Photography By Scott Suchman
Once upon a time, Annapolis had the persona of a village where every- day necessities were within walking distance of my welcome mat.
Downtown there was a furniture store, a family shoe store, a two-story ten-cent store--and Rookies. This three-aisle mini-market had a produce section, deli department, and a big round mirror fixed on the ceiling so cart-pushers could spot oncoming traffic. My childhood friend Sally Moore and I would head over there after school and gobble down one of Woody the butcher’s pork barbecue sandwiches. The sweet woman at the cash register with a hairy mole on her cheek, which struck terror in the hearts of us kids, simply asked us to “Sign here.”
Defined by narrow, cobblestone alleys, this one-time capital of the fledgling nation has found good help from the Historic Annapolis Foundation (HAF) in preserving the charms of its youth. The town boasts more original eighteenth-century structures than any other city in the nation. (HAF manages/owns eleven properties, including the William Paca House and Garden, home to William Paca, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and The Old Treasury, the oldest public building still standing in the state of Maryland.)
Settled in 1649 by Puritans, the town was once known as the “Athens of America,” a nod to its cultural and intellectual atmosphere, where fancy dress balls, the first theater in the new world, and horse racing could be found. A royal governor, Sir Francis Nicholson, designed the baroque town plan similar to that of European cities where two primary circles--State and Church--serve as main traffic arteries. Either of these are ideal starting points for unfamiliar visitors since most spokes off these roundabouts eventually bottom out at City Dock.
If you’d prefer a structured stroll, stop into HAF’s Museum Store to rent the self-guided hour-and-forty-minute audio tour, Historic Annapolis Walk, narrated by Walter Cronkite. They’ll provide the tape players and the headphones and are open every day. Or arrange for a costumed guide from Three Centuries Tours of Annapolis. Resist the temptation to snicker at these George and Martha Washington lookalikes--especially if you should happen to spot them waiting for public transportation in their colonial garb. These folks know their stuff--besides, only real men wear silk breeches. State Circle’s centerpiece is the State House, the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use and capped by the nation’s largest wooden dome. And if only these Charles Willson Peale portrait-covered walls could talkÉWashington’s resignation as commander-in-chief of the Continental Congress to the signing of The Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the Revolutionary War, to Gov. Marvin Mandel’s unfortunate indictment, all took place here. (Tours of the capitol building run Monday through Saturday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.)
Along State Circle are some of the town’s most stalwart institutions. There’s Harry Browne’s restaurant, a favorite upscale haunt of lobbyists (my godfather, lobbyist Homer White, ate there so much they named a sandwich after him). There’s Tilghman Company jewelers, where, some speculate, the conservative inventory has not changed since its 1928 opening. And then there’s Johnson’s on the Avenue, a fifty- two-year-old haberdashery where commissioned naval officers buy their uniforms. And for those who wish they were midshipmen, the store sells sets of miniature toy naval officers.
As you turn onto Maryland Avenue, you’ll see why this is where locals go to recall the ‘Naptown of yore. The two-block bricked thoroughfare is lined with stocky, tightly joined buildings housing clothing and home décor boutiques, antique and art galleries, book and tobacco stores--all owned by locals. The sidewalks are so narrow that strangers are forced to greet one another in tight passings. Many of the newer merchants who have set up shop here seem to understand the nostalgic draw of the bricked avenue. “We chose Maryland Avenue because a lot more locals shop here and that’s who we wanted to attract,” explains Abby Reese, co-owner of Wise Willow, a children’s bookstore that opened on the Avenue in April 2003. Leaving the avenue, there are several options that lead you in a roundabout way to downtown. Here are some of my favorite routes: Turn onto College Avenue until you come to the campus of St. John’s College. Founded in 1696, it’s the nation’s third oldest college behind William & Mary and Harvard. Check out the latest exhibit in the Mitchell Art Gallery and McDowell Hall. Built in 1742 as the school’s first structure, it was the intended home of Maryland colonial governor Thomas Bladen and also where Layfayette reportedly attended a ball held in his honor.
Or you could continue down Maryland Avenue and enter the Naval Academy grounds, stopping at the chapel, John Paul Jones’ crypt, or the United States Naval Academy Museum, where the Navy trophy flag collection resides, which displays more than 600 historic captured foreign and American flags, including the famous “Don’t Give Up the Ship” battle flag flown at the Battle of Lake Erie. There’s also one of the world’s best collections of warship models from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries on display. Or, return to State Circle, past the governor’s mansion and St. Anne’s church, and stop for afternoon tea at circa 1747 Reynold’s Tavern, the oldest tavern in town, where colonial farmers, gentlemen, merchants, and soldiers hung out.
Change came quickly to this booming town of roughly 33,000 residents, which has become a bedroom community for Washington, D.C., and Baltimore--and not without resistance. Who could forget when McDonald’s threatened to invade in the early 1980s and a protester dressed as Ronald McDonald was rolled down Main Street in a barrel by a mob of angry locals?
