Annapolis Historical Houses Tour (Self Guided), Annapolis
One of the first planned cities in colonial America, first the capital of the Colony and then of the State of Maryland, Annapolis is rich in history, predating the Revolutionary War by decades. Although many structures from its early days are either gone, destroyed by neglect, or completely renovated, several magnificent 18th-century homes are still in place and retain their original beauty.
The Hammond-Harwood House, a masterpiece of colonial architecture, stands as a testament to Annapolis's affluent past. The Chase-Lloyd House, with its Georgian-style architecture, reflects the elegance of the 18th century. Meanwhile, the William Paca House and Garden transport visitors to the lavish lifestyle of a prominent signer of the Declaration of Independence.
The Brice House and Garden offer a glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of Annapolis' elite, while the Patrick Creagh House showcases the city's architectural diversity. The Shiplap House, with its quaint appearance, is reputed to be haunted by several spirits, adding an eerie dimension to its historical charm.
Artisan's House epitomizes a typical 18th-century modest, middle-class dwelling in the city, while the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre brings the performing arts to life in a historic setting. The John Callahan House and Upton Scott House round out the list, each contributing its unique story to Annapolis's vibrant past.
Exploring these historical houses is an exciting journey through time that may be equally interesting to a history enthusiast, architecture buff, or anyone simply curious about the city's yesteryear. So, whenever you're in Annapolis, consider taking this self-guided walk and acquaint yourself with the stories of these fascinating properties. Your adventure awaits!
The Hammond-Harwood House, a masterpiece of colonial architecture, stands as a testament to Annapolis's affluent past. The Chase-Lloyd House, with its Georgian-style architecture, reflects the elegance of the 18th century. Meanwhile, the William Paca House and Garden transport visitors to the lavish lifestyle of a prominent signer of the Declaration of Independence.
The Brice House and Garden offer a glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of Annapolis' elite, while the Patrick Creagh House showcases the city's architectural diversity. The Shiplap House, with its quaint appearance, is reputed to be haunted by several spirits, adding an eerie dimension to its historical charm.
Artisan's House epitomizes a typical 18th-century modest, middle-class dwelling in the city, while the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre brings the performing arts to life in a historic setting. The John Callahan House and Upton Scott House round out the list, each contributing its unique story to Annapolis's vibrant past.
Exploring these historical houses is an exciting journey through time that may be equally interesting to a history enthusiast, architecture buff, or anyone simply curious about the city's yesteryear. So, whenever you're in Annapolis, consider taking this self-guided walk and acquaint yourself with the stories of these fascinating properties. Your adventure awaits!
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Annapolis Historical Houses Tour Map
Guide Name: Annapolis Historical Houses Tour
Guide Location: USA » Annapolis (See other walking tours in Annapolis)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 10
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Author: AudreyB
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
Guide Location: USA » Annapolis (See other walking tours in Annapolis)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 10
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Author: AudreyB
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
- Hammond-Harwood House
- Chase-Lloyd House
- William Paca House and Garden
- Brice House and Garden
- Patrick Creagh House
- Shiplap House
- Artisan's House (Hogshead )
- Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre
- John Callahan House
- Upton Scott House
1) Hammond-Harwood House
The Hammond-Harwood House is a historic mansion built in 1774 for Matthias Hammond, a lawyer and planter. The house was designed by architect William Buckland, who used ideas from the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. Buckland followed plans published in Palladio’s famous book I Quattro Libri dell’Architettura. Because of this, the building is often studied as one of the clearest examples of Palladian design used in an early American home.
The brick house was designed with balanced proportions and tall windows. A central main section connects to smaller wings through curved passageways, forming a symmetrical layout. Inside are plaster ceilings, carved woodwork, and a staircase that reflect the craftsmanship of colonial homes.
The property stayed in private hands for many years before preservation began in the twentieth century. In 1940 the Hammond-Harwood House Association bought the building and opened it as a museum. Today the rooms display furniture, paintings, and decorative objects from the eighteenth century. Guided tours help visitors learn about the architecture of the house and the daily lives of the families who once lived there.
The brick house was designed with balanced proportions and tall windows. A central main section connects to smaller wings through curved passageways, forming a symmetrical layout. Inside are plaster ceilings, carved woodwork, and a staircase that reflect the craftsmanship of colonial homes.
The property stayed in private hands for many years before preservation began in the twentieth century. In 1940 the Hammond-Harwood House Association bought the building and opened it as a museum. Today the rooms display furniture, paintings, and decorative objects from the eighteenth century. Guided tours help visitors learn about the architecture of the house and the daily lives of the families who once lived there.
