The Lasting Products Company - Baltimore City's "Little Castles"

The Lasting Products Company ad, circa 1946

Until 1937, downtown Baltimore City homes looked like many other homes within urban landscapes across America - concrete or brick-faced or even slated wood - but U.S. Patent Number 2,095,641 would change all that.  Lewis Albert Knight (he went by "Albert") had a vision which eventually transformed the traditional row home-lined Baltimore City street only to become a distinctive part of its unique heritage. Mr. Knight graduated from Franklin High School in Reisterstown, studied at the Maryland Institute, and eventually received his bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University.  He died in 1980 at the age of 76.

  On March 1, 1937, this Glyndon native filed his patent as an assignor to the Lasting Products Company where he was employed at the time - "A process of making artificial stone wall facings."  It was marketed to thousands of homeowners that it would "make your home the neighborhood showplace," "beautiful, long-lasting," and "maintenance free."

The FormStone Original, PlateMarker

  The parent firm of Formstone was the Lasting Products Company (see their ad, above), a paint manufacturing firm founded by Albert I. Rankin who was born in 1897 and immigrated to Baltimore as a young boy.  He began manufacturing paint, roof coatings, and putty at 200-212 S. Franklintown Rd, Baltimore, MD, the location of the company until it sold out in 1974, seven years after he died.

  Simulated stone was found in other cities, and while the Formstone patent expired 17 years later, it went by a multitude of other brands such as "Perma-stone," "Dixie Stone,""Rostone," "Silverstone," TruStone,""Bermuda Stone,"Modern Stone," "Romanstone," "Magnolia Stone," "Fieldstone," or "Stone of Ages."  It was the rage throughout the 40s, 50s, and 60s, given that homeowners seemed to love it as it covered up brick and other masonry imperfections, helped modernize home appearances, and was advertised to be near maintenance-free. Those who dreaded the idea of repeated, exterior wall painting, saw hope in the concept.

"Little Castles" Rowhomes in Baltimore
(Photo: Courtesy, theatlanticcity.com)

  Formstone and Permastone were similar in that they were created at the job site, much like interior plaster.   Decades later, there were surprises for homeowners and a nightmare for preservationists since its removal would often destroy the original detailing under the installation.  Mesh wiring was first applied to the exterior of the building, overlaid by a cement "scratch" coat.  Over that went a base coat followed by a color or textured material that was hand-sculptured on top - in Mr. Knight's case, rather than just coloring the stone mixture with pigment, he mixed colored stones from many parts of the country which enabled it to be color-resistant to outdoor elements.

  According to "Old House Journal, 1982," Formstone was not the only affront to be sprayed, rolled, poured, or smeared over original exteriors.  For instance, there was the "Merit Wall Method"which was marketed by Merit Enterprises.  A thick rubbery material was sprayed over everything but the window glass -- cornices, gutters, and door frames were not exempted. Suspended in goo was fine stone dust and the effect was that of a huge metalflake balloon having been stretched over the house and then cut out at the doors and windows."  Fortunately, it never caught on to the extent of Formstone.

  Native son and avant-garde film director, John Waters, affectionately referred to it as the "Polyester of Brick" and went so far as to document it in one entitled "Little Castles: A Formstone Phenomenon."  Due to its prolific use in over 50 percent of Baltimore row homes, preservationists to this day debate over what is worthy of preservation - the pre-faux or the post-faux look. The idea of preserving Formstone in Baltimore has been creeping into the modernist mentality, while others have decided that tradition is what lies beneath.  A Baltimore Sun article, December 1, 2012, states that the Baltimore City Council seems to be of the impression that it is a rather tacky appearance and needs to henceforth be banned from further proliferation and use.  What opinion do you have, hon?

It's 2 O'clock. Do You Know Where Your Husband Is?

The 2 O'clock Club's Neon Marquee, best seen at night.

