1. On January 11, 1826, a massive fire destroyed the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company's boat basin and warehouse in Cumberland, Maryland. The blaze was reportedly so intense that it could be seen from miles away and caused damage estimated at over $100,000.

2. In 1861, on January 11, the Maryland General Assembly refused to vote on a proposed secession ordinance, effectively keeping Maryland in the Union during the American Civil War. This decision was a critical moment in Maryland history, as the state's strategic location between Union and Confederate territories made it a key political battleground.

3. January 11, 1935, marked the opening of the Baltimore Zoo, which has since grown to become one of the city's most popular attractions. The zoo is home to over 2,000 animals from around the world, including elephants, lions, and polar bears.

4. On January 11, 1944, a massive train wreck occurred in Harmans, Maryland, when two passenger trains collided head-on. The accident, which claimed the lives of at least 75 people and injured hundreds more, remains one of the deadliest train wrecks in American history.

5. In 1962, on January 11, Marylander Rachel Carson's groundbreaking book "Silent Spring" was published. The book, which sounded the alarm about the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment, is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement and eventually leading to the ban of DDT in the United States.