Preakness....There Goes the Neighborhood

The Preakness is set to be run again in Baltimore this afternoon. The wealthy and not so wealthy will descend upon Pimlico Race Course in Northwest Baltimore to watch the second of the Triple Crown races, with some hoping for immortality and riches, and others just looking for a good time being part of the spectacle. Having grown up about 10 miles from Pimlico Race Course, I am very familiar with the area and have seen how it has changed since my childhood. Sitting at the intersection of Northern Parkway and Pimlico Road, Northern Parkway serves as the dividing line between two vastly different worlds. On the north side of the Racetrack, you have the Mt. Washington area, an area littered with many Victorian homes, and consisting mainly of White middle to upper middle class professionals. On the other side of the racetrack there is a different world consisting mainly of working class and Black professionals littered among the crime and drug wars that have become a constant of the Northwest Baltimore community. For one day however, this neighborhood changes as the racing world descends upon this humble neighborhood bringing the famous and hordes of police to protect the visitors. For one day, it's probably one of the safest places to spend a day and evening. Just be sure to be gone when the racing crowd leaves.