 Annapolis Maryland is the state capital and is also known as the “sailboat capital of the world”. Annapolis is the home of the United States Naval Academy, and Saint John’s College and is located at the mouth of the Severn River on the Chesapeake Bay. Downtown in the Historic area, originally established in 1695, City Dock is a favorite place to visit. Known to local boaters as “Ego Alley” it is the weekend and evening scene of a steady parade of expensive yachts. There is plenty to eat and drink in the area which is the site of the world’s largest sailboat and power boat shows every October. The nearby United States Naval Academy has the world’s largest dormitory housing over 4000 midshipmen. Favorite sights here are the crypt of John Paul Jones in the Academy Chapel and the Severn seawall with its mast from the battleship Maine (sunk in Havana in 1898). There is also an early submarine, a Mark XIV torpedo (memorial for 52 U.S. submarines lost in WWII with 3505 men), and other Navy hardware. USNA has a new visitor center. The Maryland Statehouse, built in 1772, is the oldest in the U.S. still in legislative use, and was capitol of the U.S briefly in 1783. You can visit the current house and senate chambers and also the original senate chamber where George Washington resigned as Commander in Chief of the Army in 1783. |
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 From its earliest days as a colonial capital city, Annapolis was known as the “Athens of America.” For here one could find a wealth of cultural activities, a glittering social season, gracious hospitality and intellectual stimulation. The small seaport brought visitors from around the world who shared the news of the day while enjoying the ambiance and exquisite tidewater cuisine of the local pubs. You will find the same atmosphere today, drawing more than 4 millions people a year to its shores. Annapolis has been welcoming visitors for more than 300 years, but it remains a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family. The capital of Maryland was originally called “Providence” when settled by the Puritans. It was later called “Anne Arundel’s Towne” after the wife of Lord Baltimore, who owned the proprietary colony. It wasn’t until a Royal Governor, Sir Francis Nicholson, moved the capital here from St. Mary’s City that the small seaport received its present name. Sir Francis chose to honor Princess Anne, heir to the throne. In 1708, as Queen, she chartered her colonial namesake as a city. Her royal badge, with a crown over the entwined thistle of Scotland and Tudor rose of England, is depicted on the Annapolis flag. Sir Francis designed a city worthy of a Queen. Instead of using a customary grid, he constructed a baroque plan similar to the magnificent capitals of Europe. He drew circles with radiating streets to create focal points and give importance to certain structures. In one circle is St Anne’s, the Episcopal Church, regarded as the spiritual center of the city. As the Church of England, it was originally supported by taxpayers. In the other circle, rising over the harbor, is the State House, the seat of government. This urban design was admired by frequent visitor George Washington, who later had Pierre L’Enfant incorporate it into the nation’s capital. A thriving shipping industry brought great wealth to Annapolis, reflected quality of life. Prosperous merchants and “planters” sought to duplicate the amenities of their homeland in the colonies, and built mansions that would rival any in England. These homes, which entertained many of our Founding Fathers, had ballrooms and formal gardens where lavish social functions occurred. |
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