SIGHTS TO SEE IN ANNAPOLIS

S Ettlem Ent

In 1650, Puritans seeking religious freedom nestled into a spot on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay and called their new town Providence. Settlers soon spread across the Severn River to the land that now makes up Maryland’s capital city.

The small settlement grew and was renamed Anne Arundell in 1694 in honor of Lord Baltimore’s wife. By the late 1600s, Maryland’s 25,000 inhabitants had spread from Maryland’s then capital, St. Mary’s City, and Governor Francis Nicholson chose the growing town on the Severn as the new provincial capital because of its central location.

Nicholson renamed the new capital Annapolis in honor of Princess Anne, who became Queen of England in 1702. He directed the city be built according to an elaborate Baroque street plan, much like the ones used in great European capitals. The highest town circle revolved around the capitol building. The focal point of the secondhighest circle was an Anglican church. Mixed residential and mercantile areas developed around the waterfront and along the main streets.

By the third quarter of the 18th century, Annapolis was the center of political, cultural, and economic life in the colony. Construction of what is now Annapolis’ famed Maryland State House began in 1772. The State House has since hosted many significant events, including General George Washington’s resignation from the Continental Army in 1783. Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris here on January 14, 1784, officially ending the American Revolution. And, in 1786, delegates from five states convened at the Maryland State House to discuss changes to the Articles of Confederation. Each of these events occurred in the recently renovated Old Senate Chamber.

The Maryland State House is the first and only state house to serve as the nation’s capitol, when the Continental Congress met here from November 1783 until August 1784. Today, the Maryland State House is recognized as the oldest state house in continuous legislative use in the nation.

Growth

A naval school was established at Fort Severn in 1845. In 1850, it was renamed the U.S. Naval Academy. During the Civil War, hospitals at the Naval Academy and St. John’s College treated thousands of wounded Union soldiers. Paroled Union troops camped outside the town.

In the late 19th century, the economic emphasis shifted from Anne Arundel County’s successful plantations to the bodies of water surrounding and flowing through Annapolis. Water trades, including oyster packing, boat building, and sail-making, emerged as major industries. Waterfront villages took root throughout the county, and shipping ports bolstered their workforce.

Boasting a political and cultural history that spans centuries, Annapolis is a thriving “museum without walls” that recounts the birth and evolution of a nation amidst 21st-century living.

Experience

Discover 33 historic sites that tell the story of Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay. Each numbered historic site corresponds to the plotted numbers on the map on page 33.

Annapolis is a city rich in culture where history from four centuries comes alive. A most refreshing way to see the sights is with access to the Chesapeake Bay. We would invite visitors and locals alike, to take a tour of this spectacular city. Whether by land or by water, a visit to Annapolis is truly an unforgettable journey.”

JAKE & LAURA IVERSON Co-owners, Watermark

Visit

Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Visitors Center

26 West St. | 410-280-0445

No trip to Annapolis is complete without a stop at our Visitors Center at 26 West Street. We are your “Compass Rose,” pointing you in the direction of history, adventure, and excitement as you navigate your way through our idyllic 18th-century streets! From hidden gems to iconic landmarks and everything in between, our information specialists are ready to guide you in the right direction.

Located in Annapolis’ Historic District, the Visitors Center is within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and attractions, including the Maryland State House, Banneker-Douglass Museum, and U.S. Naval Academy. Whether you want to explore on your own or take a guided tour by foot, boat, trolley, or electric car, we have maps, brochures, and friendly experts to assist you on your journey. To start planning your trip, go to www.visitannapolis.org or call today.

2 Asbury United Methodist Church

87 West St. | 410-268-9500

This 1888 Gothic Revival church housed one of the earliest African Methodist Episcopal congregations in Annapolis. It stands on the site of their 1803 church.

3 Reynolds Tavern 7 Church Circle | 410-295-9555

The tavern was built between 1747 and 1755 by William Reynolds. From 1812 to 1935, the cashier of Farmers National Bank lived here, and from 1936 to 1957, the building housed the Anne Arundel County Library. The tavern is now a tearoom, pub, and inn.

