Preserving Baltimore’s Heritage

The Olmsted Brothers Landscape Architects painted a visionary picture for Baltimore in a comprehensive 1904 report, Upon the Development of Public Grounds for Greater Baltimore. The report’s blueprints for Baltimore’s park system, which focused attention on the three stream valleys (Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls and Herring Run) and other natural features unique to the city, are a shining example of successful urban planning. Read more about this vision on the Friends of Maryland’s Olmsted Parks & Landscapes website.

Today, these stream valleys, including trails that parallel the waterways, are cherished by Baltimore residents and remain among the city’s greatest assets. 

In 2015, RTC began to form the Baltimore Greenway Trails Coalition, bringing public agencies, nonprofit organizations, private firms and public health agencies together to help connect Baltimore’s existing trails and create new safe avenues for nonmotorized travel. When complete, the network will encompass 35 miles of bike and pedestrian-friendly routes that weave through the stream valleys and along Baltimore’s popular waterfront—realizing a dream set forth by the Olmsted Brothers more than a century ago.