2) Chase-Lloyd House
Construction began in 1769 for Samuel Chase, a lawyer who later signed the Declaration of Independence and served on the United States Supreme Court. After financial problems, he sold the unfinished house in 1771 to Edward Lloyd IV, a wealthy planter and future governor of Maryland. Lloyd completed the mansion as a town residence for his family. The interior design is often linked to architect William Buckland.
The building reflects the Georgian style common among wealthy families in the eighteenth century. The three-story brick house has a balanced design with tall windows and a central entrance with stone details. Inside, large rooms were used for daily life and gatherings, with a cantilevered staircase and a Palladian window bringing natural light into the interior.
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries the house welcomed visitors such as George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, who visited in 1824. In 1884 it became the Chase Home, a charitable residence for elderly women created by Hester Ann Chase Ridout, serving this role for over 130 years. Residential use ended in 2020, and today the first floor and gardens are open for tours.
The building reflects the Georgian style common among wealthy families in the eighteenth century. The three-story brick house has a balanced design with tall windows and a central entrance with stone details. Inside, large rooms were used for daily life and gatherings, with a cantilevered staircase and a Palladian window bringing natural light into the interior.
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries the house welcomed visitors such as George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, who visited in 1824. In 1884 it became the Chase Home, a charitable residence for elderly women created by Hester Ann Chase Ridout, serving this role for over 130 years. Residential use ended in 2020, and today the first floor and gardens are open for tours.
3) William Paca House and Garden (must see)
William Paca House and Garden is a historic home built in the early 1760s for William Paca, a lawyer and political leader who later signed the Declaration of Independence. He was active in the colonial government of Maryland and served as governor from 1782 to 1785. In the twentieth century the house and garden were restored so visitors could see how a wealthy colonial household once lived.
The mansion is built of brick in the Georgian style, which was popular in the eighteenth century. Its design is balanced, with a central section connected to smaller wings by curved passageways. Inside, the rooms were arranged for both daily life and formal gatherings. Today visitors can walk through several restored rooms with period furniture, fireplaces, wood paneling, and decorative plaster ceilings that show how an upper-class household lived before the American Revolution.
Behind the house is a two-acre garden designed in a formal, symmetrical layout. By the mid-twentieth century the original garden had disappeared, but archaeologists studied the site in the 1960s and helped recreate its historic design. Brick paths divide the garden into terraces, with flower beds, small lawns, and shaded areas. A long reflecting pond runs through the center and leads the eye toward a small summerhouse at the far end.
The garden was not only decorative but also practical. Fruit trees, herbs, and vegetables were grown here for the household kitchen. The layout reflected popular garden design of the eighteenth century. From the upper terraces, visitors can look back at the house and see how the building and garden were planned as one space.
The mansion is built of brick in the Georgian style, which was popular in the eighteenth century. Its design is balanced, with a central section connected to smaller wings by curved passageways. Inside, the rooms were arranged for both daily life and formal gatherings. Today visitors can walk through several restored rooms with period furniture, fireplaces, wood paneling, and decorative plaster ceilings that show how an upper-class household lived before the American Revolution.
Behind the house is a two-acre garden designed in a formal, symmetrical layout. By the mid-twentieth century the original garden had disappeared, but archaeologists studied the site in the 1960s and helped recreate its historic design. Brick paths divide the garden into terraces, with flower beds, small lawns, and shaded areas. A long reflecting pond runs through the center and leads the eye toward a small summerhouse at the far end.
The garden was not only decorative but also practical. Fruit trees, herbs, and vegetables were grown here for the household kitchen. The layout reflected popular garden design of the eighteenth century. From the upper terraces, visitors can look back at the house and see how the building and garden were planned as one space.
4) Brice House and Garden
Brice House and Garden is a large historic home from the colonial period. The house was built for James Brice, a lawyer, merchant, and later mayor who also served as acting governor of Maryland. Construction lasted about seven years, from 1767 to 1773, and used around 326,000 bricks, according to Brice’s records. The building was constructed by enslaved, indentured, and free workers, and later became part of preservation efforts in the twentieth century.
The house is built of brick in the Georgian style common in the eighteenth-century colonies. It is a five-part mansion with a central block and smaller wings, and although the exterior appears symmetrical, the interior layout is uneven with an offset hallway. The design follows the “Annapolis Plan,” where the main drawing room faces the garden. Because of its heavier proportions, the James Brice House is sometimes called the “awkward middle child” among the area’s pre-Revolutionary mansions.
Behind the house is a historic garden studied through archaeological research. Excavations revealed how the grounds were used and uncovered small spiritual objects placed under floorboards by enslaved residents. Today the property is undergoing a major restoration led by Historic Annapolis to return it to its appearance around 1774, so the interior is not yet open for regular visits.
