Richard E. Israel, Counsel for State Archives and
Land Office.

350 Rowe Boulevard
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 974-3914/3917

Public Search Room open Monday through
Saturday, 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. (On Saturdays
only: closed for lunch hour, 12:00-1:00 p.m.)

The origins of the State Archives can be traced
to the State's tercentenary celebrations in 1934.
As the 300th anniversary of the founding of the
Maryland colony approached, the Maryland Ter-
centenary Commission made a modem, central-
ized archives a key feature of the State's com-
memoration. A proposal to create a "Memorial
Hall of Records" was mentioned as early as 1928,
and in 1931 the General Assembly passed an ap-
propriation of funds to erect an archives building.
Construction began in 1934, and the Hall of Rec-
ords opened to the public a year later.

The General Assembly made provision for the
management of the State's permanent records that
would be housed in the new facility. A 1935 stat-
ute created the Hall of Records Commission, pre-
scribed its powers and duties, and provided for
the collection, custody, and preservation of the of-
ficial records, documents, and publications of the
State (Chapter 18, Acts of 1935). The Hall of
Records was created in 1935 as an independent
agency of State government and remained so until
its incorporation into the Department of General
Services in 1970 (Chapter 97, Acts of 1970). In
1984, the Hall of Records was renamed the State
Archives and became an independent agency
within the office of the Governor (Chapter 286,
Acts of 1984). The 1984 legislation defined an ad-
visory role for the Hall of Records Commission
and placed the Commission on Artistic Property
under the State Archives (Code State Government
Article, sees. 2-1513(b), 3-404(b), 7-213(a),
9-1001 through 9-1027, 10-604 through 10-608,
10-631 through 10-634, 10-637 through 10-642,
10-701, 10-702).

In July 1986, the State Archives moved into the
new Hall of Records building on Rowe Boulevard
across from the Courts of Appeal complex.

The State Archives is the historical agency for
Maryland. It serves as the central depository for
governmental records of permanent value. Among
its holdings are colonial and State executive, legis-
lative, and judicial records; county probate, land,
and court records; church records; business rec-
ords; State publications and reports; and special
collections of private papers, newspapers, and

maps. Records are stored in a humidity- and tem-
perature-controlled stack area, and preservation
requirements, including deacidification, lamina-
tion, mylar encapsulation, and archival bookbind-
ing are carried out by the staff of an in-house con-
servation laboratory. Records are made accessible
to the public in a search room open six days each
week, through photocopies produced by an in-
house photolab, and through the interlibrary loan
of microform.

State agencies, counties, cities, and towns in
Maryland are authorized to offer for deposit at
the State Archives all files, documents, and rec-
ords not in current use. By law, State agencies are
required to have their records placed on retention
and disposal schedules. No public records can be
destroyed without scheduling and the prior ap-
proval of the State Archives.

All records that are in the courthouses of the
State and that were created prior to April 28,
1788 (when Maryland ratified the U.S. Constitu-
tion) must be deposited at the State Archives. The
records of all State agencies, boards, and commis-
sions that are abolished or otherwise conclude
their work must also be transferred to the custody
of the State Archives.

All current deeds, mortgages, and releases re-
corded in the courthouses of the State are micro-
filmed and preserved at the State Archives for se-
curity purposes. Limited facilities are available for
the filming of records of State agencies.

The State Archives shares responsibility with
the Division of Vital Records of the Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene for preservation of
and access to vital records information (Code
State Government Article, sec. 9-1015).

Rules and regulations promulgated in the Code
of Maryland Regulations give the State Archives a
role in the establishment of archives in local juris-
dictions (COMAR 14.18.03).

In 1947, the State Archives began to collect
publications and reports of State agencies. Since
1982, the State Archives has received State publi-
cations and reports under the State Publications
Depository and Distribution Program. The State
Archives also is an official depository for county
charters, codes, and laws (Code 1957, Art. 25,
sec. 32A; Art. 25A, sees. 3B(3), 7(b); Art. 25B,
sees. 7(b)(3), 12(b)). Municipal charter amend-
ments and annexations, after publication, are de-
posited annually with the State Archives by the
Department of Legislative Reference (Code 1957,
Art. 23A, sec. 17C).