50 Interesting & Fun Facts About Maryland State to Discover

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Maryland is one of the oldest states in the US, which means it has a lot of history to learn about. It's where Babe Ruth, Thurgood Marshall, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman were born and where Edgar Allan Poe died.

Within its borders, the first telegram was received, the first umbrella factory was built, and the first dental school was opened. It's often called "America in Miniature" for its natural diversity. Additionally, it's famous for the seafood pulled out of the Chesapeake bay and its tributaries.

It's also a very culturally diverse place. Most racial and ethnic groups are represented here. It joins Texas, Hawaii, California, New Mexico, and Nevada as one of the six majority-minority states in the country.

Read on to discover 50 interesting and fun facts about Maryland state. Learning about this unique state will make you want to plan a visit!

50 Maryland State Facts

Maryland Fun Facts

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Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore founded the Maryland Colony

In 1632, Cecil Calvert was awarded a royal charter from King Charles I. Despite being the new colony's first proprietor, he never set foot on Maryland soil.

He sent his younger brother, Leanard, across the Atlantic Ocean. Cecil remained in North Yorkshire, England where he managed both Maryland and Newfoundland from afar.

Maryland's nickname is both the Old Line State and the Free State

A fun fact about Maryland is that it's honored with not one but two nicknames. The Old Line State comes from the reliability of Maryland troops holding their line during the Revolutionary War.

The second Maryland nickname, Free State, refers to Maryland's 1864 constitution that outlawed slavery. It later took on additional meaning when a national amendment prohibiting alcohol was being debated. Writing satirically, a Baltimore Sun contributor proposed secession and the creation of a "Maryland Free State" rather than banning booze.

Maryland's flag is the country's most unique

The state flag of Maryland is one of the most eye-popping in the nation. It was first flown in 1880 at the 150th anniversary of Baltimore's founding.

Both crests represent the heritage of the Calverts, the family name of the Lords Baltimore. The yellow and black fields are the arms of the Calverts themselves, and the red and white fields are the arms of George Calvert's mother, the Crossland family.

The capital of Annapolis was the "Athens of America"

Maryland's capital city, Annapolis, was once considered the "Athens of America". It even uses the Greek suffix "polis," meaning "city," to cement the title.

Interestingly, Annapolis was not the city's first name. It was named Providence by its original Puritan settlers and later renamed Anne Arundel's Towne after the wife of Lord Baltimore.

The nation's first dental school was in Maryland

The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (BCDS) was established in 1840 by the General Assembly of Maryland. This made it the first dental school in the nation and helped establish dentistry as a science.

Other states soon established dental schools of their own. Each of these looked to BCDS as the prototype, making it hugely influential.

Johns Hopkins University started with the largest bequest in US history

Johns Hopkins was a Maryland entrepreneur and philanthropist who lived from 1795-1873. Upon his death, he bequeathed a then-record $7 million to be used for a hospital, orphanage, and university.

One of those results was Johns Hopkins University, founded in 1876. One of the fun facts about Maryland is that its School of Medicine remains one of the most prestigious in the United States.

The Atlantic Coastal Plain is one of Maryland's five geographic regions

Maryland is home to five main geographic regions. The largest is the Atlantic coastal plain which includes marshes, shoreline, and fertile farmland.

The other four regions combined take up less than half of the state. They are the Piedmont, Blue Ridge, Appalachian Valley, and Appalachian Plateau regions.

The Maryland Blue Crab is the official state crustacean

The Maryland Blue Crab is an important part of the region's culinary culture. As a result, it is the official state crustacean of Maryland.

If you're wondering how many states have official crustaceans, the answer is not many. The only other states with such a distinction are Oregon, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Maine.

Maryland's population is over six million

Maryland has a population of just over six million people. This ranks it as the 18th most populous state in the country. This means there are more people in Maryland than there are in all of Ireland, Mongolia, or New Zealand! Most of this population is found in Baltimore and the areas surrounding Washington, D.C.

Maryland is 12,407 square miles

Though it has a large population, one of the fun Maryland facts is that it's only 12,406 square miles in size. This makes it the 42nd largest state out of a total of fifty. Vermont, Hawaii, and Delaware are a few of the states that are smaller than Maryland.

The Potomac River forms Maryland's border with Washington, D.C.

The Potomac River forms part of the border between Maryland and Washington, D.C.. It is 405 miles long with a 14,700 square-mile drainage area.

It's also one of the most important waterways in Maryland. Keeping it clean is one of the main ways that the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem is being protected.

