Annapolis is the capital of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
MarylandMaryland is a state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east. It is comparable in size to the European country of Belgium. According to the U.S...
, as well as the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Anne Arundel CountyAnne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
. It has a population of 36,524 (July 2008 est.), and is situated on the
Chesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia...
at the mouth of the
Severn RiverThe Severn River runs through Anne Arundel County in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is located south of the Magothy River, and north of the South River.-Geography:...
, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington D.C. Annapolis is part of the
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan AreaThe Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area is a consolidated metropolitan area consisting of the overlapping labor market region of the cities of Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C.. The region includes Central Maryland, Northern Virginia, and two counties in the Eastern Panhandle of West...
. The city was the temporary capital of the United States in 1783–1784 and the site of the
Annapolis Peace Conference-Attendees:U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice organized and hosted the conference. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and U.S. President George W. Bush attended the meeting...
, held in November 2007, at the
United States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is an undergraduate college in Annapolis, Maryland, United States, that educates and commissions officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Academy often is referred to simply as "Annapolis". It is also called "The Academy", "The Boat School", or "Canoe...
.
St. John's CollegeSt. John's College is a liberal arts college with two U.S. campuses: one in Annapolis, Maryland and one in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Founded in 1696 as a preparatory school, King William's School, the school received a collegiate charter in 1784, making it one of the oldest institutions of higher...
is also in Annapolis.
Colonial and early United States
(1649–1808)
A settlement in the
Province of MarylandThe Province of Maryland was an English colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen colonies in rebellion against Great Britain which established the United States and became the U.S...
named Providence was founded on the north shore of the
Severn RiverThe Severn River runs through Anne Arundel County in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is located south of the Magothy River, and north of the South River.-Geography:...
in 1649 by
PuritanA Puritan of 16th and 17th-century England was an associate of any number of religious groups advocating for more "purity" of worship and doctrine, as well as personal and group piety. Puritans felt that the English Reformation had not gone far enough, and that the Church of England was tolerant...
exiles from Virginia led by Governor
William StoneWilliam Stone was an English pioneer and an early settler in Maryland. He was governor of the colony of Maryland from 1649 to 1655.-Early life:Stone was born in Northamptonshire, England....
. The settlers later moved to a better-protected harbor on the south shore. The settlement on the south shore was initially named "Town at Proctor's," then "Town at the Severn," and later "Anne Arundel's Towne" (after the wife of
Lord BaltimoreCecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , usually called Cecil, was an English coloniser who was the first proprietor of the Maryland colony. He received the proprietorship that was intended for his father, George Calvert, the 1st Lord Baltimore, who died shortly before it was granted...
who died soon afterwards). The city became very wealthy through the slave trade.
In 1654, after the
Third English Civil WarThe Third English Civil War was the last of the English Civil Wars , a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists....
, Parliamentary forces assumed control of Maryland and Stone went into exile in
VirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. The geography and climate of the state are shaped by the Blue...
. Per orders from Lord Baltimore, Stone returned the following spring at the head of a
CavalierCavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War . Prince Rupert, commander of much of Charles I's cavalry, is often considered an archetypical Cavalier.-Early usage:...
force. On March 25, 1655, in what is known as the
Battle of the SevernThe Battle of the Severn was a skirmish fought on March 25, 1655, on the Severn River at Horn Point, across Spa Creek from Annapolis, Maryland, in what at that time was referred to as "Providence", in what is now the neighborhood of Eastport. Following the battle, Providence changed its name to...
, Stone was defeated, taken prisoner, and replaced by
Josias FendallGov. Josias Fendall, Lt. Gen., Esq. , was fourth proprietary and colonial Governor of Maryland. He was born in England, and came to the Province of Maryland. He was the progenitor of the Fendall family in America....
as Governor. Fendall governed Maryland during the latter half of the Commonwealth. In 1660, he was replaced by
Phillip CalvertPhillip Calvert was the Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland during a brief period in 1660 or 1661.He was appointed by the royally chartered proprietor of Maryland, Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore, as a caretaker to replace Josias Fendall.-Life:He came to Maryland on the first...
after the
restorationRestoration may refer to:-In government / politics:A restoration is a historical episode whereby a previous government regains control over an area or jurisdiction...
of
Charles IICharles II may refer to:* Charles the Bald , king of the West Franks and Holy Roman Emperor* Charles II of Naples * Charles II of Alençon * Charles II of Navarre * Charles II, Duke of Lorraine...
as King in England.
