Maryland State House

Historical narrative

The Maryland State House in Annapolis is one of America’s most historically significant public buildings. Construction began in 1772 and was completed in 1779, making it the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use. Its great wooden dome, completed in the 1790s, is the oldest and largest of its kind in the United States. From November 1783 to August 1784, the Continental Congress met here, making Annapolis the nation’s first peacetime capital. In the Old Senate Chamber, George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in December 1783, and Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris the following month, formally concluding the Revolutionary War. Today, visitors are drawn to its magnificent dome, historic chambers, exhibits, and remarkable connection to the founding of the United States.

Oil

© Stephen B. Hales — All Rights Reserved