Joseph G. Locks Funeral home, one of Baltimore’s and the nation’s oldest Black-owned businesses has closed its premises at 1302-1310 North Central Avenue. The buildings were torn down April 19.
The Locks Funeral Home before it was torn down. (Google Maps)
The business, established by John W. Locks in 1835, spent 157 years primarily serving the African-American community of Baltimore and was in the Locks family for generations
Joseph Garland Locks, III was elected twice to the presidency of the Funeral Directors and Morticians Association of Maryland. Locks, III was also the father-in-law of former Baltimore mayor Kurt Schmoke. Locks III’s daughter Patricia Schmoke nee Locks is an ophthalmologist in Mondawmin.
The residence’s owner, Joseph G. Locks IV, sold the property and the title was transferred in August 2016 to Central & Preston.
Cynthia Galmore, a long-time employee of Locks Funeral Home, now owns the business’ trademark, its equipment, and the right to operate it under the family name. Galmore, doing business as Locks, will continue to provide services such as embalming, restoration and funeral direction.
“I didn’t just want to close it down,” Galmore told the AFRO. “I wanted to make sure that it was taken care of.”
The Locks Funeral Home after being torn down. (Photo by J. K. Schmid)
Joseph G Locks Funeral Home’s original location on Jefferson Street was closed and torn down in order to make room for an expansion of the Johns Hopkins University campus.
Locks has not established a new fixed location but currently operates out of the spaces of other local funeral service providers.
With the passing of Joseph G. Locks, III., in 1992, and his parents Joseph G. Locks Jr. and Mae Carol Locks, passing in 2003, Joseph G. Locks, IV, unlicensed, could not operate the business going forward.
The row on North Central had also fallen into disrepair. A roof had collapsed in one of the storage units and the plumbing was failing.
Daniel Henson, of The Henson Development Company and the owner of the LLC that acquired the property, is a family friend, Locks said.
Henson, taking cues and inspiration, from other developments in the community of Oliver. expects to make what comes next to be “a major benefit” to the city.
“I think what’s happening in Oliver is a wonderful story to be told,” Henson said.
Rather than being outright demolished, Henson emphasized that the building is being “deconstructed” with artifacts like newspaper insulation and exceptionally old hardwoods being recovered and saved.
Henson’s company is responsible for the Fells Point Station development at 1621 Bank St and plans to make a similar impact on Oliver.
Henson has “all my confidence,” Locks said. “We were very mindful as to making sure that the property was used for something that would continue to benefit the Oliver community and Baltimore City in general.”
The city has been looking to develop this particular area of East Baltimore for decades, Galmore said.
Though the building is gone, other efforts are being made to preserve the Locks family and its clients’ histories.
In the transition, the Locks Funeral Home’s death records were transferred to the Maryland state archives.
Joseph G. Locks, IV, Galmore and family historian Donna Holly are creating a history book to preserve the story of the business, Locks and Galmore said.