In 1694, soon after the overthrow of the Catholic government of
Thomas LawrenceSir Thomas Lawrence was the royal governor of the Maryland colony in 1693, elected by the Governor's council following the death of Lionel Copley. He governed the colony for only a few weeks before the new royally appointed governor, Edmund Andros, arrived to take over control of the colony. He...
, Sir
Francis NicholsonFrancis Nicholson was a British military officer and was colonial governor or acting governor of New York, Virginia, Maryland, Nova Scotia, and South Carolina....
moved the capital of the royal
colonyThe Province of Maryland was an English colony in North America that existed from 1632 until 1776, when it joined the other twelve of the Thirteen colonies in rebellion against Great Britain which established the United States and became the U.S...
to Anne Arundel's Towne and re-named the town Annapolis after
Princess AnneAnne became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702, succeeding her brother-in-law, William III of England and II of Scotland...
, soon to be the
QueenA queen regnant is a qualifying reference to a female monarch possessing and exercising all of the monarchical powers of a ruler, in contrast to a "queen consort", who is the wife of a male reigning as monarch and who is without any official powers of state.In Ancient Egypt, Pacific cultures, and...
of
Great BritainThe Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a sovereign state in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1801...
. Annapolis was incorporated as a city in 1708.
From the middle of the 18th century until the
American Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , also sometimes known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen united former British colonies in North America, and concluded in a global war between several European great powers...
, Annapolis was noted for its wealthy and cultivated society. The
Maryland Gazette, which became an important weekly journal, was founded there by Jonas Green
in 1745; in 1769 a theatre was opened; during this period also the commerce was considerable, but declined rapidly after Baltimore, with its deeper harbor, was made a port of entry in 1780. Water trades such as oyster-packing, boatbuilding and sailmaking became the city's chief industries. Currently, Annapolis is home to a large number of recreational boats that have largely replaced the seafood industry in the city.
Annapolis became the temporary capital of the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after the signing of the
Treaty of ParisThe Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ratified by the Congress of the Confederation on January 14, 1784 and by the King of Great Britain on April 9, 1784 , formally ended the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United States of America, which had...
in 1783. Congress was in session in the
state houseThe 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. The capitol has the distinction of being topped by the largest wooden dome built without nails in the nation...
from November 26, 1783, to June 3, 1784, and it was in Annapolis on December 23, 1783, that
GeneralThe history of George Washington in the American Revolution began two months after fighting broke out in April 1775, with his appointment as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army....
WashingtonGeorge Washington was the commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the first President of the United States of America...
resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
For the 1783 Congress, the Governor of Maryland commissioned, John Shaw, a local cabinet maker, to create an American flag. The flag is slightly different from other designs of the time. The blue field extends over the entire height of the hoist. Shaw created two versions of the flag: one which started with a red stripe and another that started with a white one.
In 1786, a convention, to which delegates from all the states of the Union were invited, was called to meet in Annapolis to consider measures for the better regulation of commerce; but delegates came from only five states (
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States...
,
VirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. The geography and climate of the state are shaped by the Blue...
,
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
, and
DelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The state takes its name from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, a British nobleman and Virginia's first colonial governor, after whom Cape Henlopen was originally named.Delaware is located in...
), and the convention, known afterward as the "
Annapolis ConventionThe Annapolis Convention was a meeting at Annapolis, Maryland of 12 delegates from five states that called for a constitutional convention. The formal title of the meeting was a Meeting of Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal Government...
", without proceeding to the business for which it had met, passed a resolution calling for another convention to meet at
PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the sixth-most-populous city in the United States.In 2008, the population of the city proper was estimated to be over 1.4 million, while the metropolitan area's population of 5.8 million made it the country's fifth-largest...
in the following year to amend the Articles of Confederation. The Philadelphia convention drafted and approved the Constitution of the United States, which is still in force.
