History of Ashburton

Its very name conjures an image of the English lord for whom it was named. And indeed, Ashburton is a stately neighborhood which has changed from the exclusive province of gentile whites to that of Jews, and finally to the "Gold Coast" home of the blacks. 

Through all of its transitions, Ashburton has remained an exclusive enclave for its residents. In the beginning, Ashburton was the manor and farm of the Gittings family, long distinguished in Baltimore history. The first part of the 20th century saw its sale to the George R. Morris firm for residential development. Early sales literature includes the following recitation of the advantages of life in this neighborhood: "Placing Ashburton in the country sounds strange to the modern Baltimorean who motors there from downtown in 15 minutes! 

Once, it was thoroughly rural, and--though the City has long since grown out to it and finally surrounded it--Ashburton still preserves much of its natural beauty. As far as has been possible, the original, easily-rolling contour of the land has been preserved. "With all its natural advantages, it is to its effective restrictions that Ashburton owes the largest measure of its success. These restrictions govern the placement of houses and garages, and require the architectural approval of plans. They are chiefly for the purpose of maintaining a high standard, protecting the rights of the property owner as to sunlight and air space, and upholding the value of his investment. The method of approval of plans is one that assures all the protection desired by the neighbors and at the same time, offers the least interference. 

"One approaches Ashburton over perfect streets and through the southern section of Druid Hill Park, which has been called the finest in the world. Directly opposite the property is Lake Ashburton. "The amazing combination of city conveniences with suburban advantages make living conditions at Ashburton exceptionally good. Numerous churches are readily accessible to residents. Ashburton is located within convenient walking distance of four excellent schools; Forest Park Junior Senior High School, one of the city's finest secondary schools, was built nearby at Hawthorne and Clarendon Avenues. Also, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes maintained a parochial school; and a short distance east, on Liberty Heights Avenue, was the Park School. 

Yes, life in Ashburton was idyllic in the 1920's. It was also decidedly white and Christian. Yet in 1932, Americans were in the throes of The Depression. The restriction against Jews was lifted as many original owners faced severe economic hardship. Over the next decade, the neighborhood's populace stabilized, with an almost equal number of Jews and gentiles. The area prospered harmoniously until 1956, when a black high school principal brought his family to their new home in Ashburton. Weldon Wallace reported in a 1973 Sunpapers article, "...within a year, more than a score of other blacks had arrived and, by 1959, 110 black families were living in what the ***** community had come to refer to as 'The Gold Coast,' " largely Ashburton. "Apprehension spread among gentiles and Jews. The impact of the color change, however, stimulated the revival of an integrated community. White and black homeowners were invited to join (a community organization), and 400 residents did. The object was not to prevent blacks from moving in, but to encourage whites to do so, and to thwart blockbusters...

The effort toward controlled integration was lauded by the Sunpapers, The New York Times and The Saturday Evening Post. It was a confident and hopeful outlook. But the development of Ashburton pursued its own course. As the 20th century moved ahead, more and more of Baltimore's black "upper crust" took up residence in Ashburton. In 1976, The Ashburton Area Association applied to have its neighborhood declared a Historic Site. The Association is striving to preserve its uniqueness. It is strong and vibrant, upgrading and preserving its neighborhood, which retains its suburban character through stately single-family homes on tree-lined streets.