Annapolis’ historic district, a National Historic Landmark, takes in 1,189 buildings
More historic than 95% of U.S. towns · #11 of 261 in Maryland. What drives it
23 places in town are on the National Register, among them 7 National Historic Landmarks and a historic district with 1,189 buildings. Below: 7 old photos and papers, maps from 1885 on, and the census since 1820.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1776.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Annapolis’ History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Annapolis is more historic than 95% of U.S. towns, #11 of 261 in Maryland. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Annapolis’ overall grade.
Few Maryland towns list much on the Register (a typical Maryland town has 0.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Annapolis’ 299 sits above most of its state (88% of Maryland towns have fewer) while its 1,219 historic buildings outnumber those of 99% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share (±1.8 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1649.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Annapolis’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. 7 are National Historic Landmarks, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.
A settlement in the Province of Maryland named "Providence" was founded on the north shore of the Severn River on the middle Western Shore of the Chesapeake Bay in 1649 by Puritan exiles from the Province/Dominion of Virginia led by the third Proprietary Governor of Maryland, William Stone (1603–1660). The settlers later moved to a better-protected harbor on the Severn's southern shore. The settlement on the south shore, known from 1683 as "Town at Proctor's", then "Town at the Severn", became in 1694 "Anne Arundel's Towne" (after Lady Anne Arundell (1616–1649), the late wife of the late Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore, 1605–1675).
Annapolis, attempt upon Town of 82 Annapolis is made a City 85 Annapolis has two deiegates.. 85 Annapolis merged iu A. A, C. 86 Annapolis reduced to cue del- 85 Annapolis loses it.s delegation. 85 Annapolis cont'd, as Capital.. 86
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
It was in November of this year, 1831, that the project to build a railroad between Baltimore and Annapolis was inaugurated. At the same tnne the practicability of making the road connect'Washington, as well as Baltimore, was suggested, hence came the twenty miles of road, known from its charter in 1836, as the Annapolis and Elk Ridge Railroad. It was not, however, until February 6th, 1832, tluit'the l)ill was passed to incorporate the Baltimore and Annapolis Railroad Company. Nothing appears to have come of this. In December 1836,
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Annapolis, 1649 to 1955
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Annapolis. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1892Annapolis sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Annapolis.
Every building
Annapolis, building by building, 1885–1921
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1649, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Annapolis’ post office opened in 1776, and the census of 1820 counted 2,260 people here.
How does Annapolis rank for history?
Annapolis is more historic than 95% of U.S. towns, #11 of 261 in Maryland. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Annapolis?
23 listings, 7 of them National Historic Landmarks: 19 buildings, 1 historic district, the Colonial Annapolis Historic District, with 1,189 contributing buildings, 1 site, and 2 structures. 1,219 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Annapolis?
16% of Annapolis’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.8 points), against a typical 3.3% for a Maryland town; the median home was built in 1975.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (7), Wikidata (5), the National Register of Historic Places (23), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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