Happy Birthday, Maryland Video

Celebrate Maryland's 375th right here where it all began in St. Mary's County!

2009 marks a milestone in Marylands history---its 375th anniversary! In 1634, 140 hardy travelers crossed the Atlantic in two small ships, ventured up the Chesapeake Bay into the Potomac River, and landed on the shores of tiny St. Clements Island. Led by Governor Leonard Calvert, the colonists soon sailed on from the island up the St. Marys River and established Lord Baltimores settlement. They christened their new world Terra Maria, or Maryland, and the fourth permanent settlement in British North America was born and the colony was up and running. St. Marys City became the FIRST capital of Maryland and a surprisingly cosmopolitan town with taverns, lodging houses, a brick chapel and a printing press and populated by men and women determined to create a truly New World based on principles of freedom of conscience and separation of church and state. These founding tenets would become the basis for some of our nations most cherished freedoms.

Three hundred and seventy-five years later, Maryland has grown to become a state known for its high standard of living, its entrepreneurial spirit and its leadership in the fields of technology, and St. Marys County has grown right along with it! Today, St. Marys blends a vibrant economy—its the states fastest growing region in terms of technology-related jobs—with its rich past, giving the area a unique character as well as a high quality of life. Located just a short drive south of Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis, youll find inspiring colonial and maritime heritage, and great places to shop, eat and stay, plus fabulous festivals that celebrate 375 years of history and culture.

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Travel & Events

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• Celebrate 375
• Birthplace of Maryland
• St. Mary's County
• Historic St. Mary's City