Annapolis, MD Day Trip

Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, 26 miles (42 km) south of Baltimore and about 29 miles (47 km) east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The city was the temporary capital of the United States in 1783−1784 and the site of the Annapolis Peace Conference, held in November 2007, at the United States Naval Academy. Annapolis is the home of St. John's College.

Francis Scott Key (August 1, 1779 – January 11, 1843) was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".

Francis Scott Key was born to Ann Phoebe Penn Dagworthy (Charlton) and Captain John Ross Key at the family plantation Terra Rubra in what was Frederick County, Maryland (now Carroll County, Maryland).^[1] His father John Ross Key was a lawyer, a judge, and an officer in the Continental Army. His great-grandparents were Philip Key and Susanna Barton Gardiner, both of whom were born in London and immigrated to Maryland in 1726.^[2][3]

He studied law at St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland and also learned under his uncle Philip Barton Key.^[4]

From 1818 until his death in 1843, Key was associated with the American Bible Society.^[5]

Key was a founding member and active leader of the American Colonization Society, the primary goal of which was to send free African-Americans back to Africa.^[6]

Some weeks back plans were made to embark on a day trip to Annapolis, MD.  The day turned out to be one of the hottest days this summer - 97 degrees and extremely humid.  Armed with a thermal backpack containing small bottles of water that had been frozen and snacks of cheese crackers, we boarded the tour bus for the ride to Annapolis, MD
The tour consisted of a two-hour walking tour of the city including time spent at the US Naval Academy, lunch at Phillips Crab House on the dock, a 40 minute boat cruise and time on your own to explore the State House and city itself.
Our tour group was divided in two separate groups.  Francis Scott Key, writer of the Star Spangled Banner, was our guide for our walking tour.
I never learned our guides real name so he will always be Francis Scott Key to me.  He was in character the entire time of our tour and everywhere we walked and everything he spoke about related to his life (Francis Scott Key) while he lived in Annapolis during his youth and some of his adult years.

I don't know how he stood the heat.  We were all in shorts and melting in the heat and he didn't seem bothered at all even with his long pants, long sleeved blouse, vest and top hat.  

During the walking portion of our tour of the city, I took pictures of some of the beautiful buildings but forgot to jot down notes of exactly what they were.  The building below is the Greenfield Library and I think it was on the grounds of St Johns College.  Francis Scott Key went to St Johns College from the age of 10 to 17.  There were five or six other students that were conferred degrees the same year that he graduated.  Students at the college were never tested and weren't graded.  Instead, in order to be conferred a degree, students wrote a paper and defended it in front of faculty.  Today there are approx 450 students who attend St John College and the same system is used - no tests or grades, just a paper at the end of four years that must be defended.

The building below was on the campus of St Johns College.

This  building is where Francis Scott Key first got a glimpse of his future bride to be, Elizabeth and where he read and practiced law.  He and Elizabeth had 11 children.  A family member, an uncle I think he said, convinced him not to go in the seminary but to practice law instead.  He noted that he was a very, very good lawyer.  He touched on his song writing - the Star Spangled Banner as well as a number of hymns- and even gave us a short rendition of the Star Spangled Banner but kept impressing to us that his main vocation was law.  

At first I thought there was actually an owl sitting on the chimney of the building pictured above.  It quickly became apparent that the owl was a decoy placed on the chimney to keep pigeons off.

Below is the Preble Museum on the grounds of the US Naval Academy.  Now through November 2013 there is a special display, The War of 1812.

Francis Scott Key
The gentleman below portraying Francis Scott Key is also the official Town Crier for the city of Annapolis.  He was headed to Canada for a Town Crier competition on August 1st.  Our best wishes for a first place finish!

If you have the opportunity to visit Annapolis, MD, make sure to take a walking tour and visit the Naval Academy.   Cooler weather would make the trip much more enjoyable.
The weather here today is beautiful.  Cool temps and lovely breezes.  Hope you are enjoying nice weather wherever you are.