4 Banneker-Douglass Museum 84 Franklin St. | 410-216-6180

The first African Methodist Episcopal Church of Annapolis was founded in the 1790s. Construction of the church began in 1874. After storm damage in 1896, the church was rebuilt with its present Gothic Revival front facade, including the stained-glass rose windows. In 1984, it became Maryland’s official museum of African American heritage.In 2004, the museum opened a four-story addition.

5 Anne Arundel County Circuit Courthouse

8 Church Circle | 410-222-1397

The third-oldest courthouse still in use in Maryland. The original Federal-style portion of the courthouse was built in 1824 and enlarged in 1892 in the Italianate style with a projecting tower and cupola.

6 St. Anne’s Church Church Circle | 410-267-9333

The present church, built in Romanesque Revival style, is the third to stand on this site. Construction began in 1859, using some of the walls and the tower of the second church, which had been destroyed by fire in 1858.

7 Government House 110 State Circle | 410-974-3531

The state bought land in 1868 to build a new home for the governor. It was completed in 1870 as a French Empire mansion. A 1936 remodel converted the house into the five-part Georgian style of the Colonial period.

8 Maryland State House 100 State Circle | 410-974-3400

The Maryland State House is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use and the only state capitol ever to serve as a U.S. capitol. Construction began in 1772. The legislature first met here in 1779. Features include the largest wooden dome in the country. National Historic Landmark. Photo ID required

9 Old Treasury State Circle | 410-260-6445

Built between 1735 and 1737, the Old Treasury is the oldest public building in Maryland. Until 1779, it housed offices of the commissioners who distributed bills of credit, which served as the colony’s paper money.

10 Maryland Inn 16 Church Circle | 410-263-2641

Merchant Thomas Hyde completed this three-story tavern and inn before the Revolution. The stone foundations and Flemish bond brick walls mark the original form. The building has remained an inn throughout its life.

11 Jonas Green House 124 Charles St. | Private

This gambrel-roof dwelling was the home of Jonas Green, Colonial printer of the Maryland Gazette. Built in the 1740s, it housed Green’s print shop until 1786.

12 Zimmerman-Wilson House 138 Conduit St. | 410-267-8705

A rare example of Queen Anne architecture in Annapolis, the pattern-book house was built for Charles Zimmerman, a U.S. Naval Academy band leader and composer of “Anchors Aweigh.”

13

First Presbyterian Church 171 Duke of Gloucester St. | 410-267-8705

The site of the First Presbyterian Church, it originally housed the Hallman Theater, and was built in 1828. The congregation bought the property in 1846. The sanctuary was enlarged in 1874, and in 1948 the steeple was added.

14 Maynard-Burgess House 163 Duke of Gloucester St.

Members of two African American families owned the dwelling for 150 years. Free black man John Maynard was its first occupant. He bought the property in 1847.

15

City Hall/ Ballroom 160 Duke of Gloucester St. | 410-263-7997

Assembly rooms were social gathering places in the 1760s. After the building burned during the Civil War, the three surviving walls were incorporated into the present City Hall.

16

Saint Mary’s Church 109 Duke of Gloucester St. | 410-263-2396

The present church, a Victorian Gothic structure, was dedicated in 1860. The interior displays the rib vaulting and handcarved altar typical of Gothic Revival. The octagonal spire was added around 1876.

17 Charles Carroll House 107 Duke of Gloucester St.

The circa-1720s house was enlarged in the 1770s, 1790s and 1850s. Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Roman Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born in this house in 1737 and lived here until 1821.

18 Annapolis Maritime Museum 723 Second St. | 410-295-0104

The museum connects visitors to Annapolis’ unique maritime heritage and the natural wonder of the Chesapeake Bay. It is housed in the last remaining oysterpacking plant in the area.

19 Museum of Historic Annapolis 99 Main St. | 410-990-4754

New permanent exhibit, Annapolis: An American Story , shares the dramatic stories of Annapolis and its diverse people— revolutionaries, visionaries, and champions in our nation’s continuing quest for liberty and justice—who helped to shape our American story over more than 400 years.

