Restoring a Baltimore Synagogue
By Kate Nickel | Online Only | Oct. 27, 2008
Baltimore's Lloyd Street Synagogue is undergoing a $1 million restoration.
Credit: Jewish Museum of Maryland
From synagogue to Catholic Church back to synagogue, the pink building on Baltimore's Lloyd Street has seen its share of incarnations. But now, thanks to the Jewish Museum of Maryland, the state's oldest synagogue is undergoing major restorations.
Built in 1845 by the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, the synagogue was designed by architect Robert Cary Long, Jr. in Greek revival style. In 1861, renovators enlarged the original structure, but retained the classically-designed façade and interior sanctuary.
But in the 1960s, the building faced demolition. A group of locals formed the Jewish Historical Society of Maryland (now the Jewish Museum of Maryland) to save it. From 1963 until 1966, the building underwent rehabilitation. It wasn't until the late 90s that architectural investigations revealed that the project had inadvertently obscured some of the building's most interesting attributes. Among the rediscoveries were frescoes, a matzah oven, and what is likely an 1845 ritual bath, known as a mikveh. Workers also uncovered the base of what was most likely a steeple installed during the building's brief period as a church. "The quirks of the building have revealed certain quirks of the changing congregations," says Project Manager Lacy LeBlanc.
The $1 million restoration began in May 2008 and is scheduled to be completed in 2010, to coincide with the Jewish Museum of Maryland's 50th anniversary. (Save America's Treasures awarded a grant of $123,000 toward the project.)
Though no more official services will be held there, the sanctuary will remain intact. The basement will hold exhibits chronicling the building's history, and hopefully, draw attention to the state's often-overlooked Jewish history. Adds LeBlanc, "The Jewish roots of Maryland are fading … it is my hope that [the project] will garner more interest in the museum."
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