Maryland State House

The Maryland State House is a capitol building in Georgian and neoclassical style in Annapolis, built from brick and wood. The wooden dome rises over three stories and was constructed without a single nail.

Construction was completed in 1772, and the building served as temporary seat of the Continental Congress between 1783 and 1784. During this period the Treaty of Paris was ratified here, sealing American independence.

The name State Circle refers to the central position the building holds in Annapolis's original 18th-century town plan. Today lawmakers gather in rooms that still preserve the atmosphere of the early American republic.

Access is available daily between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM, requiring photo identification and security screening. Visitors should plan time to explore the rooms at leisure and orient themselves through the hallways.

George Washington resigned his military commission here before Congress in December 1783, ending his military career. This gesture is seen as a turning point in the history of the republic, as a victorious general voluntarily relinquished power.

Location: Annapolis

Inception: 1772

Architects: Joseph Horatio Anderson

Official opening: 1779

Architectural style: Georgian architecture, neoclassicism

Floors above the ground: 3

Made from material: brick, wood

Address: 100 State Cir, Annapolis, MD 21401

Website: https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdstatehouse/html/home.html

GPS coordinates: 38.97889,-76.49111

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:27