Annapolis manages to be stately, stylish and chill, all at the same
time. Founded in 1649, the waterfront capital of Maryland is more
than a century older than Washington, D.C., and the exuberance
of 4,000 midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, the bliss of a
passionate sailing community and the tick-tock of a busy state
government infuse plenty of energy.
At City Dock, the heart of town, it’s easy to see why Annapolis
became an important early port. The deep harbor on the Severn
River opens onto the Chesapeake Bay, the colonies’ busiest
waterway and America’s largest estuary. Merchant ships carrying
vital goods and correspondence made landfall here, creating a center
of wealth and culture once described as the “Athens of America.”
Today, the vessels moving to and fro are likely to be pleasure craft or
paddleboards, but the sea remains deep in the city’s DNA.
History is a birthright, too. Crowning the hill above the harbor is the
domed State House, the oldest in continuous legislative use in the
United States. Visitors can walk its marble corridors and sit in the
very chamber where George Washington renounced his commission
as commander in chief of the Continental Army and Congress ratified
the Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War. (The nearby Treaty
of Paris Tavern, established in 1776 and named for the event, is a fine
place to raise a glass to those stalwarts.) Fanning out like spokes
from the State House are red-bricked streets where 18th-century
celebrities like Lafayette once made their way, mounting the steps
of resplendent homes for an elegant dinner or a vigorous debate.
Strolling the tree-lined blocks of the Historic District — or stopping
into handsomely restored mansions like the William Paca House or
the Hammond-Harwood House — is time travel at its best.
Annapolis Maritime Museum
2016 Army Navy Football Game
Photo: United States Naval Academy Photo-lab
In fact, strolling is the best way to experience Annapolis. The colonial
proportions that give the city its charm also make driving (and
parking) challenging, so it’s best to leave the car behind. Walkable
neighborhoods like Maryland Avenue, West Street and the so-called
Maritime Republic of Eastport, just across the Spa Creek Bridge, are
full of options for food, shopping and discovery.
The Naval Academy has an outsized influence, as you’d expect from
the place where the nation’s future military officers and leaders
have been educated since 1845. “The Yard” exudes a palpable sense
of tradition, populated by razor-trim midshipmen in dashing attire.
Admire its Beaux-Arts architecture, especially the monumental
Chapel with its Tiffany windows. It’s the venue of choice for naval
weddings and the site of an ornate crypt housing the remains of
John Paul Jones, father of the American Navy. On weekdays at noon
during the academic year, don’t miss the daily formation in front
of Bancroft Hall, when the brigades snap into place with military
precision. (To enter USNA grounds, visitors over 18 must present a
valid government ID and pass through a security check.)
Maryland State House
Even non-fans bleed blue and gold for Navy football, which features
five home games during the 2017 season. The parade of midshipmen
through town on game days, and their traditional push-ups under
the goal posts, are nearly as big a draw as the tailgate parties in the
parking lot. Afterwards, the crowds head downtown to cheer the
AUTUMN 2017 43 FLYWASHINGTON.COM