Dazzling photo of what is now called, Harundale Plaza, this was the first air-conditioned, enclosed shopping mall east of the Mississippi River, and one of the first shopping centers to actually be called a "mall".
Of this picture, the photographer, Marion E. Warren, said: "A view like this is a real challenge because you have to wait long enough for people to get bored and stop looking at the camera. I covered every aspect of Harundale, from planning to construction to opening day, when they had me do a series of aerials all day even though it was raining, so they could count the cars and see what kind of crowd they had attracted."
As a related treat, click here to listen to a 2004 NPR interview with author, Joshua Olsen, where he talks about, Better Places, Better Lives, his biography of James Rouse, the man behind the Harundale mall and so much more. Fun listen!
Mall history: 1958 - present
Architect/developer: James Rouse
Current website: Here.
[photo courtesy: Maryland State Archives]
Harundale Plaza is about a 5-minute drive from me, and I never knew that it was the first "mall" this side of the Mississippi. Today, it looks exactly like every other shopping strip. Unless there's a very subtle historical plaque that I haven't found, there's no hint that it was ever an enclosed mall.
ReplyDeleteVery nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, guys!
ReplyDeleteSteffi: Glad you finally spoke up! :D
Yeah, sure would be nice to go back to those simpler days and just hang on out in some of these malls back while they were still in all their groovy, retro glories! How cool would that be? Alas...
There is a giant "rock" that has written on it the date of construction of the mall and the awards (architectural, etc.) that the mall won. The stone was located near Value City IN the mall from the 1990s on and sits covered outside now, I believe near the post office.
ReplyDeleteI was there the day it opened. Do you have other pictues?
ReplyDeleteI will always remember going to Harundale mall to go shopping....I miss those good ole days! I am glad to hear that the rock still exists. I think I remember something to the effect that JFK (a senator at the time) was there for opening day. If anyone has any additional info I would be glad to hear about it donna_lynn99@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI used to run around that mall constantly from 1987 until it closed. It was the first mall where I remember actually being allowed to leave my parent's side, and go hit up the candy machines, and I cried when it closed in '98. It was a wonderful peice of the state's history, and I will never quite forgive Rouse Co. for neglecting to keep Harundale in good repair with plenty of stores. It's nice to see that it's remembered still, thank you.
ReplyDeleteWhy,I grew up with the Harundale Mall!We lived houses away. I was only three and unaware Jr. Senator JFK would be attending the opening ceremonies.We stopped at the bakery on Sundays after church. It was near Joe the Mynah bird's cage. The rest of the mall was closed and roped off.TheBlue Laws were still in effect then. I had Girl Scout meetings in the community room upstairs. I remember popping the balloons above the lunch counter at Kreseges, hoping to win a free banana split or atleast pay less. I had my sixth grade graduation lunch at the Horn and Horn restaurant that overlooked the water fountain. I was fitted for my first bra at the Franklin Simon dress store. I bought my first 45rpm record at Murphys. So many memories, too many to continue here.
ReplyDeleteI use to hang out in Harundale Mall. I cryed when they closed it because I spent most of my teenage year there even when Marley Station was built when I was in the fifth or sixth grade I preferd to hang out at Harundale. I talked to the maintance workers the serity gards. I rember eating at Mr Joe's place Italin Delight. It was a great mall.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to remember the name of the Fis House that served King Crab Legs outside of harundale mall on Ritchie Hwy. Probably around 1975-1980. Please respond if you can help. Thanks, Billy
ReplyDeleteSenator John F. Kennedy visited Harundale Mall on May 5, 1960, while he was campaigning for the Democratic party's presidential nomination: he was a candidate in Maryland's Democratic primary election. He walked through the mall around 3:00 pm, climbed the stairs to the balcony overlooking the fountain in front of the Hochschild, Kohn department store, and spoke to the assembled crowd -- which consisted of practically everyone in the mall -- for about one minute. He exited through Hochschild's with his one-man police escort (Officer Curtis Nunn of the Anne Arundel County, MD, police department.) I was there and saw the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteI was only seven when Harundale Mall closed, but when I was young, my dad and I always used to go, and I have a lot of memories from the mall. It makes me really sad to see it as another strip mall when I pass it going to work. I'm from Glen Burnie, and it actually makes me really proud we had one of the first indoor malls in the country! I miss this mall!!
ReplyDeleteI worked at the Harundale Mall right after it opened. One of my chores other than scraping gum was cleaning the pond on Sunday morning. I also was the bunny rabbit at Easter time. There was an old man that always sat there every morning. One day when I was cleaning the fountain he asked me if I wanted a job... Turns out he was the Doorman at the new Harundale Cinema. Worked there for a while, was the voice of Miockey Mouse and Pluto on Sunday Matinees.
ReplyDeleteJoin us on Facebook "I remember the Harundale Mall when". Recounts life at the Harundale Mall and the surrounding communites and the history of Glen Burnie.
ReplyDeleteAawwe the memories I can just the Mall just looking at the pic🙂🙂
ReplyDelete