20 City Dock and Alex Haley Memorial

City Dock has been the center of Annapolis’ maritime life for more than 300 years. At the head of the Dock, a memorial commemorates the 1767 arrival of Kunta Kinte, an African slave immortalized by descendant Alex Haley in the book and television series, “Roots.”

21 Market House 25 Market Space | 443-949-0024

The first market house on this site was built in 1784. The present market was completed in 1858. Today, the Market House celebrates the tastes of Annapolis and Maryland.

22 Middleton Tavern 2 Market Space | 410-263-3323

Samuel Horatio Middleton and his family operated a tavern here from 1754 to 1786. The tavern remains in operation today.

23 Shiplap House 18 Pinkney St. | 410-267-7619

The Shiplap House, circa 1715, was probably built by its first occupant, sawyer Edward Smith. Smith ran an ordinary (tavern) in the house.

24 James Brice House 42 East St. | 410-267-7619

James Brice built this impressive five-part Georgian mansion between 1767 and 1773. National Historic Landmark.

25 William Paca House and Garden 186 Prince George St. | 410-990-4543

William Paca, signer of the Declaration of Independence and three-term governor of Maryland, built this five-part Georgian mansion between 1763 and 1765. The property includes a two-acre reconstructed 18th-century pleasure garden.

26 Hammond Harwood House 19 Maryland Ave. | 410-263-4683

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27 Chase-Lloyd House 22 Maryland Ave. | 410-263-2723

Edward Lloyd IV bought the unfinished shell of this house from Samuel Chase, a young Annapolis lawyer and future signer of the Declaration of Independence. Lloyd finished the home from 1769 to 1774. His youngest daughter married Francis Scott Key here in 1802. National Historic Landmark.

28 Dahlgren Hall, U.S. Naval Academy | 410-293-2380

Designed by architect Ernest Flagg in 1898, Dahlgren Hall was completed in 1903. It was named for Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren, U.S. Navy, a Civil War inventor of scientifically designed, large-caliber naval guns. Dahlgren Hall has served as an armory, indoor drill area, and a Weapons Department laboratory.

29 McDowell Hall, St. John’s College Campus | 410-263-2371

Construction began in 1742 on a house for Colonial governor Thomas Bladen. When the legislature denied more funds for its completion, the shell became known as “Bladen’s Folly.” Given to St. John’s College in 1784, the building originally housed the entire college. It is named for St. John’s first president.

30 Charles Carroll/ The Barrister House St. John’s College Campus | 60 College Ave. | 410-263-2371

Constructed in 1722, the house is one of the oldest surviving residences in Annapolis. Originally located at the corner of Main and Conduit streets, the Historic Annapolis Foundation bought the house and moved it to St. John’s campus. In 2013, it was fully restored and now houses the college’s admissions office.

31 U.S. Naval Academy Museum Preble Hall | 410-293-2108

The museum contains a collection of more than 50,000 historic objects related to the proud heritage of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Academy. The collection includes the famous Rogers Collection of Ship Models, weapons, navigational instruments, paintings, prints, naval documents, medals, uniforms, and more. Photo ID required.

32 U.S. Naval Academy Main Chapel 121 Blake Rd. | 410-293-1100

This 1908 chapel, designed by New York architect Ernest Flagg, is located on the highest point within the “Yard.” Several of the stained-glass windows were made in the studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Commodore John Paul Jones, naval hero of the American Revolution, is buried in the crypt. Photo ID required.

33 U.S. Naval Academy Visitor Center Pedestrian Entrance through Gate 1 at Prince George and Craig Sts. | 410-293-8687

In 1845, Fort Severn, belonging to the War Department since 1808, was transferred to the Navy Department for use as a school for midshipmen. Five years later, it was renamed the United States Naval Academy. The National Historic Landmark campus, known as “the Yard,” includes the largest group of Beaux Arts architecture buildings in the country. Photo ID required.