The Frank R. Shivers Jr. Fund
Frank R. Shivers Jr. was a Baltimore educator, historian, and author who wrote widely about regional culture and history. His books included Maryland Wits & Baltimore Bards: A Literary History with Notes on Washington Writers (1985); Walking in Baltimore: An Intimate Guide to the Old City (1995), Chesapeake Waters: Pollution, Public Health & Public Opinion 1607-1972 (co-author, 1983, 1997), and The Architecture of Baltimore: An Illustrated History (co-editor, 2004). A resident of Bolton Hill for 70 years, he documented the history, architecture, and people of his beloved neighborhood in two books, Bolton Hill: Baltimore Classic (1978) and Bolton Hill: Classic Baltimore Neighborhood (2010). Considered a prime force behind the Bolton Hill we know today, he initiated the neighborhood’s newsletter (The Mount Royal Review, later the Bolton Hill Bulletin) and the Blue Plaque program to mark the homes of notable residents, and wrote the National Register of Historic Places nomination that secured the neighborhood’s protection from a highway in the early ‘70s. “As a community activist, he promoted downtown living for people from all socio-economic groups through his writing, lecturing, and participating in community projects,” the Baltimore Sun obituary noted. “He played an active role in helping stem families’ flight from the city. He was adept at bringing people together and encouraging collaboration.”
The Frank R. Shivers Jr. Fund is being created to provide funds for a variety of activities related to collection, preservation, and access to archival materials in all formats supporting the research needs of students, scholars, and the public around Baltimore and regional history and architecture.