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Moving to Baltimore in the Fall of 2000, was a sort of homecoming for Jim and Liz Elliott. Although between the two of them they’ve lived in many places across the country and around the world, Baltimore feels like home. Jim, a self-described "Army-brat," was born and raised nearby in Harford County. He remembers going to Lexington Market as a child, but his favorite childhood memory is of crabbing in the Bush River for Blue Claws with his father. Liz was raised in Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. She graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and George Washington University in DC.

After college, Liz lived in San Francisco for 18 years where she met her first husband and enjoyed a career in advertising. Liz and her son came back to the East Coast in 1976 and moved to Rockville. She took a job at the National Paint and Coatings Association (NPCA) in DC, where she met Jim who was in the midst of his "second career". For his first career, Jim served over 20 years in the U.S. Army.

Following a brief courtship, which was kept secret from their co-workers, Jim and Liz were married on October 20, 1979. "I always tell people that we honeymooned with 5,000 of our nearest and dearest friends at the NPCA Convention in San Francisco," said Jim.

A few years later, Jim retired from his 22-year stint at the NPCA and in 1986 the Elliots moved to New Hampshire to build the home of their dreams in a very rural setting. Liz designed the house and for three years Jim helped numerous sub-contractors build it. Liz started a public relations company where her clients included the local chamber of commerce, book authors, arts clients and a children’s summer theater group. Jim became very active in his third career, which he likes to call "freedom." He served on the visiting nurses board and the regional planning commission, and got involved with his alma mater, Dartmouth College.

In 1992, the couple began traveling the globe, touring exotic places like China, Turkey and much of Europe. "When we travel, we travel close to the ground," said Liz. This means they choose public transportation over rental cars so that they interact with the locals.

They thought they’d spend the rest of their lives in the peace of the country in their dream home, but small town politics and long New Hampshire winters got tiresome. Jim had a bad car accident on an icy road and Liz decided it was their last winter in New Hampshire. Last winter, Jim and Liz rented an apartment in Venice for three months, where they fell in love with the urban experience. Tuesdays were their favorite days because of the open-air market. "We lived for those Tuesdays," said Liz.

When the Elliotts returned to the States, they began looking for a new place to call home. A book on the top cities to live rated Baltimore as one of the top 30 out of 300. Jim and Liz noted the affordable housing, ethnic diversity, cultural opportunities, public transportation and BWI as top reasons to choose Baltimore. Their home shopping started in Fells Point and Canton, but when a realtor brought them to Butchers Hill they fell in love with a house on Pratt Street – especially its roominess and architectural features.

"We love our neighborhood," said Liz. "We were unloading our car the first day we got here and people came up and welcomed us." Her husband agreed, "we love the spirit of Baltimore," said Jim, "this really is Charm City." "It’s refreshing after a small town," said Liz, "I really feel like I can be myself." They haven’t had much time yet to enjoy all the charming points of Baltimore, busy with home renovations. Just about all of their three-story row house is under renovation so they have been living out of their bedroom on the third floor.

If they could change one thing about Butchers Hill, it would be the litter problem. "I sweep the walk from my house down to the corner, and the litter that accumulates is astounding!" said Jim. Neighbors who put trash out on the wrong day and the lack of public trashcans are two reasons they cite for the trash problem. Two solutions the Elliotts propose are an educational campaign and organizing residents to purchase and maintain public trash cans through the Butchers Hill Association. "As an association," said Liz, "we have to get tough on trash."

Billy Marome moved to Butchers Hill about 10 years ago. His apartment on Fayette St. had been broken into several times, and the drug trade in the neighborhood was very active. Butchers Hill offered him a safer neighborhood and more affordable rent. He also liked the fact that his landlord lives on the first floor of his building – his old landlord lived offsite and was not very responsive to his requests for help with the break-ins. A Hopkins employee, he found the apartment on the 2100 block of E. Pratt through the off-campus housing office located in Reed Hall.

Billy has worked for Johns Hopkins housekeeping for over 30 years – and he proudly displays the beautiful grandfather clock that he recently received to commemorate his service. As a floor tech, Billy works primarily in the new Weinberg Building that houses the comprehensive cancer center. He notes the tragedy he sees every day when cancer patients "come in looking like you and me" but soon lose their hair and strength from chemotherapy.

At 53, Billy is working on his GED through a Hopkins-sponsored class that meets three times a week. His favorite subjects are computers and reading.

Asked what he likes about Butchers Hill, Billy had a list of things. First, it is great to be able to walk to work. And he really enjoys the people here – like Mr. George at the corner store, and his friends at Fran’s with whom he plays shuffleboard. Patterson Park is beautiful and perfect for walking his dog, Lady. Billy rescued Lady, who had been abused, through the SPCA about 5 years ago. The mixed Cocker Spaniel/Terrier is his constant companion.

Where does Billy see room for improvement? Well, first he would like to see a police officer walking the Butchers Hill beat once again. Walking to and from work every day, he has noticed an apparent increase in drug activity lately. Parking is problem, as is trash on the sidewalks. Finally, Billy believes a traffic light at the corner of Collington and Pratt would help to reduce the high number of accidents in recent months.

Originally from Richmond, VA, Billy has 12 sisters. Every year they all get together for a reunion. Last year it was in Raleigh, NC – this year, Billy hopes it will be in Cherokee, NC so he can attend the Bluegrass Festival with his family. His mother and father are no longer living, but if they are any indication then Billy will be around for a long, long time. Mom lived to be 105, and Dad lived to 103!

Billy and Lady