Five Minute Histories: Loch Raven Reservoir

Join us today on the shores of a 2400-acre, 23-billion-gallon body of water-Loch Raven Reservoir. We’ll learn about the dam that created Baltimore’s current water supply and the town of Warren that thrived here before the area was flooded. Thanks for watching and stay tuned for another Five Minute Histories video soon.
This is our series called "Five Minute Histories." Every week, we’ll record a short video about a different historic place in Baltimore and post it on our Facebook page and RUclips channel.
#baltimore #fiveminhist #reservoir #drinkingwater #dams #bmoreheritage

[@tonyleach9805]

My grandfather was in charge of Loch Raven throughout the 60’s 70’ and retired in the 80’s.
Him and my grandmother lived in the old house that overlooked the big damn…Great childhood memories

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

Wow thanks for sharing this family history!

[@larrymaddox2226]

I used to live near the end of Pot Springs Road. my daughter and I would pack snacks in my Marine Corps napsack and walk to the shore of Loch Raven to enjoy the day. I wish I could relive those times.

[@sammyvh11]

Nice video . I have fished Loch Raven since the mid 1960s. That lake has indeed silted some imo. Many former hard rocky bottoms are now weedbeeds over silt.

[@jim2lane]

That $5M appropriated in 1908 for the construction of the larger dam on Lock Raven is approximately $160M in today's dollars

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

Wow!

[@NickK-ux4rb]

Mr. Hopkins, your videos are great!! I know you've mentioned that your list is long, but I would love to see a few specific plates at some point: Canton Can Company, Tide Point, Fenwick Bakery in Parkville, and last but definitely not least - Wokenfuss! (IIRC Wokenfuss started out of the basement of a house in Hamilton)

[@larrymaddox2226]

I now live in Williamsburg, VA. and my wife and I , on occasion, talk about the great products from Fenwick Bakery.

[@user-qo4uq1gu5o]

Thanks for the quick history. It would be interesting to learn about the history of the Glen Ellen "castle" near the shores of Loch Raven.

[@user-rm2rq8fq1l]

Before my dad died in 1974, on almost every Sunday my family and I would go to Loch Raven Reservoir to what we called Daddy’s Island in actuality a small peninsula just past the dams.

[@backporchliving3987]

One of my favorite places when I was a kid. I caught lots of crappie off the Dulaney Valley bridge.

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

What's crappie?

[@backporchliving3987]

@@baltimoreheritage1006 it’s a fish. Kind of like a blue gill.

[@user-ji1uf3jj9v]

These are awesome! Baltimore Heritage member now.

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

Welcome and thank you for joining!

[@gcbwoods]

John....you always do such an amazing job. I have learned more than you can imagine.

[@KenOhShinobi]

Mans is really named Johns Hopkins.

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

Yes!

[@lisaspritzer3608]

That's amazing

[@michaelbrand8279]

Thanks for another informative video!

[@lehman]

I was looking at some old Topo maps and realized that dulleney valley was an actual valley where the reservoir is.

[@moonchild7456]

Thanks so much--I'd have loved to hear more about the movement of the residents and whether they were fairly compensated. Hard to cover everything in only five minutes, I know...

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

Thanks for warching!

[@SafeSpaceInc]

Thanks!

[@KillrMillr7]

They covered southern hero, Baltimore Police Commissioner, Col.Harry Gilmour’s family estate, Glen Ellen castle built by his father who owned most of the land where the reservoir now sits.

[@kandga]

Yes!!❤

[@kandga]

If I am not mistaken I believe the windows from Glen Ellen are now at the cloisters mansion.

[@amitisshahbanu5642]

Do a National Bohemian brewery

[@yodude7488]

I heard a rumor years ago that when the water level was low you used to be able to see the church steeple poking out of the water when going over the Warren Road bridge. I never saw it, perhaps it was really the flagpole mentioned in the video.

[@comozo924]

Flagpole which finally rotted away in the 1940's

[@Dewittburton]

Another great 5 minute history! Thanks, Johns. How does Prettyboy Resevoir fit in here?

[@stevehasler8922]

Prettyboy was built a good twenty years later, at the head of Gunpowder Falls, to add more capacity. They move the water from Prettyboy to the terminal reservoir (Loch Raven) by simply opening the gates and allowing the water to flow down the Gunpowder (whereas the water from Loch Raven travels via tunnels to get to the city treatment center). The cold water from the bottom of Prettyboy is credited with keeping trout fishing viable along the Gunpowder falls.

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

Thanks for this information,@@stevehasler8922

[@Dewittburton]

Thanks Steve!
@@baltimoreheritage1006

[@LukeGeorgalas]

I assume Warren Road has some connection here?

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

We would assume so! Perhaps someone can answer definitively.

[@mediascapegoat]

Where is the RAVEN ROCK in the Loch Raven Reservoir area?

[@amitisshahbanu5642]

We drove there in the 50s to buy the sweetest biggest peaches for $5 a bushel.

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

Wow! Sounds wonderful.

[@user-rm2rq8fq1l]

My dad claimed that he went over the dam in a barrel at Loch Raven Reservoir.

[@baltimoreheritage1006]

Wow! Would love to see a photo of that!