Maryland Tercentenary

Maryland Tercentenary
Name	Maryland Tercentenary
Date	1934
Location	Annapolis, Maryland, St. Mary's City, Maryland, Baltimore
Type	Anniversary celebration
Organizers	State of Maryland, Maryland Tercentenary Commission, Maryland Historical Society
Significance	300th anniversary of Province of Maryland founding

Maryland Tercentenary

The Maryland Tercentenary marked the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Province of Maryland and its proprietary charter under Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, commemorated across sites such as St. Mary's City, Maryland, Annapolis, Maryland, and Baltimore. The occasion involved state-level agencies like the Maryland Tercentenary Commission and civic bodies including the Maryland Historical Society and municipal governments, and attracted national figures from political, academic, and cultural institutions. Celebrations intersected with broader 1930s American commemorative trends exemplified by events at Jamestown Exposition and observances tied to Columbian Exposition precedents.

Background and Origins

Origins trace to the 1632 Royal Charter of Maryland granted by King Charles I to Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore and to early colonial settlements at St. Mary's City, Maryland established under leaders like Leonard Calvert and settlers from England. The tercentenary narrative invoked connections to transatlantic links with London, colonial parish structures tied to St. Peter's Church (St. Mary's City), and legal instruments such as the Act of Toleration (Maryland) of 1649. Historians from institutions like Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland, College Park debated interpretations of colonial pluralism represented by figures such as George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, Philip Calvert, and settlers from Catholicism and Protestantism streams. Civic memory of the early settlements engaged preservationists including members of the Maryland Historical Society and antiquarians associated with Peabody Institute collections.

Planning and Organization

Planning convened the Maryland Tercentenary Commission, chaired by political leaders from the Maryland General Assembly and coordinated with the Governor of Maryland and municipal executives like the Mayor of Baltimore. Committees drew on scholars from American Antiquarian Society, curators from Smithsonian Institution, and archivists from Library of Congress to curate exhibits. Funding combined appropriations from the Maryland State House budget, philanthropists linked to families such as the Garrett family (Maryland), and sponsorship by corporations headquartered in Baltimore and Annapolis; logistical partners included Pennsylvania Railroad and regional chambers like the Chamber of Commerce of Baltimore County. Planning documents referenced conservation practices promoted by national figures at the National Park Service and preservationists affiliated with Historic St. Mary's City projects.

Celebrations and Events

Ceremonies included formal dedications at St. Mary's City, Maryland and pageants staged in Annapolis, Maryland with participation by governors, legislators of the Maryland General Assembly, and delegations from United States Congress. Cultural programming featured theatrical productions inspired by colonial narratives performed in venues such as the Baltimore Civic Opera House and on outdoor stages resembling tableaux seen at the Jamestown Pageant. Military salutes involved units from the Maryland National Guard and naval reviews referencing ships tied to United States Navy traditions. Exhibitions assembled artifacts from collections at Peabody Institute, the Maryland Historical Society, and the Smithsonian Institution, while academic symposia convened historians from Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, and Yale University to discuss the implications of the Royal Charter of Maryland and colonial governance.

Commemorative Projects and Monuments

Numerous commemorative projects were initiated, including monuments erected on sites near St. Clement's Island (Maryland), plaques installed at Old State House (Annapolis) and markers along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline. Architects and sculptors engaged included figures associated with public works of the era, and projects were often coordinated with landscape efforts at historic properties such as Historic St. Mary's City and estates linked to families like the Calverts. Restoration grants supported archaeological excavations conducted by teams from University of Maryland, College Park and fieldwork supervised by personnel connected to the Smithsonian Institution. Commemorative stamps, medallions, and printed programs were produced by printers and engravers in Baltimore and distributed to institutions such as the Maryland Historical Society and libraries including the Library of Congress.

Cultural and Educational Impact

The tercentenary stimulated public history initiatives across museums like the Baltimore Museum of Art and educational outreach in schools governed by Baltimore City Public Schools and county systems. Curricular materials were developed drawing on scholarship from Johns Hopkins University and interpretive models used by the National Park Service for heritage interpretation. Scholarly conferences produced papers later cited in journals affiliated with Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and volumes published by university presses such as Johns Hopkins University Press. The event influenced preservation movements that engaged organizations like Historic Annapolis and advocacy by members of the Maryland Historical Trust.

Legacy and Criticism

Legacy included lasting institutional gains for sites like Historic St. Mary's City and elevated profiles for collections at the Maryland Historical Society and Peabody Institute, while bolstering tourism to Annapolis and St. Mary's County, Maryland. Critics—drawing on scholarship from academics at Howard University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and commentators in newspapers such as the Baltimore Sun—argued the commemoration sometimes marginalized Indigenous histories of groups like the Piscataway people and underrepresented enslaved Africans and their descendants, stimulating later reinterpretations by historians from Howard University and community activists working with Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture. Subsequent preservation and interpretive efforts sought to address these critiques through inclusionary projects led by institutions like the Maryland Historical Trust and collaborations with tribal representatives of the Piscataway-Conoy Tribe.

Category:Festivals in Maryland