Category Archives: H.L. Mencken

All Aboard For Back River!

“Be a roughneck for once and ride down to Back River,” he suggested. “There’ll be rough stuff there if you want it, but you’ll he safe enough if you’re good.” (The Baltimore Sun, 7/23/1911) Click for large image ”HEY, wait … Continue reading

Posted in 1910s, Baltimorons, Beer, Booze, Essex / Middle River, H.L. Mencken, Nightlife, Vices | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

H. L. Mencken: “The human race is incurably idiotic”

H.L.MENCKEN 1524 HOLLINS ST. BALTIMORE December 2nd 1927 Dear Charles:- A few notes: 1. I bought some brown shoes six or eight years ago, and have worn them off and on ever since. I have also taken to brown oxfords. … Continue reading

Posted in 1920s, Baltimorons, Booze, H.L. Mencken, Politics, Religion, Vices | Leave a comment

H.L. Mencken, the ‘Sage of Baltimore’

September 12th, 2012  marked the 132nd anniversary of the birth of H.L. Mencken, the influential writer, journalist, satirist and social critic known as the “Sage of Baltimore,” who died at the age of 75 in 1956. The Sun’s Frederick Rasmussen … Continue reading

Posted in Baltimorons, H.L. Mencken | Leave a comment

Happy Belated New Beer’s Eve

By Frederick N. Rasmussen (The Baltimore Sun, 4/13/2009) Thirty-three days after taking office, Congress fulfilled one of FDR’s campaign promises when the “wets” passed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which raised the alcohol allowed in “near beer” from 0.5 percent to 3.2 … Continue reading

Posted in 1930s, Beer, H.L. Mencken, Vices | Tagged | Leave a comment