Maryland Day commemorates the formal founding of the colony of Maryland, when the newly-arrived colonists erected a cross on St. Clement’s Island, offered prayers (perhaps by saying Mass), and took “possession of this Countrey for our Saviour and for our soveraigne Lord the King of England.” In 1916, the Maryland General Assembly authorized Maryland Day as a legal holiday devoted to Maryland history.

Four Rivers Heritage Area has partnered with regional heritage organizations and businesses to showcase the area’s local history in commemoration of this momentous day. Participants include:

• Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau: 26 West Street Annapolis
   
• Annapolis Maritime Museum: 723 Second Street and Creek View Drive, Eastport
   
• Banneker-Douglass Museum: 84 Franklin Street, Annapolis
   
• The Barracks: 43 Pinkney Street, Annapolis
   
• Captain Salem Avery Museum: 1418 East West Shady Side Road, Shady Side
   
• Charles Carroll House: 107 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis
   
• Chesapeake Children’s Museum: 25 Silopanna Road, Annapolis
   
• Deale Area Historical Society: Historic Village at Herrington Harbour North, Tracey’s Landing
   
• Galesville Heritage Museum: 988 Main Street , Galesville
   
• Historic London Town and Gardens: 839 Londontown Road, Edgewater
   
• HistoryQuest at the St. Clair Wright Center (Historic Annapolis Foundation): 99 Main Street, Annapolis
   
• Jonas Green House: 124 Charles Street, Annapolis
   
• Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation, partnering with Sojourner-Douglass College
   
• Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts: 801 Chase Street, Annapolis
   
• Maynard-Burgess House
   
• National Sailing Hall of Fame: Sailing Basin Docks, Annapolis
   
• Sands House: 130 Prince George Street, Annapolis
   
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center: 647 Contees Wharf Road, Edgewater
   
• Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center: 1101 Smithville Street, Annapolis
   
• William Paca House and Garden (Historic Annapolis Foundation): 186 Prince George Street, Annapolis

Additional participating partners include Watermark and Downtown Annapolis Partnership. Hotels and Inns offering weekend packages include the Westin Annapolis, Holiday Inn Express, the Inn at Herrington Harbour, the Inn at Horn Point, and the Taylor House. Restaurants offering Maryland Day Celebration specials include Ram’s Head Tavern and Reynolds Tavern.

Mark your calendars now and plan to come to Annapolis and Southern Anne Arundel County for a special day devoted to fun, family-friendly activities commemorating 375 years of Maryland history.

Four Rivers, one of Maryland ’s state heritage areas, is a nonprofit organization operating in partnership with the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Anne Arundel County, the City of Annapolis, the Town of Highland Beach, and heritage-related organizations and businesses. Its mission is to stimulate preservation and economic development of the region by supporting and promoting its natural historic and cultural resources. For more information on the state’s award-winning heritage areas program, please visit the event website, www.marylandday.org, or call Carol Benson at 410-222-1805.

Email Contact: Heritage_Area@aacounty.org
Cell: 410-627-6018