Is Baltimore an Internationally influential city or an Nationally influential city? (Berlin: university, yard)

[North Beach Person]

I live in Maryland and was involved in municipal government from the 1980s until recently. All Baltimore does is **** everyone else in the State off by the constant inability to get a handle on anything while spending ever increasing amounts of a limited pool of money everyone else is supposed to get part of.

[macalan]

Neither.

When Baltimore comes to mind, I think of Johns Hopkins, the Inner Harbor and violent crime (lots of it) and not in that order.

And yes, I've been there - admittedly ages ago, but I remember it as a sort of decaying place. We (this was a business trip) stayed not far from the Inner Harbor, and I remember the hotel clerk pulling out a map when we checked in and marking off the "safe" area to stay in. I've traveled all over the US and Canada for business and that's only happened one other time - in New Orleans.

JMHO. Too bad because the location is great but I don't know if a resurgence is even possible at this point.

[Citykid3785]

Totally national, at best.

For one, it’s undeniably shadowed by nearby DC from an international perspective. It doesn’t have the size or attractions to put it on an international stage.

I like the harbor and the general region, but last time I traveled I certainly felt unsafe in parts of the city. On a personal level it doesn’t draw me in

[KinBueno]

Originally Posted by g500

Here is a cursory summary of the factors comprising Baltimore's influence: Not just Johns Hopkins (the major research university, as well as the globally-influential health system and medical research facility with which 39 Nobel prize laureates have been affiliated) as you mentioned, but also the base of operations for T. Rowe Price (a global investment advisory firm with over 5,000 employees in Baltimore and 16 international offices serving clients in 47 countries), the National Aquarium (one of the world's largest), BWI (22nd busiest airport in the USA, with 14 direct international connections including London, Frankfurt and many Central American and Carribean cities, as well as 67 direct domestic connections), McCormick seasonings - world's largest producer of spices and seasonings was founded and based in Baltimore, the Inner Harbor, sports, celebrities, history as a major port of entry for immigrants entering the USA beginning in the 1600's, the Port of Baltimore is still very important in transatlantic/international trade particularly for the auto and coal industries, headquarters of Constellation Energy-one of the largest electricity and gas utilities/producers in the USA (especially nuclear power).

History: Edgar Allen Poe (world renowned famous writer and poet), national capital of the USA during the Revolutionary War, nearby U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, the Baltimore World Trade Center - Baltimore is one of 16 charter members of the World Trade Centers Association, nearby University of Maryland, the Star Spangled Banner (our national anthem -played and heard around the world) composed by Francis Scott Key following a hellacious battle to defend Fort McHenry in the Baltimore Harbor in the War of 1812 against England, numerous historical landmarks, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, hub of crabs/crab cakes, Old Bay, home of Babe Ruth and Michael Phelps (world's most decorated Olympic athlete of all time), sister cities with Kawasaki Japan, Rotterdam Netherlands, Odesa Ukraine, Alexandria Egypt, also: The Wire, home of Eugene Tooms, far too many famous people from Baltimore to even begin to fully list, among many other attributes (one of the most urban/walkable and iconic urban cities in the USA)

Great points.
I think Baltimore is important nationally and to some extent Internationally.

I think it is important internationally in the way that other big countries like China have several monster size cities that overshadow smaller cities but the smaller cities still have international importance.

Just because it isn't on the tips of everyone 's tongue doesn't mean it's not important. People have space in their head for only a few cities, that's why I pay little stock in pop culture recognition. Especially in the US, people place importance more on places that host reality shows than places that keep the country/world running or that is saving people's lives.

I think Baltimore is significantly influencial in that it is more influencial than cities/metros that are larger in size

[mhays25]

The OP is about influence rather than attention, but I'll say this: Most international attention goes to maybe eight places (NY, LA, SF, LV, DC, Mia, Bos, Chi...). Plus Orlando and Honolulu as stand-ins for regional tourism. Another five or six get some notice (Sea, Philly, the sunbelt trio...). Then things really fall off the cliff internationally.

For influence, currently, Johns Hopkins is the one standout I can think of. Maybe the city's role as a cog in the business/logistics world? Or do you mean cultural influence?

[Bobdreamz]

Sorry but the words "Baltimore" and " International" don't seem to jive for me.

[908Boi]

Neither. Baltimore is influential in Maryland and maybe Delaware, that's about it.

[mhays25]

On the international side, connectivity and immigration matter too. Its air connections are shared with DC users, so its direct relationships are hard to gauge. On the immigration side it's pretty light, right after Charlotte, Sacramento, and Minneapolis in 2022's new lawful permanent residents, ranking #22 if you merge the big CA cities into single entries.

[BigLake]

Yeah, sorry Baltimore is certainly not internationally relevant and I would hesitate to say it's even nationally influential. It sits right between and in the shadow of Philly and DC. It's a mid-sized city with unfortunately little-to-no influence. You always have the Wire and Camden Yards though!

[bus man]

I would agree that Baltimore has some national influence, in particular regarding health care (Johns Hopkins), higher education (Johns Hopkins, again), and trade (the Port of Baltimore, BWI Airport). But it suffers from being located between the nation's political capital and its financial capital. (Philadelphia suffers from the same problem.) Simply put, it's hard to exert much influence if you are perpetually in the shadows of vastly more powerful and influential neighbors.

Internationally, Baltimore's only real presence on the world stage is due to the Port of Baltimore, which is a major shipping port served by shippers from across the globe. BWI is an important domestic airport, but its international service is pretty anemic and a lot of what it does have may well be little more than spillover from Washington. I suppose I should add health care to the list; I do know a few people who came to Baltimore from overseas specifically for the purposes of training at Johns Hopkins Hospital.