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The Old Senate Chamber
From November 26, 1783 to August 13, 1784, Annapolis was the capital of the United States, and the Continental Congress met in this room. On December 23, 1783, George Washington came before Congress to resign his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. With this act, he established the principle of the sovereignty of the elected government over the military. Two weeks later, on January 14, 1784, Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, thus officially ending the Revolutionary War. Edwin White's painting of "Washington Resigning" can be seen here in the State House on the landing of the main staircase. [See separately.] ...
This historic chamber is now restored to its appearance in 1783. The mannequin of George Washington, which stands on the exact spot where he delivered his resignation speech, was installed in 1983 as a gift from a number of patriotic organizations. The president's desk and chair were made for the chamber by the Annapolis cabinetmaker, John Shaw, in 1797. Two other desks and two chairs are also original John Shaw pieces. The rest of the chairs and desks were made by Enrico Liberti in 1941 to replicate the Shaw furniture. The colors of the room, including the Prussian blue, were discovered during paint analysis conducted in 1998 and are believed to be the original colors. ...
The Maryland State House was built between 1772-1779 and is the oldest state house still in continuous legislative use in the United States.
The Old Senate Chamber
Where Washington Resigned His Commission
In 1783, when George Washington came to Annapolis to resign his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, he appeared before a Continental Congress made up of 21 or 22 men, representing nine of the 13 states.
It is known from descriptions by people who were present that the room was crowded with many others who were watching, including members of the Governor's Council, the Maryland General Assembly, and Annapolis city officials. There were also some of Washington's aides and guests, as well as Sir Robert Eden, the last colonial governor of Maryland, and Henry Hartford, the former proprietor of Maryland. ...
The ceremony began at noon on December 23 and was, according to the contemporary accounts, a "solemn and affecting occasion." After addressing Congress, Washington "...bid every member [of Congress] farewell and rode off from the door [of the State House], intent upon eating his Christmas dinner at home." |