"Little Castles"

For this week’s blog entry, I chose to attend the video series tonight in the Reading Room above Boulder Café. Two films were scheduled to be shown, but due to technical difficulties, we were only able to view the first film. They chose a very appropriate film that corresponds with Loyola’s year of The City in that it goes in depth into the architecture and design of many houses located all over Baltimore city and its surrounding communities.
The film was titled “Little Castles” and was about thirty minutes in length. Although it was short, it allowed great insight into Baltimore’s most known building materials and the reactions that it has induced throughout the years. Baltimore is a city built by brick. Brick is a very durable material that makes a statement. Because of its longevity, it is the main reason why so many row houses are present throughout the area. Brick is a symbol of the working class that was attracted to the city. Most of the bricks were red with white cement. Cement is a very durable, binding substance that hardens independently, and is used to bind other materials together. While the brick houses held strong in the elements, they had to be painted every two years. Painting is time consuming and expensive. People looked to alternatives to brick but could not find anything as durable and long lasting.
In 1938, however, their prayers were answered with the production of Form Stone. In the movie it was called “America’s #1 Beauty Treatment”. It was a durable building material with the ability to handle the elements. Form Stone never had to be repainted and solved many maintenance issues. It allowed people to focus on making their house a home on the inside. It changed the color of the city from red to grey. Form Stone came right when people needed it the most, because many were suffering economically after the war. And many of those settling in the Baltimore area were immigrants from Eastern Europe. Form Stone was appealing to them because it was affordable, long lasting, and reminded them of building their own “Castles” like those found in Europe. The business started out slow like any but over time, manufacturers could barely produce enough supply to meet the overwhelming demand. Competitors began to make their own versions of it dividing the market. This hurt the Form Stone business in that it created a great deal of competition but it also authenticated it in that it was the original and “best” quality of its kind. Many people in Baltimore who worked for Form Stone in the past, now tried to replicate it and start their own small businesses. It became a very profitable profession. It can be found from Highland Town to Canton, and even in Guilford, which is an exclusive residential are in Northern Baltimore. One woman wanted colors, so they went back into the laboratory and created alternate finishes. This sparked a new era for Form Stone and added to its grey appearance. A famous film maker called it “the polyester of brick”.
Many of those who inhabit Baltimore live and die by Form Stone. They believe it is a symbol of who they are and adds to the historical value of the area. They live by the concept of “to each his own”. And if it was a practical solution to maintenance and they thought of it as providing aesthetic value to their homes, than the more power to them. As working class citizens, people appreciated the time and effort put into sculpting the Form Stone over the chicken wire. It seems almost artistic in the manner in which it is applied. There are certain techniques that are required for its application, but essentially, the sculptor is able to mold it however he chooses. One guy even put Form Stone on his car. But many people did not and still do not get why it was so appealing and continues to exist. They think that it is ugly and phony. To them, it looks fake and does not resemble what a building should look like. It is not on the decline in that it is almost fifty years old on most buildings and it is starting to deteriorate. Many people who are moving into the area now are not fond it and see no reason in preserving it. They feel that Form Stone is a thing of the past and choose to pay the extra money to have it torn off and have the brick reconditioned. Many residents would do this too if they had enough money. Also, siding is another alternative that people are choosing over Form Stone. It is more practical, is much easier to install, and comes in hundreds of beautiful colors.
There is no doubt that Form Stone revolutionized the way people maintained their homes. It is a definite symbol of the city and the working class people the inhabit it. Although many people prefer to use more modern techniques in maintaining their homes, there is awareness that this way of life must be preserved. Many advocates of Form Stone do not want to see it fade with modernization. They would like to see it as a reminder of how the city used to be and the history that follows its people.