The origins of the Otterbein neighborhood date back to the 1700s. Over the area’s two-century-plus lifetime, its residents have been White and Black, new immigrants and native born. Some have been owned their homes and lived economically comfortable lives. Others have lived in cramped quarters and struggled to put enough food on the table.

If you want a sense of what the neighborhood was like in the past, look at the approximately 100 historic homes in the core area of Otterbein, most of which were built from the beginning to the end of the 19th century, then add in some schools, churches and stores which served the needs of the people who lived there.

Beginning in the mid-20th century, many of the old buildings which had stood for a century or more were demolished to make way for an urban renewal project centered around a revitalized Inner Harbor. The rest were boarded up, waiting for the wrecking ball. When the Inner Harbor plans were scaled back, the remaining homes were raffled off by the city for a dollar each, beginning in the summer of 1975. People who purchased the “Dollar Homes” invested their time and money to restore them, following strict building guidelines to preserve their historic integrity. The demolished buildings were replaced by new living spaces as well as pocket parks dotting the area. The result is the Otterbein neighborhood we live in today.

Below are a number of short articles presenting snapshots of the area in and around Otterbein, from its earliest beginnings to its recent restoration. 

Recent Addition:  Otterbein and the Fugitive Slave Law

19th Century

Early 20th Century

1950s To The Present

Miscellaneous