State Capitols – Annapolis, Maryland

Maryland Capitol in Annapolis (29 March 2007)

Constructed: 1772-1779

Architect: Joseph Horatio Anderson

State Admitted to Union: April 28, 1788 (7th)

State Population [2010]: 5,988,927 (19th)

This Saturday, I’ll be leading my photo club field trip to the state capitol in Annapolis. Might as well use that opportunity to post the story here first.

Annapolis was first settled in 1649 and became the capitol of the Maryland Colony in 1695. It’s the 8th smallest capital city by population (38,394) and the smallest by land area. This means that other points of interest, like St. John’s College, the 3rd oldest in the nation (1696) and the U.S. Naval Academy are within blocks of each other.

No other state house in the country has as much colonial flavor as the Maryland capitol. It is the oldest one still in use. It is the only one employing the Georgian architectural style. It actually served as the nation’s capital for almost a year following the Revolution. The old Senate chamber was where George Washington resigned his commission as leader of the Continental Army (1783) and where the Treaty of Paris was signed ending our War of Independence (1784).

Statue of Roger Taney, Maryland Capitol Grounds (29 March 2007)

On the grounds of the capitol is a statue of Roger Taney, who was the Fifth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He served in that position for 28 years until he died on the job in 1864 at age 87. He is most remembered (dare I say, reviled) as the author of the Dred Scott Decision (1857) which stated that African-Americans, whether enslaved or free, could not be American citizens and had no standing in federal courts.

In 1905, as state government grew, an annex was added to the capitol. It included the Senate and House of Delegates chambers that are used today. The Senate has 41 members and the House 141. I suppose that means that when all are present and voting, ties are impossible.

Maryland Senate Chamber (19 June 2012)

This image was made by pasting 10 wide angle shots together. The notable elements of the room include the Tiffany glass skylight and portraits of the four Maryland signers of the Declaration of Independence.

In the spirit of full disclosure, Truth, Justice and The American Way, I must also note the following. I really like the state. After living in places where it was too hot or too cold, I enjoy living here and the ‘Goldilocks Effect’ of our just-right climate. I appreciate (for the most part) the progressive politics here. However, this is the worst state house to visit. It should be re-named ‘The Velvet Rope - Do Not Enter – Only Authorized Personnel Beyond This Point’ Capitol.

‘The Federalist’ Under the Rotunda (1 September 2009)

The 15-foot replica of a gift made for George Washington was re-created for the Bicentennial of the Constitution in 1988. As of this writing, it and the ‘John Shaw Flag,’ an early version of the 13-star flag that was made for the 1783 Continental Congress, are no longer on display.

Maryland House of Delegates, Annapolis (1 September 2009)

I violated the velvet rope barrier so I might see what the House chamber looked like from the PUBLIC gallery. However, the door was locked (imagine my surprise) and this one image was taken through the window.

So far, I have toured and photographed 45 state houses. The joy was being able to wander the halls and stairways, see the legislative chambers (sometimes from both the main floor and the gallery) and photograph special design features where they might be. I do get off on the grandeur of these magnificent PUBLIC spaces. It’s ironic that my blue state’s capitol is THE most restrictive of all the one’s I’ve visited.

Detail of the Forbidden Stairway (1 September 2009)

This dumbfounds and annoys me. Go to the reddest state, where they have laws and rules that will shock you for their intolerance and ignorance and you will find capitol buildings wide open and accessible to anyone. No ID checks. No ‘empty your pockets and step through the machine, please.’ If the spaces are not being used for government business, they are open for you to enter. They are the houses of and for the people.

I was told by capitol staff that security increased after 9/11 and that our proximity to Washington further heightens such concerns--and that our new Republican governor has already tightened things up even more. I don’t mean to disparage good folks who are doing their job. I just wish their job wasn’t to keep the public out of their own house. On the other hand (there is always another hand), all it takes is one wackaloon with a gun or a jerk with spray paint to ruin it for the rest of us.