• Proceedings of the General Assembly, 1800 Session.  (Archives of Maryland, Volume 94)
• Resolution signed authorizing the Governor and Council to employ some person or persons to stop the leak in the roof of the stadt-house, and to paint the external part.  (60)

• Shaw finished levelling State House Hill.  (Radoff, The State House at Annapolis, 30)

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1809 Session.
• "Resolved: That the governor and council be requested, and they are hereby authorised and empowered, to employ some person to paint and make repairs on the stadt-house, as they may think essential to the preactivation of the building, so far as the sum of --- --- --- dollars may suffice for that purpose, and that they draw on the treasurer of the western shore for the said sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for the purpose aforesaid, to be paid out of any unappropriated money in the treasury." House fills in blank with 1000 dollars.  5 January - Senate endorses and assents to resolution.  (70, 177, 119)

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1809 Session.
• December 6 - "RESOLVED, That the governor and council be requested, and they are hereby authorised and empowered, to employ some person to paint and make repairs on the stadt-house, as they may think essential to the preactivation of the building, so far as the sum of one thousand dollars may suffice for that purpose, and that they draw on the treasurer of the western shore for the said sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for the purpose aforesaid, to be paid out of any unappropriated money in the treasury."  (43)
• December 6 - "The resolution for the repairs of the stadt-house, was read the second time by especial order, assented to, and sent to the house of delegates by the clerk."  (43)

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1810 Session.
• DATE UNKNOWN - "RESOLVED, That the governor and council be requested, and they are hereby authorised and empowered, to employ some person to paint and make repairs on the stadt-house, as they may think essential to the preactivation of the building, so far as the sum of --- --- --- dollars may suffice for that purpose, and that they draw on the treasurer of the western shore for the said sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for the purpose aforesaid, to be paid out of any unappropriated money in the treasury."  (88) 
• December 24 - Resolution to repair the stadt-house assented to and sent to the senate.  (103) 

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1810 Session.
• DATE UNKNOWN - Senate receives and assents to House bill to appropriate $1000 to paint the State House and make minor repairs.  (38)

• Exterior Sketch of "The State House (at Annapolis, Maryland)" by G.W. Smith, Circa 1810.  (From Morris Radoff, The State House at Annapolis, 32) 

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1811 Session.
• 6 January 1812 - Treasurer of the Western Shore directed to pay 700 dollars, or so much thereof as may be deemed necessary by the executives sufficient to complete the repair of the stadt house.  (250)  Resolution endorsed, "assented to."  (256)

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1811 Session.
• 5 January 1812 - Resolutions for the repair of the stadt house read a second time by special order and assented to. (410) 

1813

• Laws of Maryland, 1817 Session.
• Resolution 36 relative to the appropriation of $9,000 to enclose and improve the grounds.  (253)
• Resolution 74 authorizing the construction of a monument to the memory of Major-General Baron de Kalb.  (259)

• September 24th - The Council ordered the Treasurer of the Western Shore pay John Shaw five hundred and forty five dollars for repairs to the State House.  They also order payment to Colonel Henry Maynadier, Francis Hollingsworth and Jeremiah Hughes of the sum of one thousand dollars for improving the public grounds around the State House conformably to the Resolution of the General Assembly.  The same three were requested to advertise for a proposal to enclose the circle with a stone or brick wall two and a half feet high with a wooden railing ion it or a wall four feet high and filled to the top so as not to show on the inside above the ground. (Radoff, "The State House at Annapolis"  33)

