Annapolis Builds on Its Past Presence

In the years just before the American Revolution, the elite of Colonial society--George Washington and Thomas Jefferson among them--flocked to the little Chesapeake Bay seaport of Annapolis for a gala season of boisterous politics, lively entertainment and horse racing. This was a brief but historic golden age of Annapolis, when the Maryland capital was celebrated throughout the Colonies for the elegance of its architecture and its spirited social life.

Today, Annapolis (pop. 33,000), which occupies a gently sloping peninsula into the bay, is enjoying a new, similarly exciting golden age. Always one of America’s most historic cities (it became the Maryland capital in 1695 and was the U.S. capital from 1783 to 1784), it has transformed itself in recent years into one of the prettiest and most inviting. After decades of decline, vigorous preservation efforts launched in the 1950s helped spur a tourism boom, which in turn has sparked a lively waterside cafe and pub scene.

National boat shows and other splashy events year-round add to the city’s appeal. And racing is still one of the city’s favorite pastimes. No, not horse racing. Nowadays sailboats generate big excitement, and the racing calendar is crowded from late spring into fall. As many as 100 boats enter the Wednesday evening races, their sails billowing across the bay. A proliferation of new bed-and-breakfast inns is frosting on the cake, making Annapolis one of the mid-Atlantic region’s most romantic weekend getaways and, for me, a favorite place to go.

Much of the same elegant architecture that the Colonials admired is once again drawing enthusiastic throngs. Washington would find the narrow, angled brick streets quite familiar. Politics remains as boisterous as ever in the old State House, where the state legislature has met since the capitol’s construction in 1772.

Weekenders from nearby Baltimore (23 miles away) and Washington, D.C. (count me among them), rate Annapolis as a great place to go for fun. Just 28 miles east of Washington, Annapolis can be explored in an easy day trip from the capital. But the best way to see it is to stay a night or two in one of the nearly 20 fine bed-and-breakfast inns in the heart of the Historic District.

For me, a history buff and former resident (I lived here for about five years in the 1980s), Annapolis’ Colonial heritage is foremost among its charms; the fun comes later. When the city was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, it was cited for having the greatest concentration of 18th century buildings in the United States. About 50 structures built before the Revolution are still standing, most of them carefully restored. Some are stately brick mansions; many more were the humble clapboard homes of shopkeepers. Best of all for visitors, several are open to the public.

As I often do, I drove to Annapolis one morning recently to take advantage of a gorgeous spring day and to quickly refresh my spirit simply by strolling its streets.

Glancing up as I walked, I saw a dance of graceful spires, cupolas and domes. The slender wooden dome atop the State House is visible from almost anywhere in the Historic District--as is the copper dome of the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel, beneath which is buried John Paul Jones, the Revolutionary War naval hero.

At the foot of every street is the water, offering quiet views of the Severn River or the majesty of 93-mile-long Chesapeake Bay, filled with sailboats and a parade of freighters bound from Baltimore to the Atlantic Ocean. For much of the year, uniformed midshipmen from the Naval Academy add youthful energy to a scene already hopping with yacht captains fresh off the Intracoastal Waterway and tourists.

At the Market House, a cluster of carry-out shops that has been a city landmark since 1858, I bought a fresh crab cake sandwich (crab is the region’s signature dish) for lunch and carried it across the street to the City Dock. There I sat with my legs dangling over the water as I watched the boats come and go.

When I lived here, a large sailboat docked often at a marina near the Spa Creek drawbridge close to my apartment. Across the stern was the word “Annapolis,” indicating its home port. Above, in huge letters, was the vessel’s name: “FUN.” The captain, I figured, was referring to the pleasures of sailing. But I think the name applies to the Annapolis I’ve come to know--a city having fun reviving its past and enjoying its present.