  In the mid 1800's, East Baltimore Street was not unlike much of the architecture on that street and throughout the city prior to the Civil War, being architecturally populated with four story commercial buildings.  By 1855, at 416 E. Baltimore, an auctioneer by the name of Samuel H. Gover determined to have a home for his auction gallery.  Interspersed with auction events, the hall was often used for public meetings. From 1860 for nearly four years, it was known as Apollo Hall and then Metropolitan Hall and then, between 1873 and 1891, it was known as Turner Hall.

  By 1892, the local chapters of the Grand Army of the Republic or "GAR" (a fraternal organization composed of veterans from the triumphant Union Army, US Navy, US Marines, and Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War) deemed it as their "Grand Army Hall" between 1892 and 1903. The GAR National Headquarters was rotated among various U.S. cities, however, unfortunately never was hosted by the City of Baltimore.

  The 1904 Great Fire of Baltimore was akin to an Etch-a-Sketch to much of the architectural and cultural landscape of the city.  Despite the tragedy, the original owners had high hopes and rebuilt to the original height.  Little would they know that their desire to build this building would be effectively sowing the seed for a cultural milestone within the U.S.

Harold Lloyd's Silent Film
 "Safety Last", 1923

  It was at this location where Marion Scott Pearce, motion picture pioneer, and his partner Philip J. Scheck (their firm here in Baltimore, known as Pearce & Scheck, originally built the Hippodrome Theater) operated their first theater in 1908, the Amusea (which first opened in a little room at 404-406 East Baltimore in 1906), showing some of Baltimore's first public showings of silent films.  The nickelodeon originally contained 75 seats operated 15 minute long reels non-stop for 12 hours daily but, due to the tremendous popularity of "moving pictures," they expanded to a 275 seat capacity auditorium and included "polite" vaudeville into their schedule of entertainment offerings.  You can read more about Mr. Pearce in the 1912 book "Baltimore: Its History and Its People," of the Lewis Historical Publishing Company.

  From the Amusea, they introduced the rather novel experiment of "talking pictures" which became interspersed with other venues - it was quite possibly the first instantiation of this concept in America.  In those days, these 'sound' movies were merely voice actors behind the screen who attempted to synchronize their voices and sounds of gunfire or other action with the silent visual screen display.

  According to the 1974 book "Headley's Exit: A History of Movies in Baltimore," when Pearce and Scheck began to have financial issues attempting to run the Hippodrome, they sold the Amusea to Milton Caplon who promptly changed the name to the Clover and expanded the seating capacity to 375.  By the 1930, the theater along with its environment on Baltimore Street became increasingly cheap and dirty.

Sol Goodman advertisement,
circa late 1930s

  In 1936, an enterprising Jewish man by the name of Solomon Goodman and his wife purchased the theater and opened the "2 O'Clock Club" which produced vaudeville and burlesque shows. By the 1951, Goodmans had pushed the envelope such that a Baltimore Sun article reported that Liquor Control Board was "horrified" over police descriptions of their floor shows.  In that instance, the club had its license suspended for 10 days due to a dancer named Zorita who it was reported during the "final part of her act the dancer held a snake close to her body and went through several indecent motions."

A 2 O'Clock Club Matchbox Cover
Featuring Blaze Starr, c1960
(Courtesy: Hakes.com)

  The 2 O'Clock Club became most known through the efforts of a particular stripper and burlesque star by the name of "Blaze Starr" who, according to The Selvedge Yard blog, was born Fannie Belle Fleming and commanded the stage with a voluptuous 38D-24-37 figure.  Blaze began performing at the  club in December 1950 and soon Mr. Goodman became her personal manager.  He eventually sold her the club in 1968 and over the next four years, Ms. Starr worked to elevate the reputation of The Block.  While she owned it, in addition to the building housing a burlesque theater, it housed an envelope factory, violin factory, and a gypsy shop.  So far, the 2 O'Clock Club is still alive and kicking, a remnant of Baltimore's illustrious and tawdry past on a slowly vanishing, somewhat seedy, section of town near Baltimore's Finest back doorstep.