Civil War era (1849–late 1800s)
During this period, a Parole Camp was set up in Annapolis. As the war continued, the camp expanded to a larger location just outside of the city. The area is still referred to as
ParoleParole is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 14,031 at the 2000 census. It is where several major roads intersect at the edge of the state capital, Annapolis, and adjacent to the Annapolis Mall shopping center and Anne Arundel Medical Center...
. Wounded Union soldiers and Confederate prisoners were brought by sea to a major hospital in Annapolis.
Contemporary (1900s–present)
In 1900 Annapolis had a population of 8,585.
To the north of the state house is a monument to
Thurgood MarshallThurgood Marshall was an American jurist and the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. Before becoming a judge, he was a lawyer who was best remembered for his high success rate in arguing before the Supreme Court and for the victory in Brown v. Board of...
, the first black justice of the US Supreme Court and formerly a Maryland lawyer who won many important
civil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights and freedoms that protect individuals from unwarranted government action and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression....
cases.
Close by are the state treasury building, erected late in the 17th century for the House of Delegates; Saint Anne's Protestant Episcopal church, in later colonial days a state church, a statue of
Roger B. TaneyRoger Brooke Taney was the eleventh United States Attorney General. He also was the fifth Chief Justice of the United States, holding that office from 1836 until his death in 1864, and was the first Roman Catholic to hold that office. He is most remembered for delivering the majority opinion in...
(by W.H. Rinehart), and a statue of Baron
Johann de KalbJohann von Robaii, Baron de Kalb was a German soldier who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:...
.
Annapolis has many 18th century houses. The names of several of the streets—King George's, Prince George's, Hanover, and Duke of Gloucester, etc.—date from colonial days. The United States Naval Academy was founded here in 1845. Many of these streets, including the Ego Alley area of Annapolis were known as "Hell's Point" during the 1920s.
Annapolis is the seat of
St. John's CollegeSt. John's College is a liberal arts college with two U.S. campuses: one in Annapolis, Maryland and one in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Founded in 1696 as a preparatory school, King William's School, the school received a collegiate charter in 1784, making it one of the oldest institutions of higher...
, a non-sectarian private college that was once supported by the state; it was opened in 1789 as the successor of King William's School, which was founded by an act of the Maryland legislature in 1696 and was opened in 1701. Its principal building, McDowell Hall, was originally to be the governor's mansion; although £4000 was appropriated to build it in 1742, it was not completed until after the War of Independence.
In the summer of 1984 The Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis hosted soccer games as part of the
XXIII OlympiadThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984. Los Angeles was selected as the host of the Games on May 18, 1978 on the 80th IOC session at Athens, Greece, without a vote,...
During September 18–19, 2003,
Hurricane IsabelHurricane Isabel was the costliest and deadliest hurricane in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. The ninth named storm, fifth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, Isabel formed from a tropical wave on September 6 in the tropical Atlantic Ocean...
created the largest storm surge known in Annapolis's history, cresting at
7.58 feet (2.31 m). Much of downtown Annapolis was flooded and many businesses and homes in outlying areas were damaged. The previous record was during a hurricane in 1933, and
5.5 feet (1.68 m) during
Hurricane HazelHurricane Hazel was the deadliest and most costly hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season and one of the deadliest and costliest storms of the 20th century. The hurricane killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States, where it killed 95 people, near the...
in 1954.
Currently facing the many difficult challenges of American cities today, Annapolis is undergoing rapid low-density development along its edges, ever-increasing traffic congestion, as well as ecological destruction of the very bay that it depends upon. The 1998 Comprehensive Plan will soon be replaced with a new document, containing initiatives and directives of the city government on development and infrastructure. This process was mandated by
Maryland state law in the Economic Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Act of 1992. Annapolis Charter 300 and
EnVISIONing AnnapolisEnVISIONing Annapolis is a privately funded lecture series and visioning charrette for Annapolis, Maryland, that aims to generate dialogue on responsible, long-term development of the city. The organization backing this process, the EnVISIONing Annapolis Foundation, was formed solely for this...
are co-sponsoring a public lecture series from September 2007 through June 2008 exploring these issues.
From mid-2007 through December 2008 the city will celebrate the 300th Anniversary of its 1708 Royal Charter, which established democratic self-governance. The many cultural events of this celebration will be organized by Annapolis Charter 300 and will include historical symposia at St. John's College and evening events such as the Queen Anne's Ball.
