Ralph B. Vincent 1939–2017.

Originally published August 2017 · p. 47

Ralph B. Vincent 1939–2017. Civil War Preservationist, Friends of President Street Station Inc. and a Founder of the Baltimore Civil War Museum. Ralph was born in Cumberland, Md., and raised in Baltimore. The lifelong railroad buff and Civil War Preservationist passed away from heart disease suddenly on June 19. Ralph was employed by Dictaphone after service in the U.S. Navy at Yorktown, Va. He eventually was employed by Westinghouse/ Northrup Grumman Corp. near Baltimore Washington International Airport where he retired in 2004 at the age of 65.

In 1987 Ralph founded the Friends of President Street Station Inc., a 501c3 organization. In 1995 the Friends successfully saved the Historic President Street Station, the site of the “First Bloodshed of the Civil War.” Currier & Ives referred to the incident as the Lexington of 1861. James Ryder Randall penned the poem Maryland My Maryland which became Maryland’s official state song in 1939. In February 1861 Abraham Lincoln secretly passed through the station as President Elect to avoid assassination. Frederick Douglass and Henry Box Brown and others escaped to freedom on this railroad. The Station became the Baltimore Civil War Museum in 1997 and the Friends have continually been involved with its development. Today the museum is open to the public greeting visitors to Baltimore from all over the world. Everyone who knew Ralph or came into contact with him knew he was a gentle soul and a very kind man. He was laid to rest at the Crest Lawn Cemetery in Sykesville, Md. He is survived by his brother Doyle Vincent.