Canton in Baltimore, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Historic Canton
The Industrial Heart of the City of Baltimore
Capt. John O'Donnell, considered the founder of Canton, made his fortune trading in East Asia. Around 1875, he settled in the Canton area and named his plantation after the port city of Canton, China. Capt. O'Donnell became an enslaver, and the plantation became a gathering place for the elite of Baltimore. It was here in 1803 that Betsy Patterson and Jerome Bonaparte were married, it being later annulled by his brother Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France.
In 1828, Columbus O'Donnell, the son of Captain John O'Donnell, enticed industrialist and inventor Peter Cooper from New York City to purchase the 3000 acres of the O'Donnell Plantation and form the Canton Company to develop the land east of Harris Creek. Most of the land was unoccupied and along deep water with access to the Chesapeake Bay and ports around the world. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was being invented, expansion speculation was rampant.
The Canton Company would begin where the historic district is today, with the oyster and canning industry and later it would pick up an additional 7000 acres from the Colonel Colgate estate to become one of the most successful industrial parks in the history of America.
The Canton Company would end in the late 1980s, but to some the entrepreneurial spirit that guided the Canton Company still exists
this page online
Erected by The Canton Community Association; Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks; gifted by Raymond D. Bahr, M.D. and family.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1875.
Location. 39° 16.63′ N, 76° 34.268′ W. Marker is in Baltimore, Maryland. It is in Canton. Marker is at the intersection of Boston Street and South East Street, on the right when traveling east on Boston Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3200 Boston St, Baltimore MD 21224, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A different marker also named Historic Canton (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Korean War Memorial (about 700 feet away); a different marker also named Historic Canton (about 800 feet away); a different marker also named Historic Canton (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Old Police Station (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Canton Library (approx. ¼ mile away); a different marker also named
Additional keywords. human trafficking
Credits. This page was last revised on December 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 24, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 127 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 24, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