The State House
The
Maryland State HouseThe 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. The capitol has the distinction of being topped by the largest wooden dome built without nails in the nation...
is the oldest in continuous legislative use in the United States. Construction started in 1772, and the Maryland legislature first met there in 1779. It is topped by the largest wooden dome built without nails in the country. The Maryland State House housed the workings of the government from November 26 1783 to August 13 1784, and the
Treaty of ParisThe Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ratified by the Congress of the Confederation on January 14, 1784 and by the King of Great Britain on April 9, 1784 , formally ended the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United States of America, which had...
was ratified there on January 14, 1784, so Annapolis became the first peacetime capital of the US.
It was in the Maryland State House that
George WashingtonGeorge Washington was the commander of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the first President of the United States of America...
famously resigned his commission before the
Continental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution...
on December 23 1783.
According to some, George Washington, who had argued vigorously for Annapolis to become the permanent home to the United States Capitol, had a strong attachment to the Maryland State House and instructed Pierre L'Enfant to model the dome of the
Capitol buildingThe United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the Federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall. Though not in the geographic center of the District of...
in Washington DC after it.
However, as noted in the
United States CapitolThe United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the Federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall. Though not in the geographic center of the District of...
topic, that building was not designed by Pierre L'Enfant, and no mention of this claim is found in a comprehensive history.
United States Naval Academy
The
United States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is an undergraduate college in Annapolis, Maryland, United States, that educates and commissions officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The Academy often is referred to simply as "Annapolis". It is also called "The Academy", "The Boat School", or "Canoe...
was founded in 1845 on the site of
Fort SevernFort Severn is one of three original military bases that now make up the United States Naval Academy. It was built in 1808 on the same location of an earlier Revolutionary War fort from 1776. Fort Severn was a more substantial fort than the original, but was never used in action...
, and now occupies an area of land
reclaimedLand reclamation is either of two distinct practices. One involves creating new land from sea or riverbeds, the other refers to restoring an area to a more natural state have made it unusable, though its the former definition for which the phrase is most widely used.-Creating new land:-For...
from the
Severn RiverThe Severn River runs through Anne Arundel County in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is located south of the Magothy River, and north of the South River.-Geography:...
next to the
Chesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia...
.
Theatre
Annapolis has a thriving community theatre scene which includes two venues in the historic district. On East St. is Colonial Players, a company that produces approximately six shows a year on its small theatre-in-the-round stage. From 1981 through 2008, Colonial Players produced a musical version of
A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens about a curmudgeon and his secular conversion and redemption after being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve...
, which they commissioned. During the warmer months, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre presents three shows on its stage, which is visible from the City Dock. All shows put on by King Williams Players, the student theatre group at
St. John's CollegeSt. John's College is a liberal arts college with two U.S. campuses: one in Annapolis, Maryland and one in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Founded in 1696 as a preparatory school, King William's School, the school received a collegiate charter in 1784, making it one of the oldest institutions of higher...
, are free and open to the public. Annapolis is also host to
The Bay Theater Company, a non-profit professional drama group. The Naval Academy Masqueraders put on several productions annually in Mahan Hall.
Museums, Historical Sites, and Monuments
The
Banneker-Douglass Museumlocated in the historic Mount Moriah Church at 87 Franklin Street, documents the history of African Americans in Maryland. Museum offers free admission, educational programs, rotating exhibits, and a
research facility.
Hammond-Harwood House originally belonged to Matthias Hammond, and has now been restored. Tours now offered.
The Kunta Kinte- Alex Haley memorial is located on downtown Annapolis, right on the harbor. It commemorates the place of arrival of Alex Haley's African ancestor, Kunta Kinte. The story of Kunta Kinte is related in Alex Haley's book
Roots.
A number of structures are listed on the
National Register of Historic PlacesThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States...
.
Other
The Annapolis area was the home of a VLF-transmitter called
NSS AnnapolisNSS Annapolis, officially known as Naval Communications Station Washington, D.C. Transmitter or NavCommStaWashingtonDC, was a Very Low Frequency and High Frequency transmitter station operated by the United States Navy....