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1818 Session.
• 6 February 1819 - The Committee to whom was referred the representation of the commissioners appointed to superintend the building of the wall around the public circle and the improvement thereof report: That they have had the same under their consideration, and believing that the sum mentioned will be necessary to complete the said work, which if left in its present unfinished state, will soon fall into ruins.  The Treasurer of the western shore was authorized to draw an undisclosed sum of money to pay the contractors for completing the enclosure and improvement of the public circle in which the state house is situated.  (35)
• 18 February 1819 - The resolution relative to the improvement of the public circle was read.  New resolution read, requesting the committee appointed to superintend the improving of the public circle be "required to ascertain and report to the next general assembly, what sum of money would be necessary to cap the wall around the circle either with iron or stone, and to state in the report whether they think the wall capable of bearing such capping; and that the treasurer of the western shore pay to the order of the governor and council, any sum not exceeding       dollars, for the purpose of putting a temporary wooden capping to guard against the weather."  House approves resolution with 700 dollars inserted as the proper sum.  Bill sent to Senate.  (116-117)
• Resolution relative to the public circle endorsed "assented to," and sent to the Senate.  (123)

• Notes by Dr. E.C. Papenfuse, State Archivist: "Funds were appropriated by the General Assembly in 1818 to enclose the grounds and improve the circle.  A committee appointed to examine the condition of the "public buildings" reported to the House of Delegates. "Although not instructed, they would draw attention of the House to the grounds around the State House, which are in an uneven and irregular situation...". Henry Maynadier, Jeremiah Hughes, and F. Hollingsworth were commissioned to oversee the work.  Bids for materials and laborers were solicited in May and work must have commenced shortly thereafter. In December of 1818 Governor Charles Ridgely of Hampton was able to report to the General Assembly that "The public circle has been enclosed with a wall of masonry: which is an effective an lasting enclosure, while it serves the very important purpose of preventing the abrasion and washing away of the hill on which the State House is placed."  The erosion of the site so clearly shown in figure 1 must have been a seasonal constant.  Notwithstanding the Governor's message and additional order on the treasury was approved for payment in April, 1819 to H.H. Chapman "for preservation of the wall enclosing the public circle

    Maynadier, Hughes, and Hollingsworth received fairly explicit instructions from the Governor and Council.  At minimum they were expected to erect a retaining wall about the circle two and one half feet in height executed in either brick or stone with a wood railing on top.  Preferably the appropriation would be sufficient to construct a stone wall four feet high backfilled to the top on the interior of the circle.  In addition, "knowing the interest in which you respectfully feel in everything relating to the improvement of Annapolis", they were advised that an additional $1,00 would be provided for "leveling, sodding, graveling, and planting trees, laying off walks and so forth".  The instructions conclude with suggestions "to show what would be most agreeable to the Governor and Council... The Parade in front to be graveled, and supported by a low wall, not to show above the ground on the inside, from the Brick wall the slope to be smoothed gently to the enclosing wall".  There is not sufficient evidence to indicate if the desired complexity of arrangements was achieved.  The hint that there was an existing brick wall on the site is a matter which requires investigation.
    There are two illustrations of the State House and its grounds which appear to have been made after the improvements authorized in 1818.  Each shows the site enclosed by a wall but the perspective differs as does the artist's attention to details other than the State House itself.  The illustration deposited with the Archives by Albert Small (Figure 2) depicts the wall around the grounds of granite at least four feet tall.  This print is remarkable in that it shows the path from Chancery Lane to the front of the State House as well as the path from Francis Street. The other illustration, a copper plate engraving (Figure 3), shows what appears to be a lower wall made of brick with a stone coping.  The only possible explanation for the difference other than artistic license is that the Small print was executed in the midst of work undertaken in 1835 prior to the erection of the iron fence about the ground.  The entry detail at Francis Street on the Small print is confirmed in the first photographs available for the grounds.  That the grounds are completely enclosed by this time is about the only point of agreement between the two works.  There is no evidence of vegetation although the treasurer regularly paid for the pruning of Lombardy poplars from 1822 on." (s1259-121-1706)

• Governor & Council (orders on the Treasury) 1817-1824 (MSA S 1092-2), excerpts from 1818 and 1819 (MSA S 1259-121-1706) including, in 1818,
• Advances of Money to Colonel Henry Maynadier, Francis Hollingsworth and Jeremiah Hughes,  Commissioners for superintending the work around the Stadt House
• An order in favor of Mr. John Shaw 
• An order in favor of Isaac Bradley for altering fire places in the Senate and House of Delegates Room 
• TRANSCRIPTION

