All Neighbors in Baltimore's Washington Village
Top Neighbors: The magic behind the mirrors
You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Keeping a steady strem of incoming posts and photos will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
Washington Village/Pigtown is located in southwest Baltimore and is bordered by Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. on the east, Monroe Street on the west, Russell Street on the south, and the B&O Railroad on the north.
The Pigtown Historic District is comprised of about 36 city blocks lying in Southwest Baltimore, south and east of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad yards. Developing initially as a community for railroad workers in the 1840's, along Columbia Avenue (now Washington Boulevard), Ramsay, McHenry and Poppleton Streets, the area grew rapidly to the south during the industrial expansion of the 1850's and 1860's. Small two-story homes were built for workingmen on the narrow streets running south of Washington Boulevard with three-story gable-roofed houses and then early Italianate house lining Washington Boulevard and Scott Street to serve as housing for shopkeepers and upper-level managers. Development of Pigtown is intimately linked with events of the Industrial Revolution in Baltimore, particularly the growth and development of the B&O Railroad, the nation's first railroad. In the 1980s, in an effort bring 
Pigtown back, the neighborhood name was officially changed to Washington Village. The true name of the neighborhood is still under debate. With the rise in property values and the influx of newcomers to city life in the late 1990s through today, Pigtown's population and quality of life has consistently risen. In the early 2000s, Pigtown was designated an Empowerment Zone by the City of Baltimore, bringing new businesses and homeowners. This effort has continued with its designation as a Main Streets Community, which promotes Pigtown's eclectic business corridor. Recently, Baltimore's west side has been targeted by the mayor's office as an are of focus for major developments and investment, which will doubtless continue to grow Pigtown in value and quality of life.
Today, Pigtown is a community of renters, homeowners, and businesses. Residents are socially, racially, and economically varied, making Pigtown one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Baltimore city. Pigtowners are very proactive in their neighborhood organizations, contributing to the continuing growth, quality of life, and improvement of Pigtown. Pigtown's energetic commu¬nity, diversity, value, growth, and GREAT location continues to attract new residents, businesses, and development. Big things are happening in Pigtown, including the annual Pigtown Festival taking place this Saturday. 
All Aboard!
The complex is housed on a 40-acre historic site which is regarded as the birthplace of American Railroading and includes the 1851 Mt. Clare Station, the 1884 Baldwin Roundhouse and first mile of railroad track in America.
Ohio Museum to build 99 townhomes and condos as part of a "work force" housing project. This was announced to the public a couple weeks ago along with their other plans for some commercial development in Washington Village.
This is all great news for the residents of Pigtown or as newcomers would call it "Washington Village". Washington Village has seen some great gains in value over the past few years with homes jumping in value from under $100,000 to over $600,000 for 2 and 3 storey row homes that range in age from turn of the century (1800 to 1900) 2 and 3 storey row homes to modern 3 storey garage metrohomes. A strong commercial and retail corridor has been sadly missing in this neighborhood in order to sustain it's economic growth in residential housing. 
and along Pratt Street and bordered by 295/Russell Street. The area is home to Raven's Stadium and the Baltimore and Ohio Railway Museum. Nearby is Hollins Market and Oriole Stadium. The area is easily accessible from 95 and 295 and close to the Inner Harbor. Many DC commuters call Pigtown home as it has been extremely affordable for them and they are able to take the MARC train from Camden Yard to DC daily for work and leave their vehicles at home. 
