Historic Fells Point Trail: City (Recreation) Pier

Be Here Stories

This tour of Fells Point Historic Trail is created by The Baltimore National Heritage Area (BNHA), which promotes, preserves, and enhances Baltimore's historic and cultural legacy and natural resources for current and future generations. A walking tour of this and other destinations is available at www.explorebaltimore.org/tours. Located at 1713 Thames Street As you step in front of City Pier, you can almost hear the old ships clanging against the docks, water sloshing below. This pier served as a loading and unloading dock for farmers and merchants who bought and sold produce that eventually made its way to family dinner tables. The pier was also called Recreation Pier because its upper stories were used as a recreational area. The roof over the long shed in the back was a children's playground, and an opulent ballroom took up the second floor. The pier served a number of functions over the years, and was even a film location for the TV show, "Homicide, Life on the Streets." After sitting vacant for almost 20 years, in 2017, City Pier was transformed into the luxury waterfront hotel you see today.