,that was used by the United States Navy to communicate with its Atlantic submarine fleet. Annapolis often serves as the end point for the 3,000 mile annual transcontinental
Race Across AmericaThe Race Across America, or RAAM, is an ultra marathon bicycle race across the United States that started in 1982 as the Great American Bike Race. RAAM is among the best-known and longest annual endurance events in the world. RAAM is open to almost anyone...
bicycle race.
Middle East Peace Conference
As announced by
United States Secretary of StateThe United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence. The current Secretary of...
Condoleezza RiceCondoleezza Rice is a professor, diplomat, author, and national security expert. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and the second to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, Annapolis was the venue for a
Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe, and northeastern Africa. It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East...
summit, with the participation of Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud OlmertEhud Olmert is an Israeli political figure, and former Prime Minister of Israel having served from 2006 to 2009. Olmert was the mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003. In 2003 he was elected to the Knesset and became a minister and Acting Prime Minister in the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon...
, Palestinian President
Mahmoud AbbasMahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
("Abu Mazen") and various other leaders from the region. The conference was held on Monday, November 26, 2007.
Geography
Annapolis is located at ,
28 miles (45 km) east of Washington DC, and is the closest state capital to the national capital, Washington, DC.
The city is a part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and is relatively flat, with the highest point being only 50 feet (15 m) above sea level.
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 7.6 square miles (19.7 km²), of which, 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) (11.70%) is water.
Climate
Annapolis lies within the
humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term "subtropical" may be a misnomer for the winter climate....
zone, with hot summers and cool winters. Low elevation and proximity to the
Chesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia...
give the area more moderate temperatures, with warmer winter temperatures and cooler summer temperatures than locations further inland, such as Washington, DC.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 35,838 people, 15,303 households, and 8,676 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 5,326.0 people per square mile (2,056.0/km²). There were 16,165 housing units at an average density of 2,402.3/sq mi (927.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 62.66% White, 31.44% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.81% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.22% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 8.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The Hispanic population of Annapolis however has continued to grow in recent years and will encompass significantly more of Annapolis' population percentage by the next census reading.
There were 15,303 households out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males age 18 and over.
The median income for a household in the city was $49,243, and the median income for a family was $56,984 (these figures had risen to $70,140 and $84,573 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $39,548 versus $30,741 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $27,180. About 9.5% of families and 12.7% of the population were living in
povertyPoverty is the condition of lacking basic human needs such as nutrition, clean water, health care, clothing, and shelter because of the inability to afford them. This is also referred to as absolute poverty or destitution...
, of which 20.8% were under age 18 and 10.4% were age 65 or over.
Bus
The Annapolis Department of Transportation (ADOT) provides bus service with eight routes in a system dubbed
Annapolis TransitAnnapolis Transit is a public transportation service of the Annapolis, Maryland Department of Transportation. It provides six city fixed route services, one commuter bus to provide access between Annapolis and its suburbs, and one commuter bus to provide access between Annapolis and...
. The system serves the State capital with recreational areas, shopping centers, educational and medical facilities and employment hubs. ADOT also offers transportation for elderly and persons with disabilities. Several
Maryland Transit AdministrationThe Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
commuter buses also allow for acces to Baltimore or Washington, DC.
Railway
Annapolis is the only capital city in America east of the
Mississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico....
bereft of rail transport of any sort. From 1840 to 1968, Annapolis was connected to the outside world by the railroads. The Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad (WB&A) operated two electrified
interurbanAn Interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad that enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were unpaved and could become nearly impassable during...
lines that brought passengers into the city from both the South and the North. The southern route ran down King George Street and Main Street, leading directly to the statehouse, while the northern route entered town via Glen Burnie. In 1935, the WB&A went bankrupt due to the effects of the
Great DepressionThe Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and suspended service along its southern route, while the newly created
Baltimore and Annapolis RailroadThe Baltimore & Annapolis Railroad, now defunct, was an American railroad of central Maryland built in the 19th century. The railroad, the second to serve Annapolis, ran between Annapolis and Clifford along the north shore of the Severn River...
(B&A) retained service on the northern route. Steam trains of the
Baltimore and Ohio RailroadThe Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
also occasionally operated over the line to Annapolis, primarily for special Naval Academy movements. Passenger rail service on the B&A was eventually discontinued in 1950; freight service ceased in 1968 after the dilapidated trestle crossing the
Severn RiverThe Severn River runs through Anne Arundel County in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is located south of the Magothy River, and north of the South River.-Geography:...
was condemned. The tracks were eventually dismantled in 1976.
