Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, offers War of 1812 enthusiasts a host of reasons to visit during Maryland's Star-Spangled 200 celebration.
While no land or sea battles were fought in or near Annapolis, many points of interest here have connections to the War of 1812. The largest of these is the United States Naval Academy.
As part of its ongoing War of 1812 Bicentennial commemoration, the Naval Academy will open a 2,500 square foot exhibition on the War of 1812 in the Hart Room at Mahan Hall on Monday, April 1. The exhibition brings together hundreds of artifacts, historic maritime paintings, and ship models from the Naval Academy Museum and 86 artifacts and pieces of artwork on loan from the collection of William I. Koch. The free exhibition runs through November 3, 2013.
The exhibit is part of a Seas, Lakes & Bay: The Naval War of 1812 walking tour that celebrates the War of 1812's 200th anniversary. Available through October 2014, the tour includes 10 stops, five at the U.S. Naval Academy and five in Annapolis's Historic District.
Copies of the tour map are available at the USNA Visitor Center, USNA Museum, Maryland State House, Historic Annapolis Museum at 99 Main Street, and the Visitors Center at 26 West Street. .
A new exhibit at the Maryland State House, The Enemy Nearly all 'round Us, looks at how the War of 1812 affected the lives of free and enslaved Annapolitans.
For information about these and other 2013 events, visit the Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau at www.VisitAnnapolis.org.
Star-Spangled 200 is Maryland's three-year commemoration of the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner. Events kicked off in June 2012 with Star-Spangled Sailabration in Baltimore and continue in Annapolis with the June 12-16, 2013 From Enemies to Allies: An International Conference on the War of 1812 and its Aftermath and Cross-Tech: Cyber Defense in the 21st Century.
Visit www.starspangled200.org for more information about these and other commemoration events.
For more information about top events in Maryland take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Maryland.