Preston Gardens

Preston Gardens Park is a historic linear park located in Baltimore, Maryland. Built between 1914 and 1919, it spans three blocks along Saint Paul Street, bounded by East Saratoga Street to the south and Orleans Street to the north. The park measures approximately 715 feet in length and 70 feet in width.

One of the park's most distinctive features is a 700-foot-long historic retaining wall that separates Saint Paul Place from the lower park area. This unique design creates a grade separation, effectively dividing Saint Paul Street into upper and lower roads for five blocks between Centre and Lexington Streets.

Preston Gardens Park was constructed on the site of a former African American neighborhood that existed in the early 20th century. The area once housed a thriving community of black lawyers, religious leaders, and other residents in homes, offices, and social halls dating back to the early to mid-1800s. However, much of this neighborhood was demolished to make way for the park and other urban development projects following the 1904 Baltimore Fire.

Today, Preston Gardens serves as a green space in the heart of Baltimore, offering a respite from the surrounding urban environment. While its creation came at the cost of displacing a historic black community, the park now stands as a reminder of the city's complex history and evolving urban landscape.