Happy Birthday to Our Building

Over the weekend, we will pause to celebrate the 109th birthday of our headquarters building on Cathedral Street. 

MedChi had moved twice between 1890 and 1909, including to Hamilton Terrace in Eutaw Street. When that building was purchased in 1893, the members thought it would be their home for decades. 

But in 1896, when Dr. William Osler became President of the Faculty, his main objective was to increase the size of the library. At that time, there were fewer than 5,000 mostly out-of-date volumes, many still in the boxes from the move a few years earlier. 

Osler hired Marcia Noyes, and soon, they began plotting to acquire a new building which could be the library's home. But there were a few setbacks. 

In 1904, a massive fire devastated much of Baltimore's downtown, and came within a few blocks of Osler's house on Franklin Street. All building and construction outside of the Burnt District was halted so that resources could be directed to rebuilding the downtown area.

In 1905, Dr. Osler announced his move to Oxford, England and that slowed down the planning and fund-raising. 

However, by early 1908, a plot of land had been selected, and the building commenced.

In May of 1909, the building was ready to be dedicated, and for that, Dr. Osler came to Baltimore to help celebrate. In a letter written just after the dedication, he tells Marcia that "The building is just perfect - Never been so pleased with anything in my life."

Marcia was hands-on with the project management of the building, for not only would be it be the place where she worked, it was also going to be her home!

Until his death, Osler continued to donate money to pay off the building's debt, and to send books to fill its library.

Happy 109th birthday to our dear beautiful building.