When the street plan was laid out in 1695, Annapolis adopted the French-inspired Baroque style, considered the most sophisticated city planning idea of its day. The streets radiate from two large circles. Aesthetically pleasing, yes. But a visitor can get lost wandering the unusual twists and angles, as you might in an ancient European city. I like the feeling of intimacy here, as if I were moving from one small courtyard to another.

Not solely a Colonial precinct, the Historic District has been described as a veritable outdoor museum of American architectural styles through the decades--Colonial Georgian; the Federal style of post-Revolution years; and the 19th century’s Greek Revival, Italianate, Gothic, Romanesque and Queen Anne. In their color and variety, they are a delight to the eye.

I can’t pass the Queen Anne-style Zimmerman House on Conduit Street, a white-shingled wedding cake of fanciful turrets and gables, without smiling in appreciation. Built in 1887, it was the home of Charles A. Zimmerman, a Naval Academy bandmaster who helped write “Anchors Aweigh.”

Color-coded plaques, awarded by the Historic Annapolis Foundation, adorn homes of historic and architectural significance. A dark provincial green plaque indicates a 17th century house, usually with small windows and a gambrel roof. Red marks a Georgian house, where symmetry is paramount. A free guide to “Three Centuries of Annapolis Architecture,” which describes what each of the eight colored plaques means, is distributed at the Annapolis Visitor Center, just off Church Circle at 26 West St. in the Historic District, and at the State House Visitor Center.

The best advice I can give a visitor to Annapolis is to park the car and walk. It is really the only way to see the city, especially on any sunny weekend from spring through fall or when Navy’s football team is playing a home game. Traffic clogs the city’s old, narrow streets.

The buildings can easily be seen on a self-guided walking tour of the city’s compact (a third of a square mile) Historic District. Among the city’s many historic sites, I would put three on the have-to-see list:

First stop is the red brick State House. Built on the highest hill in town, its front entrance provides a grand panoramic view of the harbor. Inside, step into the Old Senate Chamber, furnished with original 18th century pieces. A mannequin of George Washington stands dressed in a replica of his military uniform. In this room on Dec. 23, 1783, the victorious general resigned his commission as commander of the Continental Army.

From the State House, stroll downhill two blocks--as Washington and Jefferson surely did--to the William Paca House and Garden. Paca was Maryland’s governor during the Revolution and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Now a museum, the red brick Paca House is regarded as one of the finest examples of a Georgian-style home in the country. Its two-acre 18th century garden, boasting a lovely arched bridge in the Chinese style, is a national treasure.

Paca built his house a decade before the Revolutionary War. From the three-story central building, two passageways (called hyphens) extend to smaller wings at each side. It is an unusually graceful design, although Paca at first forgot to include a back stairway. It had to be added so that, if for no other reason, the servants didn’t have to whisk chamber pots down the grand staircase at the front of the house. The half-hour tour is a lesson in practical Colonial life.

“Gov. Paca and his family ate the main meal of the day between 2 and 3 p.m.,” a docent said as I peeked into the dining room on my latest visit. “The cook needed the daylight from the windows to prepare the meal.”

Now move on two more blocks to the Naval Academy. On a summer visit you’re apt to see squads of newly enrolled plebes being marched to and fro. They holler a lot, you’ll notice.

You can explore the academy on your own, but I recommend taking one of its excellent 90-minute guided tours, which begin at the Visitor Center, just beyond Gate 3. Outside the center, a brick walkway yields wonderful views of the Chesapeake Bay and Annapolis. Inside, the 15-minute movie “To Lead and to Serve” set such an upbeat tone to the academy experience that I was almost ready to enroll in the next class.

After the movie, take in the second-floor exhibit, which describes a midshipman’s routine and explains some of the traditions that have evolved over the years since 1845. I learned that “The Yard”--which is what the campus is called--dates back to a dockyard that once existed on the property.

The escorted tour, departing frequently, takes you to Lejeune Hall to see the three-story pool diving tower from which all midshipmen must jump fully clothed in an abandon-ship drill. Before leaving the Yard, spend a few minutes at the Naval Academy Museum. Its Gallery of Ships displays one of the world’s finest collections of warship models from centuries past.

