MARYLAND AT A GLANCE

CAPITAL

ANNAPOLIS

Annapolis is the State capital of Maryland. Centered on Maryland's Western Shore in Anne Arundel County, Annapolis lies 25 miles south of Baltimore and 30 miles east of Washington, DC.

From the founding of Maryland in 1634, however, St. Mary's City in southern Maryland was the first seat of Maryland's colonial government, not Annapolis. As the population of Maryland grew, however, St. Mary's City near the southernmost tip of St. Mary's County, proved too distant for most of the colony's inhabitants. Consequently, in 1694, the General Assembly designated Anne Arundel Town, midway up Chesapeake Bay, as the new capital and, in February - March 1694/5, the government moved its records and its operations there.

State House (from Francis St.), Annapolis, Maryland, February 2014. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

After the death of Queen Mary II (1662-1694) of England, Scotland, and Ireland, in December 1694, Anne Arundel Town was renamed Annapolis in May 1695 for her younger sister, Princess Anne. Queen Anne (1665-1714) ascended the throne in 1702 following the death of Mary's husband, King William III (1650-1702). In 1707, England and Scotland united and Anne became Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, which she ruled until her death.

Royal Governor John Seymour granted a municipal charter to Annapolis on November 22, 1708.

City Dock, Annapolis, Maryland, September 2008. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

In Annapolis, nearly a year after the Boston Tea Party, the brig Peggy Stewart with its load of British tea was burned on October 19, 1774.

Toward the end of the Revolutionary War, the City also served as capital to the newly forming American nation when the Continental Congress met in Annapolis from November 26, 1783 to August 19, 1784. Here, too, on January 14, 1784, the Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War, was ratified by Congress.

In September 1786, at the Annapolis Convention, delegates from five states discussed revisions to the Articles of Confederation. The Convention's call for a further meeting led to the assembling of delegates at Philadelphia from May 14 to September 17, 1787 to draft the U.S. Constitution.

[photo, Naval Academy grounds, Annapolis, Maryland]

Located on the Severn River in Anne Arundel County, Annapolis is not only the center of Maryland government but also home to the U.S. Naval Academy. In recent years, the U.S. Naval Academy hosted several international conferences. The Middle East Peace Conference was held at the Academy on November 27, 2007, while the U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) IV took place June 17-18, 2008.

U.S. Naval Academy grounds, Annapolis, Maryland, May 2000. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, McDowell Hall, St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland]

Annapolis is also home to St. John's College (originally founded in 1696 as King William's School) whose curriculum is based upon the study of the classics.

McDowell Hall, St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland, April 2005. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

[photo, Sailboats, Back Creek, Annapolis, Maryland]

Known as "America's Sailing Capital", Annapolis hosts the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show each April, as well as the U.S. Powerboat Show and the U.S. Sailboat Show each October. The next Sailboat Show is set for October 15-18, 2025, the next Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show will be held April 24-26, 2026, and the next Powerboat Show will take place October 8-11, 2026.

Sailboats, Back Creek, Annapolis, Maryland, October 2008. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Map of Government Buildings in Central Annapolis
Maryland Government
Maryland Constitutional Offices & Agencies
Maryland Departments
Maryland Independent Agencies
Maryland Executive Commissions, Committees, Task Forces, & Advisory Boards
Maryland Universities & Colleges
Maryland Counties
Maryland Municipalities
Maryland at a Glance

Maryland Manual On-Line

Search the Manual
e-mail: mdmanual@maryland.gov

This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.

Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!

[ Archives' Home Page || Maryland Manual On-Line || Reference & Research
|| Search the Archives || Education & Outreach || Archives of Maryland Online ]
Governor General Assembly Judiciary Maryland.Gov

© Copyright October 16, 2025 Maryland State Archives