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Colonial Capital Steeped in History
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By Annapolis.com Staff
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Maryland.com
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 | | A sailboat moors at the Annapolis City Dock. |
In Annapolis, you’re never too far from the water or too far removed from the past.
Maryland’s colonial capital has enchanted visitors and locals alike for more than three centuries. Yes, George Washington slept here – and ate and dined and imbibed and gambled here too. So did Thomas Jefferson and others among the pre-Revolutionary gentry who relished the politics and pubs, the splendid architecture, and the civic life of a town dubbed the “Athens of America.”
Annapolis, America’s first peacetime capital (1783-84), cherishes and celebrates its rich, proud history. Inside the Senate chamber of the Maryland State House, the nation’s oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, Congress ratified the treaty that ended the Revolutionary War, and George Washington resigned his commission as commander in chief. Architecture buffs savor strolls along the brick streets and alleys in a city with 1,500 restored historic buildings, the largest concentration of 18th-century architecture in the nation, and 50 pre-Revolutionary War gems. Among them: the restored homes of three signers of the Declaration of Independence – Charles Carroll, Samuel Chase and William Paca.
Since its beginnings, the water has defined and sustained the city, first as a tobacco trading settlement with direct access to the mighty Chesapeake Bay, later as a working watermen’s town where oyster shells stood more than 10 feet deep around City Dock. In its latest incarnation, Annapolis has become America’s sailing capital, where yachts and all manner of sailboats and speedboats cruise the creeks, harbors and the bay, and the nation’s largest in-water boat shows draw boaters from throughout the world each fall.
What better setting for the U.S. Naval Academy, on 338 scenic acres along the Severn River? Far beneath the dome of the stunning Naval Academy chapel lies the father of the U.S. Navy, John Paul Jones. Today, the future officers of the Navy line up in formation at noon each day in a fascinating military ritual that’s sort of Annapolis’ answer to the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The Naval Academy museum features a fascinating collection of model ships and memorabilia.
 | | Midshipmen line up in the daily formation at the U.S. Naval Academy. |
Fittingly, the city so steeped in history is also home to America’s oldest four-year college, St. John’s College, founded as King William's School in 1696, and still teaching the same “Great Books” curriculum built around the classics. The campus, with handsome buildings dating to the early 1700s, is an ideal spot to spread out a picnic and perhaps read a good book on the lawn overlooking the Severn River.
Journey through the centuries downtown, a National Historic District bounded by Duke of Gloucester Street, College Avenue and King George Street and the City Dock. Graceful spires, cupolas and domes point skyward, and mansions, tiny clapboard houses, shops, restaurants and pubs line the brick streets. Go on your own – perhaps with a tape narrated by Walter Cronkite – or hook up with one of the guided walking or bus tours. Three Centuries Walking Tours, led by well-informed guides wearing period costumes with knickers, petticoats and aprons take visitors on a fascinating tour through the historic district and the U.S. Naval Academy.
City Dock, the heart of the city, makes an ideal starting point, with long piers jutting into Annapolis Harbor and the venerable Market House full of fresh shellfish, cheeses, fruit, poultry, ice cream and pastries. From City Dock, Main Street leads uphill, past pubs, shops and restaurants, and ends at Church Circle –– one of the city’s two central circles along with State Circle.
The Historic Annapolis Foundation’s markers identify buildings of architectural or historic significance with eight different color-coded signs so you can tell at a glance the style and period of a building. Some of the highlights include the Charles Carroll House, the birthplace and home of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Roman Catholic signer of the Declaration; the Banneker-Douglas Museum, which depicts the history and culture of African-Americans in Maryland;, the Hammond-Harwood House, renowned as one of America’s finest examples of Georgian Architecture; and the William Paca House and its two-acre garden with five terraces, a fish-shaped pond, and a Chinese Chippendale bridge.
While downtown offers entertaining colonial history lessons, Annapolis’ other neighborhoods offer different faces of the city, all with their own restaurants, shopping and attractions. Feisty, funky Eastport, occupying its own peninsula, retains its historic maritime feel. Here, you’ll find most of the city’s marinas, yacht designers, boat builders, boat brokers, sail makers, surveyors, chandleries, crabbers and their local watering holes.
West Street, just off Church Circle, has emerged in the past few years as a hot destination in its own right with hip restaurants, night clubs and art galleries. While on West Street, stop in the Annapolis-Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau for information on attractions, accommodations, events and tours (some of which start at the center). Maryland Avenue, with its myriad galleries of fine art and crafts, antique and old book dealers, and more food, is well worth the extra few steps around State Circle.
Naturally, walking is one of the most popular forms of recreation here, so too is boating, and you can rent boats or board tours or fishing charters. Just east of Annapolis, Sandy Point State Park beckons with fishing, boating and swimming within sight of the soaring spans of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Biking enthusiasts can ride along the Baltimore and Annapolis trail, which runs from Annapolis to Glen Burnie along a former railroad bed.
When you’re famished after a day of exploring the land and waters, you’ll find plenty of dining choices in Annapolis, whatever your taste. There’s the old mainstay, seafood, including some of the best crab cakes on the planet. But the offerings now include just about every cuisine imaginable, served in everything from classic pubs to Soho-style bistros to formal dining rooms. Accommodations, too, vary widely, and include a few big chain hotels and dozens of B&Bs and historic inns.
Though it’s a small town, Annapolis is big on arts and entertainment. The city celebrates its culture and heritage with fairs and festivals year-round and boasts its own ballet troupe, symphony orchestra and opera company as well as several theaters. And musicians from solo artists and duos to major national acts perform at bars around the City Dock and at the Ram’s Head Tavern on West Street.
At night, stare up at the State House dome, bathed in light. Imagine Washington and Jefferson and countless others doing the same over the centuries, and savor the timelessness of the colonial town.
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| ed copeland | pompano beach, fl. | | copelande AT bellsouth DOT net | | | | |
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