Celebrating the Marvels of Light at 39 West Lexington

1916 Old BG&E Building,
Gas Light Panel
(Courtesy: Anomalous_A,
Flickr.com)

  Early Baltimore Gas and Electric History - On March 11, 1802, the Federal Gazette & Baltimore Daily Advertiser reported on a “new light,” the invention of a young scientist named Benjamin Henfrey, being demonstrated as gaslights – it was a novelty, but gained no financial support at first.  It would take several years until Dr. Charles Kugler, a Philadelphia merchant, in an effort to bring his gas manufacturing techniques to public attention, convinced Rembrandt Peale to illuminate a room on June 11, 1816 in his Peale Museum (also known as the Municipal Museum of the City of Baltimore, 225 N. Holliday Street) with burning gas lamps.

  The public was so impressed that, by June 14th, 1816, a small group of men convinced by the demonstrations formed the Gas Light Company of Baltimore (the earliest predecessor of today’s Baltimore Gas and Electric (BG&E)) and petitioned the Mayor and the Baltimore City Council with a plan to begin lighting some of the city streets.  Franchise rights were granted along with a contract.  On December 2^nd of that year, the General Assembly of Maryland approved the incorporation of the first gas company in the New World. 

  In 1888, rival gas companies merged into the Consolidated Gas Company of Baltimore. Several years earlier, in 1879, Thomas Edison demonstrated his incandescent lamp in Menlo Park, NJ that heralded a new era in light.  While the first electric company in Baltimore was the Brush Electric Light Company, incorporated in 1881, the United Electric Light and Power Company was the primary electric service provider for Baltimore.  When they joined in 1906 with Consolidated Gas to become Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Company of Baltimore, it became the city’s first fully integrated gas and electric company.

Gas Electric Company,
NW Corner, Liberty
& Lexington, c1906

  In 1915, the integration was by name only and buildings were not only dispersed around the city but the electric division was separate from the gas division.  In leased locations were The House Electric was at a building on 325 North Charles Street, the legal and claims department was in the Title Building, the gas industrial fuel department was at the corner of Saratoga Street and Park Avenue, the electric office was at the Continental Building (near Calvert and Baltimore Streets). The one owned building on the opposite corner of Liberty and Lexington Streets (shown, left) housed the headquarters of the gas division executive, bookkeeping and accounting offices, and sales and commercial departments.  Consolidation would become a reality.

Prior to the Lexington Building
SE Corner, Liberty & Lexington, c1915

 Negotiations began nine years after Baltimore’s Great Fire for the property at the southeast corner of Liberty and Lexington Streets and what was Little Sharp Street (see photo of the site prior to construction, right). On Feb 24, 1915, the Baltimore Sun reported that Boston architect Parker, Thomas & Rice would design the new office building to be erected by J. Henry Miller, Inc. at what is now 39 West Lexington Street to house its corporate leadership and possibly the Pennsylvania Water and Power Company.  Mr. Miller had also built Union Station in Baltimore.

  While construction progressed, on June 16 and 17, 1916, the company celebrated the American Gas Centenary as it was publicized throughout the country, distinguished scientists and engineers gathered in Baltimore for events surrounding the celebration with great fanfare.  On the first day, City Hall’s great bell pealed 100 times (one for each year since Peale added gas illumination to Baltimore Museum exhibits) followed by a four-mile, two hour long, parade in which 2,500 employees marched along with over 10 bands, 200 horses, and 52 decorated floats (some were 40 feet long) depicting among other themes – “The Evolution of Light”, “ The Evolution of Power”, “The Industrial Growth of Baltimore”, and “Household Economics.”  Nothing like it had ever been seen in Baltimore before.

Early Lexington Building photo
circa 1925

View of the Lexington
Building, from present
Liberty Dog Run, c1920

  In December 1916, the new Lexington Building (later to be renamed the Gas and Electric Building) was occupied.  It was built of granite and terra-cotta layered between floors upon a steel structure.  The entire basement, mezzanine, second and third floors were used for showrooms and retail shops highlighting gas and electric appliances and ornamentals of the day (see photos, below). It boasted eight high-speed elevators, filtered water and fountains on each floor as well as hot and cold washstands.