 
• Council appropriates additional sum of $1,000 "for the grounds and enclosures around the State House...in the first place, to complete the wall; in the second place to make gutters and fix the stones to conduct off the water-being the objects which appear most necessary."  (Proceedings of the Governor and Council, MSA S 1073-32-1875)
• TRANSCRIPTION

• 7 February 1818 - Mr. Jenifer delivers the following report:

   The committee who were appointed to examine the public buildings and report what sum of money would be sufficient to put them in a proper state of repair, beg leave to report that they have viewed the public buildings and find that they want considerable repairs, out are of such a nature as cannot be particularly specific in this report, without minute examination and considerable time.
    Although not instructed, they would draw the attention of the House to the grounds around the State House, which a re in an uneven and irregular situation, and might be enclosed and improved with a trifling expense; conceiving, however, that all improvements shall be made under the immediate direction of the Executive of the sate, who from their frequent attendance at the seat of Government, are enabled to give a close inspection, both as to the improvements required, as well as to the expenditures necessary to be made, your committee would recommend the passage of the following resolution:
   Resolved, That the Governor and Council be, and they are hereby instructed and empowered, to draw upon the treasurer of the western shore, for a sum of money not exceeding                    thousand dollars, to be by them expended in repairs to the public buildings at the seat of government, and in enclosing and improving the public circle in which the State House is situated.
               By order,
                      J.H. Beall Clk. (Maryland Gazette February 11, 1818 MSA SC 3403)
 
• 17 December 1818 - "Under the appropriation for the purpose of repairing the public buildings and enclosing the public circle, the buildings have been improved and repaired.  Some alterations have been made in the fitting up and furniture of the apartments of the House of Delegates and the Senate, and several new arrangements made to render them more comfortable and convenient.  The public circle has been enclosed with a wall of masonry:  which is an effectual and lasting enclosure, while it serves the very important purpose of preventing the abrasion and washing away of the hill on which the State House is placed.  On these objects the appropriation has been exhausted, the specifications and vouchers which have been regularly preserved." - Governor Ridgely in an Executive Communication to the Legislature.  (Maryland Gazette December 17, 1818 MSA SC 3403)

  

• Governor & Council (orders on the Treasury) 1817-1824.  (MSA S 1092-2).  Excerpts from 1818 and 1819.   (MSA S 1259-121-1706) including, in 1819,
• Cash paid to John Shaw
• An order in favor of H.H. Chapman Esquire under the Resolution of the General Assembly for the preservation of the wall enclosing public circle to be accounted for
• TRANSCRIPTION

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates
• Resolution 73 - House requests the auditor to prepare an account of the cost of the State House from the beginning.

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1822 Session.
• "...roof of the State House was covered with slate."

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1823 Session.
• 10 February 1824 - Discusses fire protection of state house and government house, and the lack of funds--due to recent improvements--to protect the buildings.  (53)

• Shed house built.

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1825 Session
• 18 January 1826 - Committee appointed to explore the several apartments, chambers and offices of the state house and report such proposals and repairs, as may appear necessary to them for the preservation of the building, and the convenience of the public bodies occupying it.  (70) 
• DATE UNKNOWN - Treasurer of Western Shore authorized to pay no more than 400 dollars for repairs to stop or prevent a leak, which it appears to this house now exists, either in the roof to dome of the state house.  (156)  Bill assented to and sent to Senate.  (223) 

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1825 Session.
• 10 February 1826 - Resolution relative to repairs to the state house was read a second, and a third time, assented to and returned to the house of delegates.  (95) 
• 8 March 1826 - Resolution relative to repairs of the state house was read, assented to, and returned to the house of delegates.  (222) 

• Resolutions from the Laws of Maryland, 1825 Session.
• Resolved that the old methodist meeting house, lately occupied as a printing house, be removed since a recent fire has endangered the state house and the treasury house.  (Resolution 26, 1825 Laws of Maryland, 240)