The house is built of brick in the Georgian style common in the eighteenth-century colonies. It is a five-part mansion with a central block and smaller wings, and although the exterior appears symmetrical, the interior layout is uneven with an offset hallway. The design follows the “Annapolis Plan,” where the main drawing room faces the garden. Because of its heavier proportions, the James Brice House is sometimes called the “awkward middle child” among the area’s pre-Revolutionary mansions.
Behind the house is a historic garden studied through archaeological research. Excavations revealed how the grounds were used and uncovered small spiritual objects placed under floorboards by enslaved residents. Today the property is undergoing a major restoration led by Historic Annapolis to return it to its appearance around 1774, so the interior is not yet open for regular visits.
5) Patrick Creagh House
Patrick Creagh House is a historic brick home built between 1735 and 1747 during the colonial period, when trade and shipping were expanding along the Chesapeake Bay. Patrick Creagh, a local craftsman, built the house as a modest residence connected with everyday working life. Unlike the larger homes owned by wealthy merchants or officials, it reflects the world of workers, tradesmen, and small business activity in the eighteenth century.
The house was enlarged in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. In the early nineteenth century it was purchased by John Smith, a free African American resident whose wife operated Aunt Lucy’s Bakeshop at the corner of Main and Greene Streets. Some interior walls still show marks believed to come from Civil War gunfire, and the backyard was later used in home remodeling advertisements.
Today, Patrick Creagh House helps visitors understand what a simpler colonial home looked like. Rather than being remembered for grand architecture, it represents everyday urban life before the American Revolution and the type of housing once used by the artisan and tradesman class. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 29, 1973.
The house was enlarged in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. In the early nineteenth century it was purchased by John Smith, a free African American resident whose wife operated Aunt Lucy’s Bakeshop at the corner of Main and Greene Streets. Some interior walls still show marks believed to come from Civil War gunfire, and the backyard was later used in home remodeling advertisements.
Today, Patrick Creagh House helps visitors understand what a simpler colonial home looked like. Rather than being remembered for grand architecture, it represents everyday urban life before the American Revolution and the type of housing once used by the artisan and tradesman class. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 29, 1973.
6) Shiplap House
Shiplap House is a small wooden building from the early eighteenth century and one of the oldest surviving frame houses in the area. It was likely built around 1715, when the nearby harbor was active with trade on the Chesapeake Bay. The building later operated as a tavern where sailors, merchants, and residents gathered. Today it serves as the headquarters of the Historic Annapolis Foundation, which works to protect historic buildings and share local history.
The house gets its name from its exterior walls, which are covered with horizontal wooden boards called shiplap. Each board overlaps the next to protect the building from wind and rain, a method also used in shipbuilding. The structure is small and narrow, with a steep roof and a simple layout typical of early colonial homes.
Inside, the rooms were arranged for everyday activities such as cooking, resting, and meeting visitors. When the building worked as a tavern, these spaces were used by travelers and workers connected with shipping and trade. The structure still shows the size and style of a practical early eighteenth-century building.
The house gets its name from its exterior walls, which are covered with horizontal wooden boards called shiplap. Each board overlaps the next to protect the building from wind and rain, a method also used in shipbuilding. The structure is small and narrow, with a steep roof and a simple layout typical of early colonial homes.
Inside, the rooms were arranged for everyday activities such as cooking, resting, and meeting visitors. When the building worked as a tavern, these spaces were used by travelers and workers connected with shipping and trade. The structure still shows the size and style of a practical early eighteenth-century building.
7) Artisan's House (Hogshead )
Artisan’s House is a small historic building that shows how ordinary workers once lived and worked in this colonial port community. It is a rare surviving example of a modest wood-frame dwelling used by tradespeople. Craftsmen such as carpenters and cabinetmakers often lived and worked in the same building. The structure is also known as Hogshead, a nickname connected to its later history.
The house reflects the practical design of simple colonial homes. It is a one-and-a-half-story frame building with a gambrel roof and a brick foundation laid in the English bond pattern. Its hall-parlor layout allowed part of the building to serve as a workspace while the rest was used for family life. Excavations in the basement uncovered a brick floor, a large cooking fireplace, and a beehive oven used for daily cooking.
Records from 1777 show the building was used as a small barracks for military recruits during the American Revolutionary War. The nickname “Hogshead” likely refers to how soldiers were crowded inside the small structure, similar to tobacco packed into large hogshead barrels for transport. Today the building is preserved by Historic Annapolis as the Hogshead Trades Museum, where interpreters demonstrate eighteenth-century trades and explain the daily life of the town’s working residents.
The house reflects the practical design of simple colonial homes. It is a one-and-a-half-story frame building with a gambrel roof and a brick foundation laid in the English bond pattern. Its hall-parlor layout allowed part of the building to serve as a workspace while the rest was used for family life. Excavations in the basement uncovered a brick floor, a large cooking fireplace, and a beehive oven used for daily cooking.
