Annapolis, Maryland

October 30, 2024 – I have always wanted to visit Annapolis, the historical waterfront town and capital of Maryland. Located on the Chesapeake Bay, the nautical area oozes charm and a distinguished 300-year history. It is one of the most beautiful, walkable towns of New England with quaint streets full of shops, boutiques, restaurants, museums and more.

Most impressive of all is the U.S. Naval Academy, established in 1845. Our first stop there was the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center. This caught my eye, as the Leftwich name goes way back in my family history. The visitor center is named after a distant relative and war hero, William Groom Leftwich.

A handful of buildings at the academy are open to the public. We stopped at Bancroft Hall, the largest student dormitory in the country with 1,700 rooms.

*Bancroft Hall, the country’s largest student dormitory*

Within Bancroft Hall, you can visit the very moving Rotunda in Memorial Hall. There are plaques and honor rolls with the names of 2,600 Naval Academy alumni who have died in action.

*Memorial Hall, located within Bancroft Hall, memorializes alumni who have died*

The U.S. Naval Academy Museum has two floors of interesting exhibits about the history of naval power.

Currently, the museum features a collection of about two dozen model ships made out of bone by French prisoners of war during the Napoleonic Wars.

*Ship models made from bone by French prisoners of war*

*Incredible ship models made from bone built by French Prisoners of War*

The famous “Don’t Give Up the Ship” flag is also displayed in the museum. This flag honors Commodore Perry’s rallying cry at the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813.

The warship models in the museum’s Gallery of Ships exhibit are incredible. This is considered the world’s finest collection of ship models from the “Age of Sail” in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. These exquisite wooden models were crafted within a few years of the actual ships being built, so they are extremely true to life, and showcase the evolution of ship design.

We also walked through the gorgeous Dahlgren Hall. It has a rich history beginning in 1903 as an armory and also hosted festive celebrations such as dances.