Locust Point Industrial Area in Baltimore, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Knabe Piano Factory Cupola
1869
This elegantly designed cupola sat atop the William Knabe and Company piano factory in 1869 off South Eutaw Street, near present day Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The original building and cupola is an example of 19th century decorative industrial building architecture. The Knabe factory was a state of the art building covering three acres and equipped with full manufacturing capabilities. By 1890, Knabe was producing 70 pianos a week. Baltimore-built Knabe pianos were used by esteemed musicians around the world, including Tchaikovsky, Rubinstein, and Puccini. In the 1930's, the Knabe factory was converted into a paper cup making plant, last run by the Maryland Cup Corporation. The building was demolished in 1990 to make way for the new stadium. The cupola was airlifted by a Maryland National Guard helicopter to its present location. It is all that remains of Baltimore's grand piano factory of the 1800's.
Height 21 feet
Weight 6,600 pounds
Courtesy of the Maryland Cup Corporation, donated in 1990.
[Side of marker:]
Engraving of Wm. Knabe & Co. Piano Factory published in The Monumental City, Its Past History and Present Resources, 1873, showing the cupola in its original location.
Erected by The Baltimore Museum
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Arts, Letters, Music • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1869.
Location. 39° 16.444′ N, 76° 36.05′ W. Marker is in Baltimore, Maryland. It is in the Locust Point Industrial Area. Marker can be reached from Key Highway east of Boyle Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1415 Key Highway, Baltimore MD 21230, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Bethlehem Steel Shipyard Crane (here, next to this marker); Hull of the Gov. R.M. McLane (here, next to this marker); Working Point by David Hess (a few steps from this marker); Steam Tug Baltimore (a few steps from this marker); Platt and Company Oyster Packers (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Platt and Company Oyster Packers (within shouting distance of this marker); Bethlehem Steel Whirley Crane, 1942 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Raymond R. Allen Court (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baltimore.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 20, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 16, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 347 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 16, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
