Where's Marty? At a very special statue in Highlandtown
Hi Everyone!
It was President John Quincy Adams who first called Baltimore the "Monumental City."
This happened after the Washington Monument, and the Battle Monument, were dedicated.
But what would POTUS No. 6 think about that title now, with a couple of dozen more monuments scattered about the Baltimore Metro?
A while back, with the help of Molly Ricks, of Baltimore Heritage, we showed you one such dedicated to Simon Boliver. It resides in Guilford.
Today, Molly joined us again to shed some light on a very random statue that is located in front of the Pratt Library on Eastern Avenue at Conking Street in Highlandtown.
Look close it is on the top of a pole looking down at us all.
Being a black-colored bust makes it hard to see from a distance, but that is indeed a statue of native Baltimorian, (born at Mercy Hospital), and music LEGEND Frank Zappa.
Do not get me wrong, Frank Zappa is most worthy of a statue in his hometown. He is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
He produced documentaries and he was instrumental in defeating a political push to put ratings on records not unlike the way movies are rated. (He spoke before Congress against the initiative led by the wife of Vice President Al Gore, Tipper Gore.
Ratings were defeated, but the parental warning labels that we see today were the compromise.) Lots of reasons to honor him. But this honor had its start overseas. And that is the quick part of the Zappa Statue.
It turns out that Frank Zappa's family is Italian. Both sides.
But he became a huge icon in Lithuania. So much so that its fan base in Vilnius, the capital of the country, gifted his hometown a copy of a statue to him that resides there.
And in Baltimore, it was dedicated with much fanfare here on the 25th anniversary of his testimony before the Senate. Son Dweezil and the Zappa plays Zappa band performed.
Totally quirky, just like Frank, and his city. Something to add to a monument tour of Balmer HON! We want to thank Molly and Baltimore Heritage for helping us again.
Here is their website for more info on this great local group, https://baltimoreheritage.org/
WIld!
Marty B.