Historic Inns of Annapolis - The Maryland Inn

The Maryland Inn

In 1772, Thomas Hyde, a respected merchant and civic leader, acquired a long-term lease on a lot on Church Circle. Hyde had the front part of what is now the Maryland Inn constructed on the lot. In 1782, Hyde advertised it for sale. It was described as "an elegant brick house adjoining Church Circle in a dry and healthy part of the city, this House is one hundred feet front, three story height, has 20 fireplaces and is one of the first houses in the state for a house of entertainment."

In 1784, Sarah Ball, who had become the inn’s manager, advertised that she "...has opened a tavern at the house formerly kept by her, fronting Church (now Duke of Gloucester) Street; and having supplied herself with everything necessary and convenient, she solicits the favors of her old customers and the public in general..."

The inn remained a popular place for lodging throughout the 19th century. It was acquired by the Maryland Hotel Company in 1868 and remained the most prominent Annapolis hotel and the favorite rendezvous for important national state and military visitors. By World War I, the inn’s facilities were outmoded and many of its rooms were converted into offices and apartments.

There were several owners over the next several decades, and in 1953, owners who appreciated the inn’s importance in Maryland’s history acquired the hotel and began a restoration designed to preserve its Colonial design but provide it with modern amenities.

In March 2007, Remington Hotels (currently property manager) opened a Starbucks Coffee in what once was the King of France Tavern.