The Maryland State House is the oldest state house in the U.S. in continuous use. Completed in 1779, it once served as the capitol of the United States and is the only state house to have done so. Most notably, the Maryland State House hosted the ratification of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War. George Washington resigned his military commission here and the state house was the meeting place of the Continental Congress for nearly a year. The beautiful capitol dome rising above the equally beautiful city of Annapolis features an original Benjamin Franklin lightning rod, and is the oldest and largest wooden dome of its kind. The cut-marble flooring inside the building contains visible fossils dating back about 350 million years. The state house has skylights of Tiffany glass, a collection of fine silver from the U.S.S. Maryland, and a full-size replica of the Maryland Federalist commemorative boat. There are plenty of documents on display and plenty of panels to read.
There is no need to take a pricey guided tour to visit the state house. Tours are offered free of charge several times a day by the staff -- only a picture I.D. is required. I really enjoyed touring the state house and reading all about its distinguished history. As a fairly new resident of Maryland, I found that there was so much history I was completely unaware of. The Maryland State House is a great starting point for learning about the history of the state from its very founding until the present. What great fun!