Westport power generating station was built shortly before the Bayside power plant right across the river in Baltimore around the year 1906. It ceased operation in 1993 and as of late 2007, demolition has begun to make way for redevelopment. This is also one of the 3 power plant locations used in Terry Gilliam’s “12 Monkeys” movie starring Bruce Willis. Until the Pentagon was built, Westport was the largest concrete structure ever built.

Westport’s best part has to be the coal cars that reside on the top level of the main building. After you finish climbing 6 or 7 flights of catwalk stairs, you reach the firm foundation of concrete, only to be frightened once again by the catwalks that hover over the cavernous coal hoppers. I think one of my scariest moments ever was putting my foot through a stair about 6 stories up at Westport. Yeah, that’s one you’ll never forget. But the coal cars are definitely worth the climb.