The popular
Baltimore & Annapolis TrailThe Baltimore & Annapolis Trail is a rail trail in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The trail starts at Boulter's Way in Arnold, and ends near Baltimore Light Rail's Cromwell Station in Glen Burnie. Starting near Annapolis at Jonas Green State Park, the trail passes through Arnold, Severna Park,...
now occupies the former railway line between the Severn River and Glen Burnie. The equally popular
Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis TrailThe Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Trail is a long discontinuous rail trail from Lanham to Odenton in Maryland. Despite its name, it does not actually connect with Washington, D.C., Annapolis or Baltimore.-Places served:...
occupies the WB&A's southern route into Annapolis.
City Government
Annapolis is governed via the mayor council system. The city council consists of eight members who are elected from single member wards. The mayor is elected directly in a citywide vote.
State government
The State Capitol is located in Annapolis. In addition several state agencies are headquartered in Annapolis. Executive departments include the Comptroller of the Treasury,Department of Budget and Management, the
Department of Natural ResourcesThe Maryland Department of Natural Resources is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources such as state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, and recreation areas. DNR was established in 1969 as part of a reorganization of the Maryland...
, the Department of Information Technology, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Independent agencies include the Maryland State Ethics Commission. The Maryland State Archives are located in Annapolis.
Education
Annapolis is served by the
Anne Arundel County Public SchoolsAnne Arundel County Public Schools is the public school district serving Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The AACPS school system is the 5th largest in Maryland, and the 39th largest in the United States. The district has over 5,000 teachers supporting a comprehensive curriculum from...
system.
Founded in 1898,
Annapolis High SchoolAnnapolis High School is an American high school located in Anne Arundel County on Riva Road, near the city of Annapolis, Maryland.Founded in 1898, Annapolis was the first public high school to open in Anne Arundel County and among the first in the state of Maryland...
has an internationally recognized IB International Program. Nearby
Broadneck High SchoolBroadneck High School is a school in the United States, located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland on Green Holly Drive, near the city of Annapolis and town of Arnold. The Bruin is the school's mascot. It is one of the newer schools in the county, and known for the breadth of its Advanced Placement...
(founded in 1982) and Annapolis both have Advanced Placement Programs. St. Mary's High School and Elementary School are located in downtown Annapolis on Spa Creek. Eastport Elementary School, Aleph Bet Jewish Day School,
Annapolis Area Christian SchoolAnnapolis Area Christian School is a private Christian school in Annapolis, Maryland. It was founded in 1971 in the Reformed tradition and currently enrolls about 1,000 students...
, St. Martins Lutheran School,
Severn SchoolSevern School was founded in 1914 by Rolland M. Teel in Severna Park, Maryland, as a preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. It lost more alumni in World War II, per capita, than any other school in the country. Today, Severn is a day school enrolling boys and girls in grades 6...
, and
Indian Creek SchoolIndian Creek School is a coeducational, private day school located in Crownsville, Maryland, USA near Annapolis, Maryland. The school was founded in September 1973. The original 17-acre campus houses classes for grades pre-kindergarten through eighth. In September 2004 Indian Creek began an upper...
are also in the Annapolis area. The Key School, located on a converted farm in the neighborhood of Hillsmere, has also served Annapolis for over 50 years.
Publications
- The Capital Newspaper The news of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County
- What's Up? Annapolis
What's Up? Annapolis is a magazine published by What's Up? Publishing Group of Annapolis, Maryland. Its sister publication is What's Up? Eastern Shore....
(Website) A regional magazine that focuses on local events, dining and the Annapolis lifestyle.
Noted natives and residents
- John Henry Alexander
John Henry Alexander was a noted scientist and businessman. He was born in Annapolis, Maryland in 1812. He was the youngest child of William and Mary Alexander. He attended St. John's College in Annapolis, graduating in 1827 when he was only fifteen...
(1812–1867), born in Annapolis, noted scientist, businessman, and author
- John Beale Bordley
John Beale Bordley, was a Maryland planter and judge.Son of Thomas Bordley, from Yorkshire, England 1694, attorney general for Maryland, and his second wife Ariana Vanderheyden....
