Maryland State House
Encyclopedia
The Maryland State House is located in Annapolis
and is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, dating to 1772. It houses the Maryland
General Assembly
and offices of the Governor
and Lieutenant Governor
. The capitol has the distinction of being topped by the largest wooden dome
in the United States constructed without nails. The current building, which was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1960 is the third statehouse on its site. The building is administered by the State House Trust, which was created in 1969.
. The statehouse was designed by Joseph Horatio Anderson
, a noted architect of the time. The two-story building is of brick construction in the middle of State Circle. The building is designed in the popular Georgian
style of the day. A small portico
juts out from the center of the building and is topped by a pediment
, two high arched windows frame the entrance. On both floors, large rectangular windows line the facade. A cornice is topped by another pediment and the sloping roof gives way for a central octagonal drum atop which rests a dome. The large dome is topped by a balustraded balcony, another octagonal drum and a lantern capped by a lightning rod
. The rod was constructed and grounded according to the direct specifications of its inventor, Benjamin Franklin
. The dome of the statehouse is depicted on the Maryland state quarter
.
a replica built in 1987 of the miniature ship Federalist. Large Corinthian columns support the arches bracing the large dome above. A balustrade lines the second floor balcony.
It was in the Old Senate Chamber that George Washington
famously resigned his commission as commander in chief of the Continental Army on December 23, 1783. A mannequin of George Washington stands in period clothing at the front of the room.
Less well known, but important nonetheless, is the historic event that occurred on February 2, 1781 when Governor Thomas Sim Lee
, in the presence of the members of both Houses of the State Legislature, signed and sealed the "act to empower the delegates of this state
in Congress
to subscribe and ratify the Articles of Confederation."
The decision established the requisite unanimous consent of all thirteen states for the formation of a Perpetual Union
. This was the final act of formation of the United States of America as a nation
. The approval of the much awaited law also removed any doubt about the resolve of the states to unite during the Revolutionary War. In 1861, the fact that "the faith of all the then thirteen States was expressly plighted and engaged that [the Union] should be perpetual" was considered of major importance by President Abraham Lincoln
when declaring the secession of the southern states from the Union to be illegal.
The chamber had extensive investigation beginning in 2007 to solve water leakage problems. As a result of this study, restorers have determined that previous restoration attempts in 1905 and 1940 did not accurately recreate many elements of the room. A report of their findings was issued in January 2010 and work continues.
Two famous Marylanders are featured in statues flanking the podium: John Hanson
, the first president by the Articles of Confederation, and Charles Carroll
, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence
. Four portraits of Declaration of Independence signatories for Maryland hang on the walls: William Paca
, Thomas Stone
, Samuel Chase
, and Charles Carroll
. There are also portraits of Edwin Warfield
and John Walter Smith
.
hang nearby.
met in the Maryland State House. Subsequently, Annapolis was a candidate to become the new permanent national capital before Washington, D.C.
was built.
met there for the first decade of its existence. In 1800, judge Samuel Chase
tried a local postmaster for embezzlement and sentenced him to thirty-nine lashes. To execute the sentence, the defendant was tied to one of the statehouse columns.
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
and is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, dating to 1772. It houses the Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
General Assembly
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
and offices of the Governor
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,...
and Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
The Lieutenant Governor of Maryland is the second highest ranking official in the executive branch of the state government of Maryland in the United States. He or she is elected on the same ticket as the Governor of Maryland and must meet the same qualifications.The current Lieutenant Governor is...
. The capitol has the distinction of being topped by the largest wooden dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
in the United States constructed without nails. The current building, which was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1960 is the third statehouse on its site. The building is administered by the State House Trust, which was created in 1969.
Construction
Construction began in 1772 and was not completed until 1779 due to the ongoing American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The statehouse was designed by Joseph Horatio Anderson
Joseph Horatio Anderson
Joseph Horatio Anderson was an architect in Annapolis, Maryland in the late 18th century. He was the architect for the third and current Maryland State House, the second St Anne's Church, and Whitehall, a plantation house near Annapolis.- External links :*...
, a noted architect of the time. The two-story building is of brick construction in the middle of State Circle. The building is designed in the popular Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style of the day. A small portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
juts out from the center of the building and is topped by a pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
, two high arched windows frame the entrance. On both floors, large rectangular windows line the facade. A cornice is topped by another pediment and the sloping roof gives way for a central octagonal drum atop which rests a dome. The large dome is topped by a balustraded balcony, another octagonal drum and a lantern capped by a lightning rod
Lightning rod
A lightning rod or lightning conductor is a metal rod or conductor mounted on top of a building and electrically connected to the ground through a wire, to protect the building in the event of lightning...
. The rod was constructed and grounded according to the direct specifications of its inventor, Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
. The dome of the statehouse is depicted on the Maryland state quarter
50 State Quarters
The 50 State Quarters program is the release of a series of circulating commemorative coins by the United States Mint. Between 1999 and 2008, it featured each of the 50 U.S. states on unique designs for the reverse of the quarter....
.
Rotunda
In the rotunda is the Maryland FederalistMaryland Federalist
Maryland Federalist is a replica ship built in 1987 and now located at BWI Airport near Concourse D. The ship is a replica of the miniature ship Federalist which was built in 1788.-Original Federalist:...
a replica built in 1987 of the miniature ship Federalist. Large Corinthian columns support the arches bracing the large dome above. A balustrade lines the second floor balcony.
