacy as “ A City of Firsts .”
• Authentic ceramic Camark “ Climbing Cat ” which grew in demand in the 1950s as a decorative home accent that was especially popular in the Lauraville , Highlandtown , Hampden , Waverly and Waltherson neighborhoods .
We partnered with experiential agency , Fuseideas , to coordinate the design and build-out , as well as to help activate the mobile visitor center at events throughout the year . In order to choose the official name for the mobile visitor center , we invited our community to offer input on social media , which also allowed us to gain local awareness and support . In the end , it was a write-in vote for “ Smalltimore ” that won .
8 VISIT BALTIMORE