Maryland State Capitol
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Maryland State House
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Maryland State House
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| Location | Annapolis, Maryland |
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| Coordinates | 38°58′43″N 76°29′28″W / 38.97861°N 76.49111°WCoordinates: 38°58′43″N 76°29′28″W / 38.97861°N 76.49111°W |
| Built | 1772-1797 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference # | 66000385 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
The Maryland State House is located in Annapolis, Maryland and is the oldest U.S. state capitol in continuous legislative use, dating to 1772. It houses the Maryland General Assembly, plus the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The capitol has the distinction of being topped by the largest wooden dome in the United States constructed without nails. The current building, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960, is the third statehouse on its site. The building is administered by the State House Trust, established in 1969.
Construction began in 1772, but was not completed until 1797 due to the ongoing American Revolutionary War. The two-story brick Georgian style structure, located inside State Circle, was designed by Joseph Horatio Anderson, a noted architect of the time. A small portico juts out from the center of the building, topped by a pediment, with two high arched windows framing the entrance. On both floors, large rectangular windows line the facade. A cornice is topped by another pediment and the sloping roof gives way for a central octagonal drum atop which rests a dome. The large dome is topped by a balustraded balcony, another octagonal drum and a lantern capped by a lightning rod. The rod was constructed and grounded according to the direct specifications of its inventor, Benjamin Franklin.
The building was surrounded by a low brick wall in 1818 to prevent cattle incursions. This was replaced by an iron fence with a granite base in 1836. The dome of the statehouse is depicted on the Maryland state quarter.
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