Granite Paver
notes: label: Description
content: This granite paver stone was taken from the location of the 1877 Baltimore riot between the Fifth and Sixth Maryland militia and the citizens of Baltimore.
label: Description
content: After the Civil War, railroads boomed in construction and use. In 1873, an economic depression hit the United States that greatly affected railroads and caused many to declare bankruptcy. Subsequent wage cuts and a deteriorating working conditions led to a strike of railroad workers across the eastern region in the summer of 1877. In July, employees of the Baltimore& Ohio railroad walked off the job and blockaded the passage of freight trains along the line in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The strike spread along the rail line to Cumberland, Maryland and Maryland Governor John Carroll dispatched the national guard to re-open the railways. On July 20, 1877 at 6:35 PM alarm 151 sounded in Baltimore, calling the militia to service. The alarm notified the citizens of impending military use, and a large crowd gathered at the militia’s armory. The streets had been torn up for laying gas lines, and the pavestones became the crowd’s weapon of choice as they stoned the armory. As 120 members of the militia departed the armory at 8:15 for Camden Yard, they were hit by stones from the crowd, and responded by indiscriminatingly firing into the streets, killing 9 and wounding 16. It was reported that only around 50 militia men made it to Camden Yards, the rest breaking away during their travels. Baltimore citizens continued to disrupt the railroad, tearing up tracks, burning cars, and destroying engines.
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content: Work and Industry: Production and Manufacturing
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content: Industry & Manufacturing
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content: American Enterprise
label: Exhibition
content: American Enterprise
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2014.3023.01
label: catalog number
content: 2014.3023.01
label: nonaccession number
content: 2014.3023
label: accession number
content: 2014.3023
objectType: label: Object Name
content: paver
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: granite (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: grey (overall color)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 3 1/2 in x 9 in x 6 in; 8.89 cm x 22.86 cm x 15.24 cm