• Proceedings of the Senate, 1852 Session.
• 4 February - Communication between Joseph H. Nicholson and Edward Lloyd, President of the Senate, re. sundry bills for work done and materials furnished for the repair of the Senate Chamber, and its furniture, under an order of the Senate, of December session 1849.  Read and referred to committee on finance.  (59) 
• 5 February - House proposes a joint committee to examine into the condition of the Public Buildings, with a view to ascertain if the same do not require repair.  Also, House proposes a joint committee to examine the Treasurer's Office, with a view to ascertain if there are sufficient accommodations in the office for use of the Comptroller.  (64) 
• 6 February - Senate appoints members to each of the aforementioned committees.  (66) 
• 4 March - Report from the Committee on Finance for fitting up the Senate Chamber.  Lists workmen and expenditures for work done under resolution of December session, 1849.  Also, Committee on Finance recommends appropriations of $100 to Wm. Glover and Andrew Slicer for ventilating the Senate Chamber during the recess,  Also, bill entitled an "Act appropriating a sum of money to pay for repairs made in, and materials furnished for the Senate Chamber."  (130-131) 
• 12 March  - Bill entitled an "Act appropriating a sum of money to pay for repairs made in and materials furnished for the Senate Chamber, passed and sent to the House.  (153-154) 
• 18 March - House returns bill appropriating a sum of money to pay for repairs made in and materials furnished for the Senate Chamber, with proposed amendments regarding appropriations suggested by the Committee on Finance.  Bill ordered to lie on the table.  (164) 
• 7 April - Letter from Mr. Farnandis, of the Committee on Finance, to the House re: amendments proposed by the House for payment for repairs and materials furnished for the Senate Chamber.  (247-248) 
• 27 April - House repsonds to letter from Senate dated 7 April.  (310-311) 
• 7 May - Committee of the two Houses reports the bill and amendments for repairs and materials furnished for the Senate Chamber.  Amendments approved, and the bill is sent to the House.  (359-360) 
• 14 May - Bill entitled an "Act to authorise (sic) the construction of cisterns on the State House hill" is read for the first time.  (392) 
• 29 May - Bill entitled an "Act to provide for the custody of the public buildings and grounds within the State House enclosure, and the fire apparatus belonging to the State, and appropriating a sum of money therefor," is passed and returned to the House.  (543-544) 
• 31 May - Report of the committee appointed in pursuance of the order directing an inquiry into the subject of alterations now being made in the rooms in the northwest corner of the State House.  Condemning the workplan, the Committee recommends that the "brick pavement be restored to the said rooms, and that the flue leading from the furnace under the Library, be closed up in a permanent manner; the said furnace having already during the present session, endangered the buildings, and in the judgment of the committee being incapable of being made safe."  (562) 

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1853 Session.
• 1 February 1853 - Letter from State Librarian H.E. Batemen to Elias Ware, Jr. Speaker of the House re: condition of the north chimney, containing flues from Executive and Senate Chambers, Comptroller's and Adjutant-General's Office, Senate committee room and library.  The wall of chimney heats up where in contact with woodwork in Adjutant-General's office and base of dome, and thus is a fire hazard.  Joint committee proposed to study the above problem.  (92) 
• 4 February 1853 - Report from Committee appointed to study better method of warming the chamber.  Committee recommends: erection of new and improved  furnace, cellar under hall excavated walled and plastered.  (113-114) 
• 15 February 1853 - Act providing for the payment of expenses in repairing the furnace in the House, and for materials furnished, and work done in the Chambers and committee rooms in the 2 houses and the State Library.  (179) 
• 19 February 1853 - House takes up above act, approves it, and sends it to the Senate.  (210-211) 
• 11 March 1853 - Senate endorses said bill, and passes it.  (304) 

 

1854

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1854 Session.
• 18 January 1854 - Select Committee of three ordered to enquire into expediency of contracting for lighting the State House, Government House, and State Circle with gas.  (66) 
• 11 February 1854 - Select Committee reports that the State will save two-thirds with the introduction of gas lighting.  Bill introduced.  (252-253) 

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1854 Session.
• 1 March - Leave granted Messrs. Wells, Dennis and Berry to report a bill entitled, an act to provide for the introduction of gas light into the State House, treasury building and public grounds.  (246) 
• 2 March - Mr. Wells reports a bill re: the introduction of gas lighting in the State House, treasury building and public grounds, which is read and referred to the committee on finance.  (252) 
• 4 March - Committee on finance reports unfavorably on the the bill re: introduction of gas lighting, and the bill is read and ordered engrossed for a third reading.  (274) 