Old Senate Chamber
To the right of the entrance is the old Senate Chamber. Chairs and desks were added to the room in the exact number (16) as originally furbished. The desk for the president is an original piece made by John Shaw in 1797.It was in the Old Senate Chamber that George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
famously resigned his commission as commander in chief of the Continental Army on December 23, 1783. A mannequin of George Washington stands in period clothing at the front of the room.
Less well known, but important nonetheless, is the historic event that occurred on February 2, 1781 when Governor Thomas Sim Lee
Thomas Sim Lee
Thomas Sim Lee was an American planter and statesman of Frederick County, Maryland. Although not a signatory to the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation or the US Constitution, he was an important participant in the process of their creation...
, in the presence of the members of both Houses of the State Legislature, signed and sealed the "act to empower the delegates of this state
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in Congress
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting on May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, soon after warfare in the American Revolutionary War had begun. It succeeded the First Continental Congress, which met briefly during 1774,...
to subscribe and ratify the Articles of Confederation."
The decision established the requisite unanimous consent of all thirteen states for the formation of a Perpetual Union
Perpetual Union
The Perpetual Union is a feature of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, which established the United States of America as a national entity...
. This was the final act of formation of the United States of America as a nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
. The approval of the much awaited law also removed any doubt about the resolve of the states to unite during the Revolutionary War. In 1861, the fact that "the faith of all the then thirteen States was expressly plighted and engaged that [the Union] should be perpetual" was considered of major importance by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
when declaring the secession of the southern states from the Union to be illegal.
The chamber had extensive investigation beginning in 2007 to solve water leakage problems. As a result of this study, restorers have determined that previous restoration attempts in 1905 and 1940 did not accurately recreate many elements of the room. A report of their findings was issued in January 2010 and work continues.
Working Senate Chamber
The Senate chamber is located in a wing added to the original structure between 1902 and 1905. The room is illuminated by a Tiffany-style skylight above. Red carpet emblazoned with the state seal covers the entire floor. Large Ionic columns line the walls and support the viewing gallery. The marble along the walls and the columns are flecked with rust and black, Maryland's official colors.Two famous Marylanders are featured in statues flanking the podium: John Hanson
John Hanson
John Hanson was a merchant and public official from Maryland during the era of the American Revolution. After serving in a variety of roles for the Patriot cause in Maryland, in 1779 Hanson was elected as a delegate to the Continental Congress...
, the first president by the Articles of Confederation, and Charles Carroll
Charles Carroll
Charles Carroll may refer to:*Charles Carroll , Continental Congressman from Maryland*Charles H. Carroll , U.S...
, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
. Four portraits of Declaration of Independence signatories for Maryland hang on the walls: William Paca
William Paca
William Paca was a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Maryland, and later Governor of Maryland and a United States federal judge.-Early life:...
, Thomas Stone
Thomas Stone
Thomas Stone was an American planter who signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a delegate for Maryland. He later worked on the committee that formed the Articles of Confederation in 1777...
, Samuel Chase
Samuel Chase
Samuel Chase was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court and earlier was a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Maryland. Early in life, Chase was a "firebrand" states-righter and revolutionary...
, and Charles Carroll
Charles Carroll
Charles Carroll may refer to:*Charles Carroll , Continental Congressman from Maryland*Charles H. Carroll , U.S...
. There are also portraits of Edwin Warfield
Edwin Warfield
Edwin Warfield , a member of the United States Democratic Party, was the 45th Governor of Maryland in the United States from 1904 to 1908.-Early life:...
and John Walter Smith
John Walter Smith
John Walter Smith , a member of the United States Democratic Party, served the State of Maryland in the United States in several different positions...
.
Working House Chamber
The House of Delegates chamber is also in the new wing to the building. The carpet is navy blue and designed with a diamond and olive sheaths. The same rust and black marble lines the chamber and forms the Ionic columns along the walls. A spectators' gallery is above the rostrum. The speaker sits in front of a broken marble pediment supporting a clock. Portraits of former Speakers of the House hang on the walls.Governor's Reception Room
The Governor's Reception Room is on the second floor. The room is mainly ceremonial and used for bill signings. Portraits of former governors hang on the walls. Portraits of Henrietta Maria and Queen AnneQueen Anne
"Queen Anne" generally refers to Anne, Queen of Great Britain , Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1702, and of Great Britain from 1707.Queen Anne may also refer to:-Uses relating to Queen Anne of Great Britain:...
hang nearby.
United States Capital
From November 26, 1783 to August 13, 1784, Annapolis was the United States capital. The Congress of the ConfederationCongress of the Confederation
The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America that existed from March 1, 1781, to March 4, 1789. It comprised delegates appointed by the legislatures of the states. It was the immediate successor to the Second...
met in the Maryland State House. Subsequently, Annapolis was a candidate to become the new permanent national capital before Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
was built.
United States district court
The United States District Court for the District of MarylandUnited States District Court for the District of Maryland
The United States District Court for the District of Maryland is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Maryland....
met there for the first decade of its existence. In 1800, judge Samuel Chase
Samuel Chase
Samuel Chase was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court and earlier was a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Maryland. Early in life, Chase was a "firebrand" states-righter and revolutionary...
tried a local postmaster for embezzlement and sentenced him to thirty-nine lashes. To execute the sentence, the defendant was tied to one of the statehouse columns.
External links
- Maryland State House - official website
- Information from the Maryland Archives
- The Maryland State House Trust
- Maryland State House, Anne Arundel County, including photo in 1988, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Maryland State House, State Circle, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, MD: 48 drawings, 110 photos, 3 data pages, 8 photo caption pages, 12 color transparencies, at Historic American Building Survey