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The epic fight of humans against the inconceivable powers of nature is no novel concept; rather, it is a struggle that has existed since the very beginnings of our era. In many instances, humans have succeeded and built industrial steel paradises; in others, such as the natural catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, nature seems unbelievably able to strike back. But a hidden, yet living battleground is concealed here in our Baltimore backyard. The Jones Falls River, born into existence thousands of years before Baltimore was inhabited by humans, was once pure and healthy. Years later, the river coexisted peacefully with Native Americans and early European settlers. The Jones Falls adopted its name from one of the first European pioneers, David Jones, who settled in 1661 on 380 acres along the eastern banks of the river. Subsequently, Jonestown was formed, and Baltimore Town was formed in 1729 on the western banks. Nature and humans were able to easily co-exist, with the clean river being highly beneficial to the sustainability of the town for transportation, drinking water, and enjoyment. Wooden ships would sail through the brackish waters of the lower river until they hit mostly fresh water to rid their ships of teredos (shipworm). It is even said schools of porpoises would swim up from the bay into the lower areas of the river.
In 1745 the two towns were united to form the city of Baltimore. As the city built up and pushed closer to the river’s natural territory, the river became an inconvenience, splitting the city into halves. In 1766, Harrison Marsh was filled in, Harrison Street was developed, and a canal was built to divert the river from its natural horseshoe-shaped bend. However, when the river, losing its natural area for overflow rains, was pressured with excess floodwater, it would return to its natural course and submerge the primary business district of the city. The first recorded flood in 1786 swept away a newly constructed German Calvinist Church and several Baltimore residents drowned in the high waters. The canal was deepened in 1805, but this by no means ended the instability of the modified river. On July 14, 1837, the river reached 20 feet above its bed. Few bridges survived the flood, and the raging waters also killed an estimated 19 people. A flood in 1868 was one of the worst for the Jones Falls; Harper’s Weekly reported the drowning of at least 50 people, and the flood cost Baltimore residents over a million dollars in property damage. Flooding on the Jones Falls has occurred as recently as Hurricane David and Hurricane Agnes in the late 1970’s.