"The Old Line State"

Welcome to Maryland

Maryland/Pennsylvania border on I-83
May 18, 2006

Despite being one of the smaller states, Maryland boasts a wide range of geographical features. From beaches along the Atlantic to the mountainous region in the Appalachians, the Old Line state offers pretty much everything a tourist could ask for. In addition, a fair part of the land has a shoreline along Chesapeake Bay that provides the famous fishing industry for the state. Most people probably associate Baltimore with Maryland, a bustling port city along the Chesapeake. I made sure to stop by Ft. McHenry outside the harbor, the site of the famous War of 1812 battle where Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner" (I wasn't too impressed with the fort but I could appreciate the history).

This is how all welcome signs should be: easy to get on and off the freeway and right on the actual state line (not miles down the road). I was on my way to Pennsylvania and I looped back on I-83 to get this sign on my way out of Maryland. I really like this sign too. It has an unconventional shape with the semi-circle top and prominently features its state flag, which I think is the best in the country. It also includes some of Maryland's state flowers, the Black-eyed Susan. The only thing I didn't like was the dense bushes around the sign that made getting close impossible; I'd hate to be the person who has to change the governor sign every four years.

Welcome to Annapolis

November 4, 2007

Annapolis has all the characteristics of harbor town: located on a peninsula, close proximity to several bodies of water, and oh yeah, the U.S. Naval Academy. It was nearly impossible to walk anywhere in town without bumping into some Midshipmen, which was pretty cool. The town has a lot of small shops and businesses, since most of the business supports the naval base. The streets are all narrow, one-way streets with little parking, so navigating by car was pretty difficult. But I did appreciate the street signs stating when the road was created, most dating to the 1770s. It's also located in a good spot between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., although one drawback is it's not located in the center of the state. But for a state that is based on fishing and has an extensive coastline, it's a great choice.

Breaking with tradition, the Maryland capitol bears little resemblance to the U.S. Capitol (as most of the others do) and appears more like a New England church. It looks like it could pass for the county courthouse as opposed to the state capitol, but its location in the center of town gives it away. The grounds are located inside a circle surrounded by a one-way street and several streets form a rotary around the capitol. This made finding a good angle to take a picture extremely difficult. It also limited the opportunity for monuments and statues of famous people from Maryland, such as a statue of Thurgood Marshall located off-site. I like the columns in the front, but they seem like an add-on as opposed to part of the original design. This was my second visit to Annapolis, as the first time I was here, I took a picture of the capitol from the rear on May 18, 2006.

Miscellaneous Maryland Symbols

State Route Sign

License Plate

Seal

Quarter