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United States Naval Academy is located in Annapolis

The United States Naval Academy was established in Annapolis in 1845 by Navy Secretary George Bancroft. It's one of the oldest service academies in the US, second only to the Military Academy at West Point.

Midshipmen for the US Navy and Marines receive their officer training here. The entire campus is called "The Yard" and is a National Historic Landmark.

Maryland's state tree is the White Oak

White Oak trees are tall, slow-growing trees found in eastern and central North America. In 1941, this species was named the state tree of Maryland.

The Wye Oak was the name of a 500-year-old White Oak that grew in Talbot County. Before it died in 2002, it was the tallest White Oak on record at ninety-six feet tall.

The world's first long-distance telegram was sent to Baltimore

In 1844, inventor Samuel F.B. Morse sent the world's first long-distance telegram from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore. The ominous message read, "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT."

Telegraphs use a series of dots and dashes called Morse Code. It was revolutionary, allowing near-instant communication as far as the wires could reach.

Maryland's largest city is Baltimore

Another of the fun facts about the state of Maryland is that Baltimore is its largest city, with around 600,000 people calling it home. It's also one of its oldest, established in 1729 during colonial times.

Baltimore's population peaked at nearly 1,000,000 in the 1950s, when it was the 6th largest in the US. Its main attractions today are its Inner Harbor, its Aquarium, and the professional sports stadiums for Orioles baseball and Ravens football.

Interesting Facts About Maryland

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The Maryland Gazette is one of the oldest newspaper in the United States

The Maryland Gazette, now the Capital Gazette, began publishing in 1729. This makes the newspaper even older than the United States.

In 1776, it was one of the first newspapers to print the Declaration of Independence. It must have been a busy day, though, as the historic document was all the way back on page 3.

Fisher's Popcorn comes from Maryland

Popcorn lovers will find the origins of Fisher's Popcorn one of the most interesting facts about Maryland. The family-run franchise began in 1937 in Ocean City and can still be found wafting along the beach.

Today, Fisher's can ship anywhere in the country. You can try their famous caramel or get a taste of Maryland with their Old Bay flavor.

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Babe Ruth was born in Maryland

Before gaining sports celebrity status with the New York Yankees, George Herman "Babe" Ruth was born in Baltimore in 1895. In fact, a long fly ball from the Orioles' current stadium might hit his old house on Emory Street!

Before making it big, he played with the Baltimore Orioles when they were a minor league team. Today the city honors his legend at the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum.

The first successful manned balloon flight in the United States was in Baltimore

One of the most interesting facts of Maryland is its role in the exhilarating and terrifying history of flight. Long before the Wright Brothers built airplanes, people were taking to the sky in balloons.

The first successful human-crewed balloon flight in the United States was by 13-year-old Edward Warren. Due to calm weather, he both launched and landed in Baltimore.

Maryland's unique shape is mostly due to geography

Of all of the states in the US, Maryland probably has the most unique outline. The biggest reason for this is geography, with the Chesapeake Bay nearly splitting it in half.

Additionally, both Pennsylvania and Delaware hem it in with conspicuously straight political borders. The result is two sections where Maryland is less than ten miles across and another part that is less than one!

The Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 standardized firefighting equipment

The Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 was devastating. It scorched 1,500 buildings over 140 acres and destroyed an estimated $100 million of property.

When firefighters from around the region rushed to help, many found their hose fittings weren't compatible with Baltimore's hydrants. This led to the standardization of firefighting equipment for future emergencies of this scale.

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The first female Professor of Medicine is a Johns Hopkins Graduate

When Johns Hopkins School of Medicine opened in 1893, it was one of the few co-ed colleges in the United States. In 1900, a woman named Florence Sabin graduated and quickly joined the faculty.

One of the interesting Maryland facts to remember, she became the first woman to be named a full professor at a medical college in 1917.

Maryland has been settled for over 10,000 years

Native American groups have lived in Maryland for at least 10,000 years. The first group settled the region after following mammoth and other animal herds.

By 1,000 BCE, over 8,000 people across forty tribes lived in the region. They mostly spoke Algonquin languages, and they grew peas, corn, and squash to complement their hunting.

The first person to reach the Geographic North Pole was a Marylander

In the early 20th century, the race to each of the planet's poles captivated the world. The expedition to the North Pole, led by Robert Peary, claimed success on April 6th, 1909.

However, just leading the voyage didn't make him the first to arrive there. Matthew Henson, an African-American man from Maryland, was the first known person to stand on the Geographic North Pole.

The world's first umbrella factory was in Maryland

Umbrellas have been around since Ancient Egypt, but the world's first umbrella factory was built in Baltimore, Maryland.