Today, downtown is a mixture of chain stores--from Cingular Wireless to Chico’s to CVS--and long-time local merchants such as McBride Gallery, McGarvey’s Saloon, and Storm Brother’s Ice Cream.
And over on West Street, once one of the area’s most unsavory neighborhoods, a massive reconstruction has erupted. It’s now home to hip ethnic dining options, including Indian, Italian, Japanese, and Thai cuisines. There are boutiques, upscale salons and hotels, and funky gift shops. Perhaps the biggest development promised to West Street is Park Place, a twelve-acre town center complete with upscale condos, office buildings, retail shops, a performing arts theater, an underground parking garage, restaurants, and a full service hotel. It’s slated to open in 2006.
Just down the road on Charles Street, the old waterview hospital, whose rooftop Christmas star was visible from my childhood bedroom window, was recently torn down and relocated to the Parole area. In its place will soon sprout Acton’s Landing, where 106 units, from condominiums and townhouses to single-family homes starting at$500,000, will be also completed in 2006.
But some things here never change, like Annapolis’s reputation as a haven for local and expatriate pro sailors alike. While there’s not much winter water action, there is a bit of entertainment.
Time your winter visit to include the Eastport Yacht Club’s Lights Parade, a long-standing holiday tradition. (It’s on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. this year.) This annual rain-or-moonshine event is beloved by local sailors and powerboaters, who crowd their rigging with countless strands of lights, creating themes such as Santa’s sleigh, Noah’s ark, winged angels--even a flasher. The boats slowly motor from downtown’s harbor, under the Eastport bridge, and dip into the fingers of Spa Creek.
It’s part of the tradition for waterfront-living locals to host parties the night of the parade. Growing up on a street that dead-ended at the creek, my mother and our neighbor would take turns hosting these fetes. Guests would rotate from dockside to fireside to reheat the blood for one more look at the show passing our portion of Spa Creek.
There’s a wonderfully warm feeling I get when the last boat putters out of sight, and the creek returns to its former still self. When the “Ho, Ho, Ho’s” bellowing from the mouths of Santa-suited skippers cease and quiet resumes, when the sweetest scenes are the lighted Christmas trees visible through the picture windows in homes across the creek, this is the time I know there’s no place like home.
Locals’ Guide to Annapolis
Annapolis Country Store
53 Maryland Ave., 410-269-6773
http://www.annapoliscountrystore.com
Gift cards, Crabtree & Evelyn products, baskets, linens.
The Annapolis Pottery
40 State Circle, 410-268-6153
A working stoneware pottery carrying mugs, platters, vases, and much more.
Avoca Handweavers
141 Main St., 410-263-1485
Classic Irish clothing and gifts.
Be...Home
82 Maryland Ave., 410-280-8616
Shabby-chic home decor items.
Blanca Flora Silver Jewelry
34 Market Space, 410-268-7666
Specializes in silver jewelry and home accessories from the Southwest.
Isabella’s Fine Lingerie
46 Maryland Ave., 410-267-6083
Fine lingerie boutique, also carrying sleepwear, bathing suits, and bridal gifts.
Laurance Clothing, Inc.
232 Main St., 410-263-1175
http://www.lauranceclothing.com
Men’s clothing store featuring Polo, Barbour, and Tommy Bahama.
The League of Maryland Craftsmen
216 Main St., 410-626-1277
Represents more than 150 of Maryland’s finest fine artists and craftsmen.
Madeleine’s
47 Maryland Ave., 410-280-1530
European children’s clothing and gifts
Pink Crab
188 Main St., 410-216-9994
Lilly Pulitzer clothing from bathing suits to winter coats.
Plat du Jour
220 Main St., 410-269-1499
http://www.platdujour.net
Ceramics, linens, antique furniture, and artwork imported from France and Italy.
Contacts
Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference & Visitors Bureau
26 West St., 410-280-0445
http://www.visit-annapolis.org
Harry Browne’s
66 State Circle, 410-263-4332
http://www.harrybrownes.com
Historic Annapolis Foundation
18 Pinkney St., 410-267-7619
http://www.annapolis.org
Historic Annapolis Foundation’s Museum Store
77 Main St., 410-268-5576
http://www.hafmuseumstore.com
Johnson’s on the Avenue
79 Maryland Ave., 410-263-6390
http://www.johnsonsontheavenue.com
Naval Academy Museum
118 Maryland Ave., 410-293-2108
http://www.usna.edu/Museum/
Reynold’s Tavern
7 Church Circle, 410-295-9555
http://www.reynoldstavern.org
State House
State Circle, 410-974-3400
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us
St. John’s College
60 College Ave., 410-263-2371
http://www.stjohnscollege.edu
Three Centuries Tours of Annapolis
48 Maryland Ave., 410-263-5401
http://www.annapolis-tours.com
Tilghman Company
44 State Circle, 410-268-7855