After the history lesson it’s time for the fun. Climb aboard a 74-foot wooden schooner for a Chesapeake Bay cruise. Catch the finish of the Wednesday night sailboat races at City Dock. Sign up for sailing lessons at one of the port’s sailing schools. Shop the offbeat boutiques and antiques shops of Main Street and Maryland Avenue. Slurp a scoop of fresh Italian gelato at Aromi d’Italia at City Dock.

Or do as the Colonials did and drop into one of the old city’s many pubs. On a summer evening, the outdoor deck of Middleton Tavern, which opened in the 1750s as an “Inn for Sea-Faring Men,” provides a splendid view of all the activities. Neighboring McGarvey’s, a favorite with the sailing crowd, has the slightly more contemporary look of a Victorian saloon, all brass and dark polished wood. Either establishment offers a fine place to sit back, hoist a pint and contemplate Annapolis’ second, glorious golden age.

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Guidebook: By the Bay

* Getting there: Annapolis is 23 miles southeast of Baltimore. United and US Airways have nonstop flights to Baltimore/Washington International Airport; America West, Southwest and Continental offer direct flights with stops; and American, Delta, Northwest, Frontier and TWA offer connecting service with a change of planes. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $268.

Annapolis is a 28-mile drive east from Washington, D.C. United and American offer nonstop flights to Dulles International Airport. TWA has nonstop service to National Airport, and direct flights are offered by Continental, US Airways and United. Round-trip fares begin at $696.

* Where to stay: For historic ambience, book in one of the nearly 20 Historic District bed-and-breakfast inns. Most are members of the Annapolis Bed & Breakfast Assn., Internet https://www.annapolisbandb.com. Rates for two with breakfast begin at about $100 to $125 a night and rarely go above $200. My favorites:

The two-room Coggeshall House Bed and Breakfast for its lovely terraced garden, 198 King George St.; tel. (410) 263-5068, https://www.annapolisbandb.com/bb2.html#coggeshall.

The three-room Inn at Spa Creek, with a contemporary beach house look, 417 Severn Ave.; tel. (410) 263-8866, https://www.innatspacreek.com.

The three-room 55 East B&B;, filled with the innkeepers’ artworks, 55 East St.; tel. (410) 295-0202, https://annearundelcounty.com/hotel/55east.htm.

The five-room William Page Inn, a shingled mansion, 8 Martin St.; tel. (800) 364-4160, https://www.williampageinn.com.

If you prefer a hotel, try one of the three restored 18th century structures operated by the 128-room Historic Inns of Annapolis, 58 State Circle; tel. (800) 847-8882, https://www.annapolisinns.com.

Also, the 150-room Annapolis Marriott Waterfront Hotel, 80 Compromise St.; tel. (800) 336-0072, https://www.annapolismarriott.com.

The 217-room Loews Annapolis Hotel, 126 West St.; tel. (410) 263-7777, https://www.loewsannapolis.com.

* Where to eat: Try O’Leary’s Seafood Restaurant for fresh seafood simply but expertly prepared, 310 3rd St.; tel. (410) 263-0884. Dinner with appetizer and dessert about $50 per person.

Treaty of Paris Restaurant for 18th century ambience, 58 State Circle; tel. (410) 263-2641. Dinner about $35 per person.

Harry Browne’s, where the Naval Academy’s midshipmen take their parents, 66 State Circle; tel. (410) 263-4332. Dinner about $30 per person.

McGarvey’s Saloon & Oyster Bar, a recreational sailor’s pub, 8 Market Space, City Dock; tel. (410) 263-5700. Dinner about $35 per person.

* For more information: Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference & Visitors Bureau, 26 West St., Annapolis, MD 21401; tel. (410) 280-0445, https://www.visit-annapolis.org.