March 24, 2026, Dover Delaware and Annapolis Maryland
I thought we had already experienced the shortest capitol tour but then we went to Dover. An hour later and a long drive over the Chesapeake Bay, we whisked through the Capitol in Annapolis. Both are small Capitol buildings with neither one offering a guided tour while we were there. Needless to say, we breezed through pretty quickly, most likely missing out on some fun stories. We ended up visiting three capitols on this day, with two more planned for the next two days, so pull up your britches, sit back, and hang on for the ride!
Delaware
We arrived from our hotel a few minutes before the building opened at 8:00 A.M. as we had a long drive ahead. This one had the best parking of any Capitol yet, or as far as we can remember. However, we had to walk around the building to the East side to get in, and the wind was super cold in the morning!
The building had a colonial vibe from the outside. Not Greek, not Roman, or anything fancy, although they do have a spire with a dome. The building looked like it “fit” Delaware, the first state in the Union. A Revolutionary War monument presides over the front of the building.
The security guard stamped our passport, then pointed us to the slick brochures to start our self-guided tour. Tim was our designated tour guide. They have one of the biggest brochures, or booklet we should say, of the smaller states we have visited. Then again, they included a bunch of legislative pages in case you want to propose a bill.
After passing through security, the grand staircase is immediately in front of you, and we also noticed the Senate and House directly to the right and left of us. Not upstairs (the gallery is up there). Not down a lengthy hallway. Just a few steps away and you are in the Chambers. Like I said, small building!
Each of the Chambers have five murals, which Tim read about from the brochure descriptions. That was probably the most interesting piece in the building. Here’s a sample.
Perhaps it was the missing tour guide, or maybe we were tired from the early morning start, but we both left this Capitol feeling a bit underwhelmed. On the upside, we did get that 35th stamp!
On another note, in 1933 the building we toured in Dover replaced the original one, which still stands! Here’s a picture of the old state house, located in the First State National Historic Park, worthy of a drive-through visit.
Maryland
After leaving Dover, we crossed over the Chesapeake Bay on quite a long bridge to get to Annapolis. We decided to visit these two capitols on this particular road trip because you really have to plan ahead to go there; they aren’t on any typical drive path. We didn’t make it when we were pulling the Airstream collecting all the New England states, so this road trip in the Santa Fe was as good as any.
After going down the tiny roads around the Maryland State House, we were so glad we didn’t pull our Classy Girl behind us!
Two school buses blocked the one-way street in front of the Capitol, while letting off large groups of students. Unfortunately, we ran into those students throughout the tiny building — many times. The upside was hearing the docent telling their group some of the stories while we meandered through the various rooms. However, we missed several statues and paintings due to student obstruction.
One inside, security will kindly stamp your passport in this Capitol. State #36 in our book! Picture ID is mandatory to get in. Visitor stickers are also required.
Rotunda
Unlike the building in Dover, this one has a rotunda beneath the dome. At first it seemed a bit prosaic when we looked up, but then we read the following from the brochure.
The rotunda is the space below the dome and is the center of the 18th-century State House, built between 1772–79. The dome was added to the building between 1785–94.
Under the dome is the case displaying George Washington’s personal copy of the speech he gave resigning his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the Old Senate Chamber on December 23, 1783.
Considered by historians to be the fourth most important document in American history, Washington’s resignation from power set the important precedent of the military being under civilian authority.
Fun Fact
This the largest wooden dome of its kind in North America, built entirely without nails!
Uh, yeah, that increased our wow factor for sure. You would be impressed as well.
This is the old Senate Chamber. It is restored to its original beauty, and a statue of George Washington stands in the same spot where he gave his resignation speech.
This is a picture of the original document which they have on display beneath the rotunda. The penmanship is so beautiful!
We really wanted to go up there! One school class took their picture here. Barriers didn’t keep them off the stairs! 🤪😂
These internal staircases contain a lot of American history, with photos.
This staircase tells the story of the visitors who came to the capitol, and what they accomplished.
The State House Caucus Room
Okay, I admit. This is quite impressive. In the State House Caucus Room there is a large display of The USS Maryland Silver Service. The brochure tells more of the story behind the stories hammered into the silver. The set was partially paid for by money raised by Maryland school children for the cruiser USS Maryland in 1906.
“This service was a tour-de-force for Samuel Kirk & Son Co., Inc. of Baltimore, and each piece is decorated using the firm’s famous repoussé technique of hammering designs onto the pieces from the reverse side. More than thirty artisans worked on the service for six months. Each of the 167 scenes was meticulously researched, and Kirk’s artisans relied on drawings, photographs, and published sources for accuracy” From the Brochure.
House and Senate Chambers
Legislature was in session while we were there, so we could only peek into the current chambers for a moment to take a quick picture.
A Few Fun Facts
- Breath-taking ornamental cherry trees in full bloom in front of the Capitol. My favorite part!
- The dome is the largest wooden dome of its kind in North America, built entirely without nails!
- The only statehouse to have served as the nation’s capitol (see left).
- The oldest statehouse in America still in continuous legislative use.
- George Washington resigned here, and his original resignation letter is on display inside the rotunda.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
“I am the Lord, who heals you.” ~Exodus 15:26
My relationship with Jesus Christ motivates me to keep blogging. Though I have metastatic breast cancer*, my faith helps me survive, thrive, and feel alive while staying active. Without Him, I couldn’t achieve anything. With His help, well, my accomplishments speak for themselves on my blog. If you’re interested in learning about building a relationship with Jesus, feel free to comment below. I will never sell or share your email.
*Metastatic breast cancer is Stage IV cancer. Metastatic, or metastasis, means the cancer has spread beyond the original location (breast and immediate lymph nodes). In 2016 the doctors found significant metastasis to my bones, skull, liver, and lungs; then in 2018 to the brain. However, with chemo, immunotherapy, gamma knife, and of course my faith in the Lord, it is all undetectable at this point. I continue in treatment every three weeks via infusions, and receive multiple scans on a regular basis. If you or someone you know has metastatic breast cancer, I recommend these organizations for additional support:
Metavivor and Unite for Her (also for ovarian cancer)