Sandtown-Winchester, Baltimore

Sandtown-Winchester is a neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a 72 square block community in West Baltimore, known locally as "Sandtown". It is home to over 10,300 residents. The name Sandtown is derived from the trails of sand that dropped from wagons leaving town after filling up at the local sand and gravel quarry back in the day. It is located North of West Lafayette Street, West of North Fremont Avenue, South of West North Avenue, and East of North Monroe Street patrolled by the Baltimore Police Department's Western District. The community is 98.5% African American [http://censusprofile.bnia.org/Sandtown-Winchester%20Demographic%20Profile.pdf] and remains one of West Baltimore's most blighted and problematic communities concentrated with Bloods and Crips gang members. [ cite web | title="Outrage mingled with fear: Community responds after children, 2 and 3, are shot" | url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-te.shoot11jun11,0,3058693.story, The Baltimore Sun (June 11th, 2008) ]

History

Sandtown is located in a historically African American area of West Baltimore neighboring the once affluent Upton. In the second half of the 20th century, Sandtown experienced economic depression, housing abandonment, crime, and racial rioting. By 1990, Sandtown had become a neighborhood challenged by virtually every urban ill: poverty, unemployment, poor health, low student achievement, illiteracy, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, grimeÉmost significantly, Sandtown suffered an almost paralyzing lack of hope. [cite web|url=http://www.livebaltimore.com/nb/list/sandwinch/|title=Sandtown-Winchester|publisher=Live Baltimore Home Center|accessdate=2008-05-11]

In 1994, another Sandtown is emerging. Residents, working in concert with initial partners Mayor Schmoke, the City of Baltimore, The Enterprise Foundation and BUILD, had worked for four years on planning and beginning to implement the nation's first "neighborhood transformation process." Neighborhood transformation differs from past attempts at community revitalization because it (1) addresses all community problems at once, (2) emphasizes redirection and more effective use of existing funds, and (3) involves neighborhood residents as full partners in the design and operation of programs and services.

Notes

External links

Community Stars

* [http://www.sandtown.com/ Sandtown Childrens Chorus]

* [http://www.sndtwn.org/ Sandtown Habitat Homeowners Association]

Community Partners

* [http://www.sandtownhabitat.org/ Sandtown Habitat for Humanity]

* [http://www.nsum.org/ New Song Urban Ministries]

Elementary Schools

* [http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/md/203 George G. Kelson Elementary School]

* [http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/md/2516 Gilmor Elementary School]

* [http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/md/312/ New Song Academy]

* [http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/md/299 William Pinderhughes Elementary School]

* [http://www.ubalt.edu/template.cfm?page=1634 Baltimore '68: Riots and Rebirth]