Existing comment:
The Old Senate Chamber.
When the Continental Congress (Confederation Congress) convened in Annapolis from November 26, 1783 to August 13, 1784, it met here in this room which served as the home of the Maryland Senate room from 1779 until the building of the new legislative chambers in 1905. It was here that General George Washington, on December 23, 1783, came before Congress to resign his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in an emotional ceremony.
What's Going On Here Now?
The Old Senate Chamber is undergoing extensive historical investigations that began in 2007. As part of this work, all of the plaster, which dates to the 1906 restoration of the room, has been removed and the original 18th century brick and mortar are exposed. The furnishings and portraits, including "Washington, Lafayette, and Tilghman at Yorktown" have been placed in storage for safe keeping while the investigations continue. Detailed information about the "above ground archeology" and the architectural evidence that has been uncovered is presented throughout the room. This evidence, along with archival documentation, will be used to determine the most accurate design for restoring the Old Senate Chamber to its appearance during the lifetime of George Washington.
The Old Senate Chamber: Late 19th Century:
The 1876-1877 renovations removed nearly all of the eighteenth century elements from the Senate Chamber. The visitor's gallery, president's dais, and virtually all paint, plaster, and decorative cornices were removed from the walls and replaced with new paint and textiles. Only the niche behind the president's dais remained, and a plaster wall blocked it from view.
Public outcry over the appearance of the room began almost as soon as the work finished. Local newspapers commented on the "desecration" of a hallowed space that had been graced by George Washington and Congress. By 1894, committees had formed to investigate the feasibility of returning the room to its original eighteenth-century appearance.
The Old Senate Chamber: Early 20th Century:
After completing the construction of the 1902-1905 annex, Baltimore architects Francis Baldwin and Joseph Pennington oversaw renovations in the Old Senate Chamber to return the room to a colonial appearance. This work was completed in 1906 and included the installation of a new visitor's gallery, fireplace, dais and flooring, a recreated false door, and ornamental plasterwork. In an effort to memorialize George Washington's resignation in this space, the portrait of Washington, Lafayette and Tilghman and framed transcriptions of speeches given by Washington and Thomas Mifflin were on display, and the room was furnished with an electric array of furnishings and relics associated, often mistakenly, with the first president |