Maryland State House
The wooden dome crowns a working state capitol where Washington resigned his commission and Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris.
Artwork inspired by Charles Willson Peale
The Maryland State House holds national events within a building still used for state government. In the Old Senate Chamber, George Washington resigned his military commission in December 1783; the following month Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris. Those acts connect the intimate scale of the room to questions of civilian authority and independence.
Later legislative chambers and additions reveal a different phase of the building’s life. Moving between old and newer spaces shows that preservation and active government coexist here, rather than occupying separate monuments. Outside, the dome gives Annapolis its civic focal point, while the surrounding streets place the State House within a walkable colonial-era town plan.
- Washington’s resignation
- December 23, 1783
- Treaty ratification
- January 14, 1784
- Present role
- Maryland’s working capitol
Quick guide
- Bring ID
- Adults need photo identification for security screening.
- Find the chamber
- Make the Old Senate Chamber the historical anchor.
Know before you go
- Read the original room
- Consider how the chamber’s small scale changes these national events.
- Compare legislative spaces
- Move from the historic room to the newer state-government interiors.
- Pack lightly
- Bags are searched and security screening takes time.
- Look up outside
- Study the wooden dome from State Circle before entering.
Good to know
Government work continues inside. Public access does not mean every room is open, and a spontaneous visit is different from a reserved group tour.
Notice these
- Wooden dome
- Old Senate Chamber
- Historic and modern legislative rooms