A German immigrant named Francis Beehler established the Beehler Umbrella Factory in 1828. His catchy slogan "Born in Baltimore, Raised Everywhere" likely contributed to his success.

Weird Facts About Maryland

Edgar Allan Poe died mysteriously in Baltimore

Edgar Allan Poe's macabre poetry and short stories have made him one of America's weirdest and most beloved authors. In keeping with this, his own demise is one of the weirdest state facts about Maryland.

In October 1849, Poe was found delirious and wearing someone else's clothes in the gutters of Baltimore. He died a few days later after repeating the name "Reynolds."

Accident, Maryland really started with an accident

When it comes to cities and towns with unusual names, sometimes the reason is lost to history. Fortunately, that's not the case with Accident, Maryland.

In the 1770s, two surveying teams were exploring the Appalachians unbeknownst to each other. By accident, they both concluded the same area was ideal for settlement. Can you guess what they called that place?

The Baltimore accent is very distinct

Baltimore (also pronounced Bawlmer or Baldamore) has a fascinating set of accents that can be difficult to pin down. Many of its dialects have merging vowels and dropped sounds that can leave visitors scratching their heads. If you get the chance, stop by an O's game and ask residents to say, "Aaron earned an iron urn" or "Down to the beach."

The Ouija Board got its start in Baltimore

In 1890, "talking" board games were all the rage in the United States. A spiritual medium named Helen Peters used one of these boards to coin the name "Ouija" for her own version of the game.

She called it "Ouija, the Egyptian Luck Board", and it spread through Baltimore. She and her investors opened several factories, and the rights were sold to Parker Brothers in 1966.

Maryland's state song was recently repealed

The song "Maryland, my Maryland" was the state song from 1861 until 2021. It was sung to the tune of "Oh Tennenbaum," and both inferred that Lincoln was a tyrant and taunted the federal government as "northern scum."

In 2021, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan repealed its status. Prior to its adoption in 1939, other governors also decried its divisive lyrics.

Facts About Maryland History

Captain John Smith mapped Maryland's waterways

From 1607-1609, Captain John Smith explored the far reaches of the Chesapeake Bay. In doing so, he mapped much of what would become the Maryland colony when it was settled in 1634.

Visitors today can follow trace his path on the 3,000-mile Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, discovering Maryland history facts along the way.

Maryland was named to honor Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I

One of the most important historical facts about Maryland is about how it got its name. It was named after Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of King Charles I.

Henrietta Maria was Queen in 1632 when George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, applied for a royal charter. Honoring the royal family was a good strategy, as the charter was awarded the same year.

George Calvert died before the charter for Maryland was granted

George Calvert converted to Catholicism in 1624. In getting a royal charter approved by King Charles, he hoped to create a place for persecuted British Catholics to settle.

Sadly, George Calvert did not live long enough to see this through. That would fall to his son, Cecilius Calvert, who was granted the Maryland colony a few weeks after George's death.

The Star-Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key at Fort McHenry

During the War of 1812, the new United States first tested its new independence. When Baltimore Harbor was attacked in 1814, a lawyer named Francis Scott Key observed the bombardment.

He wrote the poem that was later adopted as the US National Anthem and named "The Star-Spangled Banner." The Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is the Maryland landmark that memorializes this battle.

Harriet Tubman helped on the Underground Railroad in Maryland

Did you know that Harriet Tubman, the heroine of the Underground Railroad, was born in Maryland? She was born into slavery in Dorchester County on the eastern shore of Maryland and, in 1849, escaped to Philadelphia.

She later led thirteen rescue missions to free around seventy enslaved persons. These efforts to lead people to freedom earned her the nickname "Moses."

Cool Facts About Maryland

Crab Cakes with Old Bay seasoning are everywhere

Summer in Maryland brings oppressive heat, cicadas, and crab cakes. Two of these are tolerated. One is celebrated. Crabs, oysters, and fresh fish from the Chesapeake are delightedly scarfed down from April to November. Add a few dashes of Old Bay seasoning to just about any seafood, and you'll get an authentic Maryland culinary experience.

Assateague Island National Seashore has wild horses

The quotations in the title shouldn't indicate that the horses of Assateague Island are, in reality, tame. Quite the contrary, they are the feral descendants of domesticated horses.

The tiny, aggressive horses should be admired from afar. As pasture animals, they have had to compete fiercely to survive where there is little grass and lots of sand.

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States

The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most important natural features of Maryland. It's also the largest estuary in the United States.

More than 250 species of fish rely on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Its network of rivers and streams and rivers provides livelihood and recreation for people in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and several other states.