50 Kilowatt Lightbulb,
redisplayed in 1939

  Interestingly enough, it was on the roof of the 39 West Lex building that in order to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Thomas Edison’s invention of his incandescent lamp, for the week of October 14-21, 1929, the largest incandescent light bulb in the world at the time was illuminated – 50 kilowatts!  According to the Sun, “the bulb is 20 inches in diameter.  Its output approximately 1,400,000 lumens.” 

Early BG&E sales room,
39 West Lexington Building,
1st Floor, c1950s

  The building continued to be used for sales showrooms and as BG&E's headquarters throughout the 2000s (see photos, left).  It was placed on the National Register of Historic places and, under guidance by the National Park Service, preserved and restored as it was sold by BG&E to Southern Management Corporation for use as luxury apartments.

(Sources: “A History of Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Company of Baltimore, by Thomson King, 1950” and Baltimore Sun Articles)

(Photos: Courtesy of Southern Management Corporation, 39 West Lex; Thomas King book; and Flickr.com)

The Paint and Powder Club - Early Baltimore Drag

  Although you may find drag at some of Baltimore’s finest gay venues such as the Hippo or Central Station, as early as the Fall of 1893 in the Charm City, the rather novel practice was exhibited when two young men of the ‘high-browed’ society set determined to shed their dapper trousers for padded corsets, white brocades, pink chiffon, and low necked gowns for the theatre.

Alfred Baldwin Sloane,
"Mustapha" author

  A group of young debutantes by the name of Reese Cassard, Harry Semmes Lehr, Alfred Baldwin Sloane, and others founded a peculiar amateur performance group known as the Paint and Powder Club, one of the oldest of its kind in America. Mr. Sloane (pictured left) penned the operetta entitled “Mustapha” and the members of the group studied dramatic and operatic art with the intent of raising funds through a charity performance for under privileged children to attend summer camp near the Relay at the Country Home for Children. With the exception of a break to give a dance along with local young women at Lehman’s Hall on January 3, 1894, they rehearsed throughout that winter.

Harry S. M. Lehr as Marie Papillon
in "Mustapha"

  The male only club first appeared with the public debut of Mustapha at Ford’s Grand Opera House on February 5th and 6th, 1894 during which another art group was introduced, the Maryland Mandolin Club. During the play, Harry Lehr (pictured right) played the character Marie Papillon of Paris, a freshwoman at Vassar College and Alfred Sloane played Mustapha IV, Sultan of Turkey (a winsome widower). While novel in Baltimore at the time, as was often the case in theatre, since early 17th Shakespearean plays in England, males played the female part dressed as a female.

J. Randolph Mordecai in
"Joan of Arc"

  The first performances received rave reviews and resulted in over $5,800 that went to the  Home. With newfound notoriety they went on to give performances in Washington, D.C. and Richmond. Within a year the Paint and Powder Club had become incorporated under Maryland law and they proceeded to the 1895 season by performing Joan of Arc on February 19th and 20th at Ford’s Grand Opera House (J. Randolph Mordecai is shown, left, in costume). By Easter of that year they traveled to perform for what was to be the largest audience in the history of the Harrisburg Opera House, followed by a performance to a Philadelphia audience composed partly by members of the University of Penn equivalent amateur group known as the Mask and Wig Club.

  Harry Lehr eventually moved to New York City and became a regular in the exclusive social set there and Alfred Sloane went on to become a Broadway composer, writing the scores “The Hen Pecks” and “The Never Homes.” Women were eventually allowed in the productions in 1931 and while most of the original founders died by the 1940s, this club with a drag origination, now over 100 years old, remains to this day still holding on to their charitable traditions.

(Source: History of the Paint and Powder Club)