• Annapolis Gas company charted.  The pair of gas lamps, seen in photographs at the entry to the grounds and at the porch to the State House, must then have been installed after 1856. (Notes by Dr. E.C. Papenfuse, State Archivist.  MSA S 1259-121-1706)

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1858 Session.
• 4 February 1858 - Correspondence between House and Senate re: appointing joint committee re: constructing a fire-proof building to preserve the records of the State; to increase the dimensions of the House Chamber, and adding two committee rooms for the accommodation of each branch of the Legislature lighting the whole building with gas and warming the same with furnaces.  (247-248) 
• 11 February 1858 - Librarian directed to have American Flag displayed from dome of the State House each day as soon as the House of Delegates shall be in session, and not lowered until both Houses shall have adjourned.  (330) 
• 15 February 1858 - Joint Committee on Public Buildings requested to examine and ascertain whether the State House is safe from the accident of fire by the mode now used to heat House Chamber and the Library.  (381) 
• 25 February 1858 - Senate endorses House bill from 4 February 1858.  (603) 
• 26 February 1858 - Senate passes said bill.  (623) 

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1858 Session.
• 4 February - Message to the House, proposing a joint committee to inquire into the expediency of constructing a fire-proof building for preserving the records of the State, of increasing the dimensions of the present chamber used for the sittings of the House of Delegates; of adding two committee rooms for the accommodation of each branch of the Legislature; of lighting the whole building with Gas, and warming the same with Furnaces.  (133)  House appoints members to the committee.  (139) 
• 23 February - Bill entitled, "an Act appropriating a sum of money for the rendering the more secure, against fire, the State House and the public archive, for erecting a fire-proof record office, and for enlarging the State Library room, and the Hall of the House of Delegates."  Bill referred to committee on Finance.  (294-295) 
• 24 February - Bill entitled, "an Act appropriating a sum of money for the rendering the more secure, against fire, the State House and the public archive, for erecting a fire-proof record office, and for enlarging the State Library room, and the Hall of the House of Delegates," is considered, and amendments proposed.  (325-326)  Bill passed by the House on 26 February.  (359) 

• Laws of Maryland, 1858 Session.
• Chapter 105 - An Act appropriating a sum of money for the rendering the more secure, against fire, the State House and the public archive, for erecting a fire-proof record office, and for enlarging the State Library room, and the Hall of the House of Delegates, &c.  (140-142)

• The State House and Surrounding Area made from "Birdseye View of Annapolis" by Hugh Jenkins. 
• Enlarged color version.  (Radoff, "The State House at Annapolis" pg 46)

• "The old semi-octagonal bay was removed from the western side of the State House and replaced by a larger octagonal annex." (Radoff's "Buildings of the State of Maryland in Annapolis," 95)

• The old octagonal or round house, on the northwest side of the State House was torn down in 1858 by Samuel W. Brooks.   ("The Old State House[...]" The Baltimore Sun, 1907)  (MSA SC 2852)

• '[B]rick Comptroller's officer, or land office, on the hill facing Maryland Avenue, which was built in 1859 and torn down in 1906 occupied almost the same site upon which [the old] gunhouse stood" ( "The Old State House[..." The Baltimore Sun, 1907)  (MSA SC 2852)

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1860 Session.
• 23 January - Message from the House proposing a joint committee to examine the work done under the Act of 1858, "appropriating a sum of money for the erection of a fire-proof Record Office, and for the repair of the buildings within the State House Circle," and report what other repairs, if any are necessary, and what amount will be required for that purpose.  (71) 

• January 1860 - Documents from the House of Delegates, 1860 Session.
• 6 January - Message of the Governor Thomas Holliday Hicks to the General Assembly.  Message summarizes provisions of the last General Assembly regarding the State House, and advocates the preservation of the Senate Chamber.  (Document B, 16-17)
• 18 January - Report of the Committee on Repairs of the Public Buildings.  Under the Act of 1858, the Committee was appointed to appropriate a sum of money to render the State House more secure against fire, and enlarging the State Library room and the hall of the House of Delegates.  (Document G, 1-5)
• 20 January - Report of the Treasurer of Maryland of his Accounts with the Comptroller for 1858 and 1859.  (Document K, 20)

• "The State House at Annapolis" from Lossing, Pictoral Field Book of the Revolution.   (Radoff, "The State House at Annapolis," 50)

• 12 July 1860 - Reciept of Payment to William Truman for "pointing stone walk round State House" and other services. (MSA S 1274-6636-68-11-4)
• TRANSCRIPTION

