Celebrate Maryland 375!

This year, 2009, marks the 375th anniversary of Maryland’s founding. At Historic St. Mary's City, you are invited to join us for special activities and festivities celebrating the occasion. We hope you were able to join us for the big celebration on June 20.

During Maryland's anniversary year, we invite you to consider the reasons that Maryland’s first capital at St. Mary’s City deserves a special place in the shared history of our nation.

The National Historic Landmark at St. Mary’s City is the best preserved founding site of a 17th-century English colony in North America. St. Mary’s City was the scene of many notable events in America’s early history, among them:

• Maryland’s founders implemented the first freedom of conscience policy in America, allowing all trinitarians to practice the faith their conscience dictated, and then passed the first law mandating religious liberty in 1649. When challenged, the colony also upheld that right for at least one non-Christian. St. Mary’s leaders made the first efforts to free religion from government in America.
• This was the founding place of the Roman Catholic faith and location of the first Catholic chapel in English America as well as the location of the first Protestant (Anglican) church in Maryland.
  
• Here, in 1648, Margaret Brent became the first woman to petition for the right to vote in English America.
• In 1642, Mathias de Sousa was the first man of African descent to participate in a legislature in English America.
• And there's more. . .!
  
  

This anniversary is a great time for every Maryland citizen and every U.S. citizen, to discover the state’s contributions to the freedoms we enjoy today -- and to have a little fun!

We’re not the only ones celebrating! Find out about special packages, events, and deals offered by St. Mary’s County lodging, sites,and attractions throughout the year at the Maryland 375 website!