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| Anne Arundel County Historical Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | Anne Arundel County Historical Society |
| Formation | 1950s |
| Type | Historical society |
| Headquarters | Annapolis, Maryland |
| Region served | Anne Arundel County, Maryland |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Anne Arundel County Historical Society
The Anne Arundel County Historical Society is a regional nonprofit organization devoted to preserving and interpreting the historical record of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, including Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Severna Park, Crownsville, and surrounding communities. Founded in the mid-20th century amid a rise in local preservation movements, the Society maintains archives, curates museum exhibits, manages historic properties, and produces publications that connect the county's past to figures and events linked to George Washington, Francis Scott Key, John Paul Jones, William Paca, and other prominent individuals associated with the Chesapeake Bay region. The Society collaborates with municipal and state institutions such as Maryland Historical Trust, Maryland State Archives, Historic Annapolis, National Park Service, and regional universities including St. John's College (Annapolis), University of Maryland, College Park, and Towson University.
The Society emerged in the context of postwar preservation efforts that included organizations like Historic Charleston Foundation and Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (now Historic New England), reflecting trends set by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Early leaders drew on county records related to colonial governance, maritime trade, and Revolutionary War-era activities tied to Lord Baltimore (proprietary colony), Provincial Congress of Maryland, Annapolis Convention, and the careers of Samuel Chase and Charles Carroll of Carrollton. During the 1960s and 1970s the Society participated in statewide initiatives influenced by the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and coordinated with agencies involved in the preservation of sites such as Banneker-Douglass Museum and Fort McHenry. Over subsequent decades the organization expanded collections to document 19th- and 20th-century developments including the rise of industries connected to Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, U.S. Naval Academy, Patuxent River Naval Air Station, and local agriculture tied to tobacco trade in Maryland.
The Society's holdings encompass manuscripts, family papers, photographs, maps, architectural drawings, and artifacts relating to county families like the Paca family, Earle family (Maryland), Ridgely family, Sutcliffe family, and maritime figures connected to Chesapeake Bay skipjacks, clipper ships, and the Baltimore clipper. Archival series include records from municipal bodies such as Annapolis City Council, records documenting the Maryland Line (Revolutionary War), correspondence linked to Samuel Chase, and material about the administration of William Paca (governor). The photograph collection features images tied to events like the War of 1812 engagements near the Chesapeake, local industrial sites associated with Baltimore and Ohio Railroad spurs, and portraits of residents who served in the American Civil War including those affiliated with Maryland Line (War of 1812). Holdings also document religious institutions such as St. Anne's Church (Annapolis), Trinity Episcopal Church (Annapolis), First Presbyterian Church (Annapolis), and fraternal organizations like Odd Fellows and Freemasonry lodges.
Educational programs link to curricula and institutions including Annapolis High School, Severna Park High School, Glen Burnie High School, and higher-education courses at University of Maryland, College Park and St. John's College (Annapolis). Outreach initiatives have included collaborations with Maryland Humanities, Library of Congress programs, and teacher workshops modeled after resources from National History Day. The Society offers genealogy assistance referencing resources such as the U.S. Census, Freedmen's Bureau Records, and local cemeteries like St. Anne's Cemetery (Annapolis), often coordinating with genealogical groups like the Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution. Public lectures have featured scholars connected to Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, American Historical Association, and regional historians who publish with Maryland Historical Magazine.
The Society oversees museum exhibits and historic houses comparable in mission to Historic Annapolis properties and aligns interpretive practices with standards from the American Alliance of Museums and Historic House Museums. Properties interpreted include period domestic architecture reflecting styles seen in Georgian architecture, Federal architecture, and later Victorian architecture examples found across Anne Arundel County towns such as Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Annapolis Neck, and Parole. Exhibits address maritime heritage connected to Chesapeake Bay, shipbuilding traditions associated with skipjacks, and naval stories tied to the U.S. Naval Academy and Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Restoration projects have referenced preservation case studies like Mount Vernon and regulatory processes involving Maryland Historical Trust easements.
The organization is governed by a board of directors drawn from local leaders, historic preservation professionals, and academics affiliated with institutions such as University System of Maryland, Anne Arundel Community College, and municipal officials from Annapolis. Funding streams include membership dues, philanthropic support from foundations akin to the Mellon Foundation, grants from agencies such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, project-based contracts with Maryland Historical Trust, and earned revenue from ticketed programs and donations typical of nonprofit cultural institutions like Historic Annapolis and Maryland Historical Society. The Society adheres to nonprofit reporting practices similar to those recommended by the National Council on Nonprofits.
The Society publishes research bulletins and monographs on local subjects comparable to contributions in Maryland Historical Magazine, and collaborates with scholars from Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Towson University. Titles address topics such as colonial administration under Lord Baltimore (proprietary colony), county participation in the American Revolutionary War, maritime histories linked to Chesapeake Bay, and community studies of neighborhoods like Eastport (Annapolis), Parole, Maryland, and Galesville, Maryland. The research program supports primary-source projects utilizing collections at Maryland State Archives, Library of Congress, and regional repositories like Peabody Institute Library and publishes findings in formats accessible to members, historians, and agencies involved in preservation reviews under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
Public-facing events include walking tours of Historic Annapolis, lecture series featuring scholars from Maryland Historical Society and American Historical Association conferences, and commemorations tied to anniversaries of the Battle of Baltimore (1814), American Revolution milestones, and local observances related to U.S. Naval Academy graduation activities. Seasonal programming often partners with local festivals in Annapolis, civic organizations like Chamber of Commerce (Annapolis), and volunteer groups including Historic Annapolis Foundation and neighborhood associations in Severna Park and Glen Burnie. Through such collaborations the Society fosters stewardship of county landmarks, encourages participation by descendants of families documented in the archives, and supports heritage tourism initiatives promoted by entities such as Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County.