The rowhouse businesses on the left had been torn down by the time of the 1912 photo below (looking southeast from Light and Pratt Sts. toward Federal Hill Park).

Photo courtesy of Kilduffs.com

I can't get over the high quality of this shot! So much going on the the picture, too. I almost feel as though I could click a "play" button and watch it come to life.

I believe the location is just below present day Pratt St., on what would be the west side of Light St., where the Verizon Building is today. The pier buildings on the right would occupy the space of McKeldin fountain.

The building with the white "Hunter" flag (about midway up on the left) is still there (22 Light Street) but not much else. It's the third building on the left in the Street View image.

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There is one woman, barely visible, under the second arch to the right. You can just see her skirts and apron.

Wow, this is indeed a spectacular photo! You post one every couple of weeks, Dave, that could be studied for hours. It's amazing just how busy things are. All the little details are incredible -- like the horse that's being fed atop a crate on the lower right.

Keep up the great work!

There's not one woman visible in this photo!

Thank you for answering my first question about the strange pants on the man on the wagon. I have two others:
1.) How old were those rowhouses when these photos were taken?
2.) Why are all those men standing on the curb at the lower left?

[Gravity. - Dave]

If it's a pillow, I can't imagine what use it might have. Unless, perhaps, it's for piles. I would have thought, though, that a less obvious and more expansive cushioning bight have done a better job.

[If you ever had to pilot a horse wagon over brick and cobblestone all day long, you might be able to imagine. - Dave]

Which is why I was wondering why it's so small. You'd think it would need to cover a bit more of his backside. Personally, I'd simply use a cushion.

However, I wonder if he (or more importantly, his wife) knows his posterior has been preserved for posterity....

Do you take requests? I just finished watching the HBO series "The Wire", which was shot on location in many of Baltimore's old, working-class neighborhoods. In the show, there were a lot of great shots of now decaying neighborhoods filled with slightly sagging row houses on streets paved with bricks. I would love to see those neighborhoods in better times. It broke my heart to see such charming neighborhoods in such a state of disrepair.

As for this picture: Spectacular! This must be one of the most condensed and crowded scenes I've seen on Shorpy's.

I'm gonna guess this is near the present day Inner Harbor. Googling along Light Street, I found many examples of what John Waters once referred to as "the polyester of brick."

Dave, please enlighten the poor clueless Shorpsters such as myself.How can I say this any other way but, what is that appendage on that guy's behind?

[Looks like a small pillow or cushion attached to his pants. Or possibly a patch that needs patching. Where's a Pantitorium when you need one? - Dave]