Annapolis

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Last Tuesday, we made the drive to Annapolis, MD to participate in the MACHE Home Educator's Day.  And although it was snowing lightly when we left home, it really didn't occur to me that the tours would be cancelled - after all, the info they mailed out said that even the walking tour of historic Annapolis for which we'd registered would take place in inclement weather, being cancelled only if it was so icy that walking was unsafe.  Well, there wasn't any ice, it was just nice fluffy snow!  By the time we'd reached the I-70, I was rethinking my position though... the radio stations were reporting almost all he schools in the state closed so obviously the weather was causing concern.  But we were already in the van and had a good part of the drive behind us, and I figured we wouldn't get the chance again until next year, so we kept on.  I didn't think the driving conditions were poor, but apparently other drivers disagreed because we did experience more than the usual Beltway delay at several interchanges. 

At last we arrived in Annapolis, and managed to locate the recommended parking lot, then took the free shuttle bus to the legislative building where we were to meet with the MACHE group.  The tour had been cancelled! But about a dozen families had arrived anyway, so the (very gracious) staff at the State House took us to the Senate gallery and we were able to watch a session.  This was my first outing with my new camera and I was trying to stick to the "easy" setting to get pictures - I bet I could have got some better ones if I'd been more familiar with the other settings, but here's a little of what we saw in the Senate chamber:






(The green glow is a result of the flash more than the actual color of the room! The walls are actually a buttery yellow, very attractive.)



Here is the electronic voting board on which they record attendance and votes.  There is an LED "ticker" across the top which displays the resolution number and brief detail that is up for discussion or vote. 



The day we were there, the Senate had a special guest - Baltimore native Barry Levinson (director of movies such as "Diner" and "Rain Man" - and the picture currently up on that link is from this same day at Annapolis - cool!)





Across the hall from the Senate Chamber is the House Chamber - they were not in session that morning:



After the Senate session (at which they didn't discuss any controversial legislation! I don't know whether I should be disappointed or not! LOL) we started to give ourselves a tour of the State House, and were met by a tour guide who was very helpful.  This is the Old Senate Chamber in the original State House in use in 1772.



At the other end of this room is a figure of General George Washington...



because it was here that he resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.



The State House in Annapolis served as the nation's capital from November 26, 1783 to August 13, 1784, and is the only State House to have this distinction.  This is where the U.S. Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, ending the American Revolutionary War; where Thomas Jefferson was appointed the frst U.S. ambassador; and where the  Annapolis Conventionwas held in 1786.

I took a picture of the Maryland state flag there to remind us that Maryland's is the only state flag that carries an ornament on top of the pole - a cross.  The only other U.S. flag wth an ornament is the Stars and Stripes.



This ship is displayed in the hall - it is a full-size replica of The Federalist, which was a gift to the Washington family.



These are the doorposts of the main entrance to the State House:






Our guided walking tour of historic Annapolis was cancelled, but we walked around just a little bit on our own - mostly to find a place to eat lunch!  Here is the State House building:





Another legislative building:



A small building on the State House grounds:



And a fountain that I thought was pretty in the snow:

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This post was added to the Throwback Thursday Blog-Style link-up hosted by Tots and Me... Growing Up Together! on February 5, 2016.

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