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1861 Session.
• (Extra Session) -  7 May - Resolved by the Senate and the House of Delegates, that the National Flag be hoisted on the State House while the General Assembly is in session.  (75) 
• (Special Session) 21 December - Ordered that the President of the Senate be requested to have one of the committee rooms in the rear of the Senate Chamber fitted up as the President's Room.  (54-55) 

• 7 March 1861 - Receipt of payment to Louis F. Gootie for finding materials and making repairs to the State House dome.  (MSA S 1274-68)
• 22 March 1861 - Receipt of payment to (?) . W. League, Jr. for work done on State House roof.  (MSA S 1274-6636-68-17-11)
• 26 March 1861 - Receipt of payment to Samuel W. Brooks for attending to the public water closets inside of the State House.  (MSA S 1274-6636-68-18-20)
• 9 July 1861 - Receipt of payment to John H. Watson for moving halliards on the steeple of the State House by order of the Governor.  (MSA S 1274-6636-68-17-20)

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1864 Session.
• 26 February - Committee on Public Buildings reports favorably on  bill entitled "An Act providing for repairs of the State House."  (576)  Passed on 7 March and sent to Senate. (781)
• 4 March - Bill entitled "An Act appropriating a sum of money for the protection of the State House and Public Property from fire" is referred to the Ways and Means Committee.  (758)  Passed and sent to Senate on 10 March.  (958-959)

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1864 Session.
• 6 January - Message of Governor Bradford to the General Assembly.  Governor comments on the repairs and alterations about the public buildings.  Notes that the builder has "very lately...converted the room under the library into four comfortable Committee Rooms and room for a Post Office."  But also explains, "The necessity for repairs about the State House will attract your attention.  The outside of the building, and especially the its roof and dome stand much in need of pant.  The venerable edifice should by no means be neglected..."  (37-38) 
• 20 January - Committee appointed to examine the condition of the State House.  (57) 
• 3 March - Leave granted Messrs. Ricaud, Stirling and Eichelberger to report a bill for the protection of the State House.  (359) 
• 9 March - Bill providing for the repairs of the State House read for the second and third times, passed and then returned to the House.  (455) 

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1867 Session.
• 19 March - Committee on Ways and Means introduces bill entitled "An Act to appropriate a sum on money to pay for paving the public property in the city of Annapolis called the State House circle."  (1018-1019)

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1867 Session.
• 22 January - Secretary of the Senate directed to cause the Senate Chamber to be furnished with mats similar to those now in use in the House Chamber.  Secretary also directed to have covered with matting, the entrances leading to the Committee Rooms of the Senate.  (80) 
• 24 January - Noted that the Secretary has made and put up good and substantial steps to the back entrance of the Senate Chamber.   (97) 
• 4 February - Secretary of the Senate authorized to have the lobby of the Senate Chamber re-arranged and more comfortable seats furnished therein.  Also, the State Librarian directed to cause a plan to be prepared for the enlargement of the State Library, embracing four additional Committee Rooms for the use of the Senate, beneath said enlargement, and also an estimate of the probable cost.  Report to be furnished to the Senate by 15 February.  (141) 
• 19 February - Secretary of the Senate directed to cause the register to be removed from its present position, and placed in the center of the Senate Chamber, beneath the chandelier.  (264) 
• 22 March - Secretary of the Senate authorized to have constructed, in the interval between the session, some suitable means of ventilating the Senate Chamber by a ventilator or ventilators in the ceiling of the Chamber to communicate with the open air by openings in the outside walls, between the ceiling and floor of the Executive Chamber.  (794) 

 

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1868 Session.
• 31 January - Bill entitled an "Act to appropriate a sum of money to repair and paint the State House and improve the grounds surrounding it ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.  (210-11)  5 Feb - Passed by Senate on 5 February.  (274)  Signed by Governor Thomas Swann on 14 February.  (403)

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1868 Session.
• 30 January - Committee on Public Buildings, of the Senate and the House reports re: site of Government House.  Committee notes that Government House's "contiguity to the State House, convenient both to the Governor and the people; will protect the State House in a great degree from being in the future marred by improvements of a character not in harmony with it."  (127-128) 
• 5 February - House bill entitled an "Act to appropriate a sum of money to repair and paint the State House, and improve the grounds surrounding it," is passed and returned to the House.  (172)

• Engraving, "State House" from an Executive Letterhead.  (Radoff, The State House at Annapolis, 54)

