State House (view from Maryland Ave.), Annapolis, Maryland,
1998. Photo by James Hefelfinger (Hefelfinger Collection,
MSA SC 1885-763-2, Maryland State Archives).
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, and St. John's College whose curriculum is based, in large part, upon the study of the classics.
From the founding of Maryland in 1634, however, St. Mary's City was the first seat of Maryland's colonial government. In 1694, the General Assembly designated Anne Arundel Town as the capital and, in February 1694/5, the government moved there. After Queen Mary's death in December 1694, Anne Arundel Town was renamed Annapolis for her sister, the heiress apparent, Princess Anne.
Historic St. Mary's City still can be visited today. In southern Maryland, it is located in St. Mary's County.
State Circle, Annapolis, Maryland, May 1999. Photo by Diane P. Frese.
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