Baltimore: A City of Firsts

1743

First professional sports organization in the United States - Maryland Jockey Club

1773

First US stage coach route - Baltimore to Philadelphia

1774

First Post Office System in the United States

1778

First independent corps in the Revolutionary War Army- organized by Count Casimir Pulaski

1783

First dredger in the world - the Baltimore Mud Machine, was invented by Andrew and John Ellicot.

1784

First balloon ascension in the US with a person on board - Edward Warren

1784

First Methodist church in America- Lovely Lane Meeting House

1785

First general meeting of the Quakers

1785

First church of the United Brethren

1789

First Catholic diocese in the U.S.

1791

First Roman Catholic seminary in the U.S. – St. Mary’s Seminary

1792

The first monument to Columbus in the United States

1792

First water company chartered in the United States - Baltimore Water Company.

1796

First Sunday newspaper in America- Monitor

1796

First sugar refinery in the U.S. - founded by Garts and Leypoldt

1797

First US war ship to capture an enemy vessel - Constellation

1798

First fort built by U.S. Government – Fort McHenry

1799

First Swedenborgain church-erected at Exeter and Baltimore Street

1800

Fist investment banking house in America- founded by Alexander Brown

1803

First electric refrigerator- invented by Thomas Moore

1804

First stationary store- Lucas Brothers

1811

First U.S. company to import and consumer package teas – Martin Gillet and Company

1814

Birthplace of the Star Spangled Banner - written by Francis Scott Key at Fort McHenry

1815

First manufacturers of silverware in the United States - Samuel Kirk Company

1815

The first permanent monument to George Washington was built.

1816

First city to illuminate streets with hydrogen gas

1817

First independent Unitarian church- formed at 21 Hanover Street, home of Henry Payson

1817

First annual conference of the African Methodist Episcopal church

1819

First Odd Fellows lodge in the U.S.- organized by Thomas Wildey and others

1819

First gaslight company in the country- Gas Light Company of Baltimore

1820

First canning of oysters- by Thomas Kennett

1828

First American umbrella factory - William Beehler

1828

First railroad for commercial transportation of passengers and freight B & O railroad

1829

First black Catholic religious order of nuns- Oblate Sisters of Providence

1830

First coal burning steam locomotive built - Tom Thumb

1830

First operating railroad depot in the US - Mt. Clare Station

1831

First national nominating convention for President of the United States

1836

First regular steam vessel to cross the Atlantic from the U.S - “City of Kingston”

1836

First car ferry used in the U.S. was built in Baltimore for the Susquehanna River

1839

First commercial canning of corn

1840

First dental college in the world- Baltimore College of Dental Surgery

1840

First steam boating company in the U.S. - Baltimore steam packet Co.

1844

First public supported high schools for girls - Eastern High School and Western High School

1844

World's first telegraph line established between Baltimore and Washington - Samuel Morse

1848

First ice cream freezer - patented by W. G. Young

1849

First teachers college for women - Baltimore Female College (Goucher College)

1853

First Radial heater for the home - at Mansion Alexandrffsky

1854

First Jewish Community Center I the U.S. - (YMHA) Young Men’s Hebrew Association

1856

First Elevator to be operated by electrical power - invented by James Bates

1859

First YMCA - Pratt and Schroeder Streets

1859

First American horse drawn street car line was done so in Fell's Point

1869

First black labor union - Colored Businessmen’s Association, organized by Isacc Meyers

1869

First candy factory to produce licorice - J.S. Young Company

1875

The first monument to Edgar Allan Poe

1878

First animal welfare association - American Humane Society

1879

First synthetic sweetening agent - Saccharine, developed at Johns Hopkins University

1883

First public financed vocational school in the U.S. - Baltimore Polytechnic Institute

1884

First typesetting machine in the world - invented by Ottmar Mergenthaler

1885

First commercial electric street car line - Baltimore to Hampden

1886

First public Library System with branches - Enoch Pratt Free Library

1890

First steam tanker built in America The Maverick by W.T.Malster

1891

First commercial stomach antacid seltzer - Bromo-Seltzer, made by Captain Isaac E. Emerson

1892

First bottle caps with crown cork in the U.S.- Crown Cork and Seal

1892

First Ouija board - invented and patented by Isaac and William Fuld

1895

First Catholic college for women - Notre Dame College

1895

First electronic railway locomotive in the world - put in service by the B&O

1896

First Multi-store shopping center building in the country - Roland Park Marketplace

1897

First country day school in the U.S. - Gilman School

1897

First practical submarine in the US - "Argonaut," invented by Simon Lake

1900

First time duck bowling introduced - at Diamond Bowling Alleys

1901

First woman professor at a U.S. medical School - Dr. Florence Rena Sabin

1906

First city magazine- Baltimore Magazine

1911

First international women’s volunteer organization - Hadassah, founded by Henrietta Szold

1916

First portable electric drill with pistol grip - Black & Decker

1916

First municipal orchestra supported by public funds - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

1917

First gas station with pumps enabling a driver to see the amount of gasoline being pumped

1920

First factory to manufacture stainless steel - Rustless Iron & Steel Company

1921

First National Guard Air Squadron started - Logan Field

1921

First black musical on Broadway - written by Baltimorean Eubie Blake, Shuffle Along

1922

First nationwide  presidential radio broadcast - by President Warren G. Harding

1925

First triple combination fireboat in service - operated by Baltimore City Fire Dept

1932

First producer of venetian blinds in the United States - Eastern Venetian Blind Company

1936

First black newspaper chain- Afro-American Newspaper

1946

First photograph of earth from space - produced at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

1948

First Stratovision television telecast

1959

First Mobile microwave television tower

1964

First Permanent Building in the U.S to have a revolving restaurant - Holiday Inn, Downtown

1966

First baseball player to be named MVP in both leagues - Frank Robinson

1967

First African-American to serve on the US supreme Court - Baltimorean Thurgood Marshall

1975

First native born U.S. Citizen to be canonized as a saint - Elizabeth Seton (born 1809)

1983

First African American wax museum - The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum

1995

First American city to win championship in the Canadian Football League - Baltimore Stallions