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

1813

• 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)

• Engraving of the State House by an unknown artist, dated pre-1836.  George Forbes Collection.  (MSA SC 182-02-0081)