[Chat] FW: Welcome to Baltimore Sign update

Christine Gray langwidge at erols.com
Fri Aug 25 21:17:55 EDT 2006



-----Original Message-----
From: H-Net Discussion List on Maryland History and Culture
[mailto:H-MARYLAND at H-NET.MSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Mary Beth Corrigan
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 7:37 PM
To: H-MARYLAND at H-NET.MSU.EDU
Subject: Welcome to Baltimore Sign

From: James Stimpert [mailto:stimpert at jhu.edu]
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 8:42 AM

It does not now say "hon," nor did it ever say "hon" officially.  What you
refer to was one individual who operated a "one-man crusade" to get the
official greeting changed to "Welcome to Baltimore Hon."  To that end, he
surreptitiously stapled on a white cardboard sign with the word "Hon" after
the word "Baltimore."  State Highway workers would then remove the stapled
addition as soon as they found it.  This went on for weeks, garnering much
publicity and the unknown "Hon man" (as he was called) was persistent in his
efforts in tacking on his cardboard signs.  Most of those concerned realized
that this wasn't exactly a weighty issue, but they couldn't allow a
precedent to be set.  Finally, they set up a stakeout and the State Police
caught the guy "red-handed."  I think he was charged with a minor
misdemeanor but I don't think he was prosecuted.  I seem to recall that he
agreed to give up his sign posting efforts (perhaps he was promised a more
serious charge if he was caught again).  I still look at that sign when I
pass northbound on 295 and think about that "tempest in a teapot."  Perhaps
most surprisingly, after all of the publicity, no one else picked up the
cause.

For photos, you could look at the old newspaper articles from the time.  I
know at least a couple of photographers recorded the signs before they were
removed.

BTW, just to clarify, the road isn't Interstate 295.  It's State Route 295,
also known as the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, or the Gladys Noon Spellman
Parkway.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

James Stimpert
Archivist (Arts and Sciences)        E-mail:    stimpert at jhu.edu
MSE Library
Johns Hopkins University             Voice:     (410) 516-8323
3400 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD  21218                  Fax:       (410) 516-7202




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