(1727–1804), noted government official, farmer, and author
- James M. Cain
James Mallahan Cain was an American author and journalist. Although Cain himself vehemently opposed labelling, he is usually associated with the hardboiled school of American crime fiction and seen as one of the creators of the roman noir...
, journalistA journalist is a person who practises journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events, trends, issues, and people while striving for viewpoints that are not biased.Reporters are one type of journalist...
and crime writerA crime writer is an author of crime fiction.Crime writers are often, but not exclusively, authors of detective fiction, which may form part or all of their work.A true-crime author writes about a real crime....
.
- Charles Carroll
Charles Carroll was an American lawyer and statesman from Annapolis, Maryland. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1776 and 1777.- Early life :...
(1723–1783), Continental Congressman from Maryland
- Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was a delegate to the Continental Congress and later United States Senator for Maryland...
(1737-1832), United States Senator and signer of United States Declaration of IndependenceThe United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain were now independent states, and thus no longer a part of the British Empire...
- John Wilson Danenhower
John Wilson Danenhower, Arctic explorer , attended local public schools, then accepted appointment to the United States Naval Academy in 1866...
(1849-1887), ArcticThe Arctic is the region around the Earth's North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. The Arctic includes the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Greenland , Russia, the United States , Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.The word Arctic comes from the Greek αρκτικός , "near...
explorer of the Jeannette expedition
- John Beale Davidge (1768–1829), doctor associated with the development of several surgeries, author, co-founder of University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park is a public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland is the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland...
, and professor there
- Henry Winter Davis
Henry Winter Davis was a United States Representative from the 4th and 3rd congressional districts of Maryland, well known as one of the Radical Republicans during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...
(1817–1865), United States Representative from Maryland
- Daniel Dulany the Younger
Daniel Dulany the Younger was an influential American lawyer in the period immediately before the American Revolution.-Biography:Daniel Dulany was born on June 28 1722 in Annapolis, Maryland. His father was the wealthy lawyer and public official Daniel Dulany the Elder.Dulany was educated at Eton...
, (1722–1797), born in Annapolis, prominent LoyalistLoyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during and after the American Revolutionary War. They were often referred to as Tories, Royalists, or King's Men by the Patriots, those that supported the revolution...
and one of the most powerful lawyers in America prior to the American Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , also sometimes known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen united former British colonies in North America, and concluded in a global war between several European great powers...
- Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and director. He has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards....
, actor, lived in downtown Annapolis
- John Davidson Godman, (1794–1830), born in Annapolis, noted naturalist, anatomist, college professor and author.
- John Hall
John Hall was an American lawyer from Annapolis, Maryland. During the American Revolution he was a member of the council of safety, a delegate to the Maryland convention in 1775, and Maryland delegate to the Continental Congress in 1775....
, (1729–1797), born in Annapolis, delegate to the Continental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution...
from Maryland.
- Alexander Contee Hanson (1749–1806), born in Annapolis, noted jurist.
- Alexander Contee Hanson
Alexander Contee Hanson was an American lawyer, publisher, and statesman. He represented the third district of Maryland in the U.S. House, and the state of Maryland in the U.S. Senate....
, (1786–1819), born in Annapolis, son of the above, United States Congressman and Senator from Maryland.
- Reverdy Johnson
Reverdy Johnson was a statesman and jurist from Maryland.-Early life:Born in Annapolis, Johnson was the son of a distinguished Maryland lawyer and politician, John Johnson . He graduated from St. John's College in 1812 and then studied law...
, (1796–1876), born in Annapolis, United States Senator from Maryland and Attorney General of the United States.
- Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver is an American writer. She has written, or collaborated on, 12 books, most of which are novels, but including some poems, short stories and essays...
, fictionFiction is a branch of literature which deals, in part or in whole, with temporally contrafactual events...
writerA writer is anyone who creates a written work, though the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms.-Profession:...
- James Booth Lockwood, (1852–1884), born in Annapolis, army officer and Arctic
The Arctic is the region around the Earth's North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. The Arctic includes the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Greenland , Russia, the United States , Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.The word Arctic comes from the Greek αρκτικός , "near...
explorer, was the person who named Lockwood Island.