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1870 Session.
• 26 Jan - Committee on Public Buildings submits report relative to constructing a door from Rotunda to room occupied by Committee on Claims.  The Committee deems it inexpedient to have the door opened from the Rotunda to the room occupied by the Committee on Claims.  (146) 
• 15 March - Committee on Ways and Means reports negatively on a bill to appropriate a sum of money for repairing the sidewalk and paving the bed of the street, on the public circle surrounding the grounds of the State House.  (773) 

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1872 Session.
• 20 March - Committee on Claims introduces bill to pay a balance due on sewerage for the State House and Governor's Mansion.  (985) 
• 21 March - Bill entitled an "Act to appropriate a sum of money to heat and ventilate the State House" is read favorably.  (1023)  Bill sent to Senate 30 March. (1342-1343) 
• 30 March - Bill entitled an "Act to appropriate a sum of money to pay for necessary repairs of the State House, and paving the carriage way to the Governor's Mansion" passed and sent to the Senate.  (1326-1327) 

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1872 Session.
• 9 January - Committee on Public Buildings ordered to cause a survey of the State House to be made by one of more competent persons, to ascertain the probably cost of thoroughly repairing it; also os a suitable portico of marble or granite; also the cost of paving the streets around the State House circle, and to report such estimates to the Senate.  Assistant Doorkeeper, John Wallace, is appointed to this task.  (23)  Also, Committee on Public Buildings authorized to inquire into the probably cost of removing the water closets from the first floor of this building to that of the cellar; also, to convert the present rooms occupied for water closets to committee rooms, and report to this House.  (28) 
• 13 February - Committee on Public Buildings authorized to have a suitable drawing made for a portico for the State House; provided said drawing shall not cost over $30. (206) 
• 22 March - Senate bill entitled an "Act to appropriate a sum of money to build a portico in front of the capital building, is debated and amended.  Amended bill is entitled, an act to "Pay for necessary repairs to the State House, and for paving the carriage way to the Governor's Mansion."  (588-589)  Bill passed and  returned to the House on 23 March.  (615-616) 

• 17 March 1872 - Roger Brooke Taney (1777-1864) statue unveiled on the anniversary of Taney's birth (Radoff, The State House at Annapolis, 40)
• "The installation of the Taney Statue in 1872 was made directly on the flagging.  No arrangements to set the monument apart from the entry were made.  The statue appears to be off center as well." (Notes by Dr. E.C. Papenfuse, State Archivist.  MSA S1259-121-1706)

• 1 April 1872 - Laws of the State of Maryland, Chapter 412.  An act to appropriate a sum of money to pay for repairs of the State House, and paving the carriage way to the Governor's mansion.  From Laws of the State of Maryland, Annapolis, 1872, 730-731.

• Proceedings of the House of Delegates, 1874 Session.
• 4 March - Bill entitled an "Act to improve the ground in front of the State House in Annapolis" was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.  (615) 
• 11 March - Amendment proposed: to insert $500 for payment for act dated 4 March.  (719)  Vote postponed on 24 March.  (1010-1011) 
• 18 March - Act to appropriate a sum of money to heat and ventilate the State House is engrossed for a third reading.  (871)  Passed and sent to Senate on 31 March.  (1204) 
• 18 March - Senate bill entitled an "Act to appropriate a sum of money to remove water-closets from their present locality, and place them in the cellar of the State-House, and to make two Committee Rooms for the use of the Senate, out of the space now occupied by said water-closets" is referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.  (888)  (Bill doesn't pass the House vote on 2 April, 1305-1306) 
• 27 March - Bill entitled an "Act to authorize the payment of balance due for sewerage and furnishing water-pipes for the State House and Governor's Mansion."  Passed and sent to Senate.  (1140) 

• Proceedings of the Senate, 1874 Session.
• 12 February - Leave granted to the Committee on Public Buildings to report a bill to appropriate a sum of money to grade and pave the street around the State House.  (253) 
• 12 March - Senate bill entitled an "Act to appropriate a sum of money to remove the water-closets from their present locality, and place them in the cellar of the State House, and to make two Committee Rooms for the use of the Senate, out of the space now occupied by said water-closets," is read a second time.  The names of R.C. Holliday, John R. Blake and Augustus Gassaway added to the second section of the bill.  (540) 
• 16 March - Senate bill entitled an "Act to appropriate a sum of money to repair the foot-ways, and pave the streets around the State House," is determined in the negative. Senate to reconsider the bill.  (581)  Also, bill to remove the water-closets into the cellar is passed and sent to the House of Delegates.  (584-585) 

• Potter's American Monthly, Vol IV, No. 38, February, 1875 --"The Historic Buildings of America.; The Maryland State House At Annapolis" by Benson J Lossing, LL. D.,   (MSA SC 1456-1451) 0-10-7-70