The Barn, Glen Burnie MD 1950s

The Barn was a landmark restaurant, sportsman’s bar and banqueting space at Ritchie highway in Glen Burnie, Maryland. The location served as a meeting place for civic groups and was a popular spot to celebrate birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. It also hosted large events - giant ads promised ‘red carpet catering’ for up to 1100 diners. In 1972, the night after Alabama Gov. George Wallace was shot in a parking lot while campaigning in Maryland for the Democratic presidential nomination, some 400 of his supporters gathered at The Barn for a campaign dinner. This charming menu cover is from the late 40s or early 50s. There is a helpful panel on the inside menu for diners who are unsure about which wine to order and it notes that champagne is the ‘King of wines.’ A bottle of bubbly cost a mere $11. A 1952 ad in The Sun newspaper heaped praise on The Barn’s oyster offerings. ‘Why go to New Orleans for Antoine’s Oysters Rockefeller? The Barn has ’em ready to burst their plump little hearts out at your slightest whim.’ For decades, the barn was owned by local businessman Tony Andrews who was planning to sell it and retire in January 1974 when a four-alarm fire broke out at the premises at 1.30am, when the restaurant was closed. The blaze caused $400,000 of damage and arson was suspected. There had been a three-year spree of arson and fire-bombings in the Glen Burnie area under active investigation at the time by a special federal task force on organized crime. Charges were leveled against several suspects, but nothing was ever proven. The Barn never re-opened Gallery quality Giclée print on natural white, matte, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using Epson archival inks. Custom printed with border for matting and framing. Each order includes a print of the interior menu. All printed in USA.