Records from 1777 show the building was used as a small barracks for military recruits during the American Revolutionary War. The nickname “Hogshead” likely refers to how soldiers were crowded inside the small structure, similar to tobacco packed into large hogshead barrels for transport. Today the building is preserved by Historic Annapolis as the Hogshead Trades Museum, where interpreters demonstrate eighteenth-century trades and explain the daily life of the town’s working residents.
8) Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre
The Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre is an outdoor community theater that has entertained audiences since 1966. It was founded by local volunteers who wanted to bring live performances to an open-air setting during the warm months. The nonprofit theater still relies on volunteers for acting, directing, and stage work. Its season usually runs from late May through early September.
Unlike traditional theaters, this venue is built as an open-air stage with seating arranged around it. Shows take place outside, so performances often begin while there is still some daylight and continue as evening falls. Stage lights and simple sets help bring each production to life, while the outdoor setting creates a casual and welcoming atmosphere for audiences.
The theater focuses mainly on comedies, musicals, and other light, family-friendly productions. Over the years the theater has staged many popular Broadway and off-Broadway shows adapted for its smaller outdoor stage. Most productions feature local actors, musicians, and crew members, many of whom return each season. For visitors, a performance here offers an easygoing summer evening of community theater under the open sky.
Unlike traditional theaters, this venue is built as an open-air stage with seating arranged around it. Shows take place outside, so performances often begin while there is still some daylight and continue as evening falls. Stage lights and simple sets help bring each production to life, while the outdoor setting creates a casual and welcoming atmosphere for audiences.
The theater focuses mainly on comedies, musicals, and other light, family-friendly productions. Over the years the theater has staged many popular Broadway and off-Broadway shows adapted for its smaller outdoor stage. Most productions feature local actors, musicians, and crew members, many of whom return each season. For visitors, a performance here offers an easygoing summer evening of community theater under the open sky.
9) John Callahan House
The John Callahan House is a historic brick residence built around 1785–1790 for John Callahan, a prominent government official of the late eighteenth century. Callahan served as the Register of the Western Shore Land Office from 1778 until his death in 1803 and was also a lieutenant colonel in the local militia. At that time, officials often built town houses near the main civic areas of the growing port community.
The house reflects Georgian and early Federal styles from the years after the American Revolution. It has a balanced design with a side-gabled roof and a gable-end front, an unusual feature for the time. The brickwork uses Flemish and English bond patterns, and the sash windows have 12-over-12 or 12-over-8 panes. Inside are wood details from the 1780s and a four-room layout with a stair hall in the front corner.
The building has an unusual history because it was moved more than once to prevent demolition. Around 1900–1901 it was relocated to another nearby site, and in 1972 it was moved again to its present location. At one time the house also served as the infirmary for St. John’s College before returning to residential use.
The house reflects Georgian and early Federal styles from the years after the American Revolution. It has a balanced design with a side-gabled roof and a gable-end front, an unusual feature for the time. The brickwork uses Flemish and English bond patterns, and the sash windows have 12-over-12 or 12-over-8 panes. Inside are wood details from the 1780s and a four-room layout with a stair hall in the front corner.
The building has an unusual history because it was moved more than once to prevent demolition. Around 1900–1901 it was relocated to another nearby site, and in 1972 it was moved again to its present location. At one time the house also served as the infirmary for St. John’s College before returning to residential use.
10) Upton Scott House
Upton Scott House is a brick home built in 1762 for Dr. Upton Scott, a physician who practiced during the colonial period. He later helped establish the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland, one of the oldest state medical societies in the United States. The house reflects the life of a professional living in a busy port community before the American Revolution.
The house was built in the Georgian style, which was common in the eighteenth century. It has a balanced front design and rises two and a half stories. Inside, a central hallway divides the rooms on each side, a layout often used in houses of that time. Some rooms were used for daily family life, while others likely served as spaces where Dr. Scott met and treated patients, since doctors often worked from their homes.
The property once included a garden where Scott likely grew medicinal plants for treatments. Herbs were commonly used in eighteenth-century medicine, and doctors often prepared remedies themselves. Today the house helps visitors understand how a physician lived and worked in the colonial period.
The house was built in the Georgian style, which was common in the eighteenth century. It has a balanced front design and rises two and a half stories. Inside, a central hallway divides the rooms on each side, a layout often used in houses of that time. Some rooms were used for daily family life, while others likely served as spaces where Dr. Scott met and treated patients, since doctors often worked from their homes.
The property once included a garden where Scott likely grew medicinal plants for treatments. Herbs were commonly used in eighteenth-century medicine, and doctors often prepared remedies themselves. Today the house helps visitors understand how a physician lived and worked in the colonial period.
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