- Margaret Mercer
Margaret Mercer is program director of WQXR in New York, the classical music radio station of The New York Times.As such, her programming decisions and choices as to program material have significant influence on shaping the artistic and cultural scene in one of the world's great cities, and, by...
, (1791–1846), born in Annapolis, noted author, educator, and member of the American Colonization SocietyThe American Colonization Society was the primary vehicle for proposals to return black Americans to greater freedom in Africa, and helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22, as a place to send people who were formerly enslaved. Liberia is situated on the coast of West Africa...
.
- William Duhurst Merrick
William Duhurst Merrick was a United States Senator from Maryland, serving from 1838 to 1845.Merrick was born in Annapolis, Maryland and completed preparatory studies. He later graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C..Merrick held several local offices and served in the War of 1812...
, (1818–1889), born in Annapolis, lawyer, professor at George Washington UniversityThe George Washington University is a private, coeducational university located in Washington, D.C...
, and United States Senator from Maryland.
- Debbie Meyer
Deborah Elizabeth Meyer is a former American swimmer who won the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle swimming events in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City...
, OlympicThe Olympic Games are a major international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games are currently held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in...
swimmer.
- William Paca
William Paca , was a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Maryland.-Early life:...
(October 30, 1740–October 23, 1799), was a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of Maryland.
- Christian Siriano
Christian Siriano is an American fashion designer and the winner of the fourth season of American reality show Project Runway. Siriano is the show's youngest winner.-Early life:...
, fashion designer and winner of the fourth seasonProject Runway Season 4 was the fourth season of Project Runway, Bravo's reality competition for fashion designers. The season premiered November 14, 2007. Returning as judges were supermodel Heidi Klum; fashion designer Michael Kors; and Nina Garcia, Elle magazine fashion director...
of Project RunwayProject Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime Television, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are usually restricted in time, materials, and...
- Leo Strauss
Leo Strauss was a German-born American political philosopher who specialized in classical political philosophy...
, (September 20, 1899–October 18, 1973), was a German-born Jewish political philosopher who specialized in the study of classical philosophy. Spent his last three years of life teaching at St. Johns in Annapolis.
- St. Clair Wright, (1910-1993) Preservationist and gardener.
- Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Teixeira is of Portuguese-American descent. Primarily a first baseman, he has also played third base and in the outfield...
, (April 11, 1980-), professional baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The goal is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond...
player for the New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division...
.
- Travis Pastrana
Travis Alan Pastrana is a motorsports competitor and stunt performer who has won championships and X Games gold medals in several events, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, and rally racing....
, (October 8, 1983-), professional motocrossMotocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. Motocross is derived from the French, and traces its origins to British scrambling competitions...
racer, freestyle motocross champion, rally car racing champion, star of MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
's The Nitro Circus.
Sister Cities
Annapolis is a sister city of these municipalities:
TallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies a surface of in which 405,867 inhabitants live. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki.-Historical names:...
,
EstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by the Russian Federation...
NewportNewport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff, and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
,
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
DumfriesDumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland and is situated close to the Solway Firth, near the mouth of the River Nith. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire...
,
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
,
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
WexfordWexford is the county town of County Wexford in Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern tip of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to the capital Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route , and the national rail network...
,
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
Annapolis Royal,
Nova ScotiaNova Scotia is a Canadian province located on Canada's southeastern coast. It is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. Its capital, Halifax, is a major economic centre of the region. Nova Scotia is the second-smallest province in Canada with an area of...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
KarlskronaKarlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 32,606 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the HQ of the Swedish Coast...
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
Redwood City,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
, USA
NiteroiNiterói is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeast region of Brazil. This city was founded on November 22, 1573 by the Tupi Amerindian chief Araribóia...
,
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
Further reading
- See D. Ridgely, Annals of Annapolis from 1649 until the War of 1812 (Baltimore, 1841); S. A. Shafer, "Annapolis, Ye Ancient City," in L. P. Powell's Historic Towns of the Southern States (New York, 1900); W. Eddis, Letters from America (London, 1792); Eric L. Goldstein, Traders and Transports: The Jews of Colonial Maryland (Baltimore: Jewish Historical Society of Maryland, 1993).
External links