Smith Island is famous for John Smith and cake

The Smith Island chain takes up a three-by-five-mile span in the Chesapeake Bay. Though charted by Captain John Smith in 1608, its been seasonally settled by Native Americans for over 10,000 years.

Perhaps more importantly, Smith Island is known for cake. Eight super-thin layers of yellow cake and chocolate fudge frosting are stacked upon one another, creating a masterpiece.

Maryland is sometimes called America in Miniature

Maryland is not a large state, but it packs a lot of natural diversity into its limited circumference. The most notable feature missing is a desert, since water is nearly ubiquitous here.

Additionally, Maryland is significant as one of the country's oldest and most culturally diverse states. All of this has earned it the unofficial nickname, "America in Miniature".

Scary Facts About Maryland

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Baltimore's "The Horse You Came In On" is the oldest saloon in the country

Commonly referred to as just "The Horse," this is the oldest operating saloon in the United States. It's also believed to be the last place Edgar Allan Poe was seen alive.

Its history with sailors and gamblers earned it a sleazy reputation before recently commercializing. Still, all those bar fights have left some restless spirits here that purportedly haunt its modern patrons.

Paw Paw Tunnel has near pitch black conditions

The Paw Paw Tunnel in Old Town, Maryland, is one of the spookiest places in the state. It was built to allow cargo on the C&O Canal to avoid river bends by going straight through a mountain.

The result is over 3,000 feet of near pitch-black conditions at any time of day. A walkway still exists to let the brave and curious pass through today.

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John Wilkes Booth's body had three "final" resting places

After assassinating President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, John Wilkes Booth was himself fatally shot twelve days later. Since then, his body has been exhumed twice and buried three times.

Some wonder if the body in his family's resting place in Baltimore's Green Mount Cemetery is really his. Refusals to allow another exhumation have further fueled old conspiracy theories.

The Haunted Lilburn Mansion is an Airbnb

A state as old as Maryland is bound to have some haunted houses. One of its most well-known (or at least believed) is Lilburn Mansion in Ellicott City.

According to the lore, it is haunted by the ghost of a woman named Margaret, who died in 1900. Anyone who wants to see for themselves is welcome to seek out its listing on Airbnb.

The real ghost story of Burkittsville is nothing like the Blair Witch

The Blair Witch Project popularized the found footage horror genre, but its claims about a witch legend in Burkittsville, Maryland were complete fabrications rather than a state of Maryland facts.

Still, Burkittsville does have a scary reputation. According to local myth, if you park your car at the bottom of Spook Hill and wait, you'll feel yourself getting pushed up the incline by Civil War ghosts.

Important Facts About Maryland

Frederick Douglass was born in Talbot County Maryland

Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery in Talbot County, Maryland, in 1838. He became an important anti-slavery orator, touring northern cities to speak about his experience.

His autobiography was published in 1845, allowing his story to spread over the whole world. His accomplishments are some of the most important Maryland facts and history in the state.

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The Mason-Dixon Line was originally made to settle a border dispute

The Mason-Dixon line was the result of a land survey by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon from 1763-1767. This settled a dispute between Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware and unintentionally became the dividing line between northern free states and southern slave states

President Abraham Lincoln ensured Maryland remained in the Union during the Civil War

Though Maryland's delegates voted strongly against secession before the Civil War, President Lincoln didn't trust them to remain loyal to the Union.

Maryland seceding meant Washington, D.C. would be surrounded by enemies, so Lincoln sent Federal troops to establish martial law in Baltimore. As the Civil War raged on, Maryland was the only state that sent soldiers to fight for both the North and the South.

The Battle of Antietam in Maryland is the bloodiest day in American history

In September 1862, northern troops engaged Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Over the next twelve hours, nearly 23,000 combined casualties littered the battlefield.

Lee was forced to retreat, but Union General George B. McClellan decided not to pursue. The victory came at a high cost, and it remains the bloodiest single day of fighting in US history.

Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall was from Baltimore

Thurgood Marshall is famous for becoming the first African-American Supreme Court Justice. However, another fun fact about Maryland is that he was born in Baltimore.

He practiced briefly in Baltimore but soon moved to work with the NAACP in New York. He won 29 of 32 cases before the Supreme Court, including Brown v. BOE, which ended legal segregation.

Conclusion

These 50 facts have probably made you want to plan a visit to Maryland. At the very least, you have likely learned something new about this interesting state. It's a place that has something to offer just about anyone.

Still, the more you learn, the more you realize you have a lot to learn. This list of Maryland facts is far from complete. If you've become curious about all or parts of this state, do more research yourself to satisfy your curiosity itch!

This article was edited by Loredana Elena.

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