Crabs! Here are 56 Interesting Facts About Maryland

Welcome to the Content Bash 50 States Facts collection! From Alabama to Colorado to Florida to Hawaii to Iowa and Kansas and Kentucky and Louisiana, we’re on our way to find interesting and fun facts about all of the states. Join us for the Old Line State! Located on the east coast of the United States, Maryland is a small but vibrant state known for its rich history, diverse culture, and beautiful natural scenery. From its bustling cities to its picturesque countryside, Maryland offers something for everyone, with a range of attractions, activities, and landmarks that showcase the state’s unique character and identity. In this article, we will explore some interesting and lesser-known facts about Maryland, highlighting its unique heritage, its notable contributions to American culture and society, and its many hidden gems that make it a truly special place to visit or call home.

What is Maryland known for?

1. Crabs! Maryland is known for its blue crabs, which are a popular seafood delicacy. The Chesapeake Bay, which is located in Maryland, is home to a large population of blue crabs, and the state has a long history of crabbing and seafood processing. Many Maryland restaurants and seafood markets feature blue crabs on their menus, and the state’s famous crab cakes are a popular dish made from crab meat. It’s also the official crustacean of Maryland.

2. The Chesapeake Bay! Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and one of the most productive bodies of water in the world. It is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including blue crabs, oysters, and various species of fish and waterfowl. The Bay is also an important commercial and recreational resource, supporting industries such as fishing, boating, and tourism. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which connects Maryland’s Eastern Shore with the rest of the state, is one of the world’s longest continuous over-water bridges.

3. Baltimore! Maryland is known for Baltimore, which is the largest city in the state and one of the most important cultural, and economic centers in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Baltimore has a rich history and a diverse population, and is home to many famous landmarks, attractions, and institutions, including the Inner Harbor, Fort McHenry, Johns Hopkins University, and the National Aquarium. Baltimore is also known for its role in the development of American industry and for its contributions to the arts and culture, particularly in the areas of music, literature, and film. Like The Wire!

Official Maryland state symbols

4. Legendary poem person Grace Cavalieri was appointed the 10th Poet Laureate of Maryland in 2019. She has published more than two dozen books of poetry since 1975, as well as been involved in a shitload of theater productions and stage readings for more than 50 years. If you must buy only one of her books, it should probably be Other Voices, Other Lives: A Grace Cavalieri Collection. Support to arts and buy your very own copy today! Buy copies for all of your friends as well.

5. The Maryland state motto is “Fatti maschii, parole femine,” which means “Manly deeds, womanly words” in Italian, whatever tf that means.

6. The Chesapeake Bay retriever is the official state dog of Maryland, designated as such in 1964. This good boy is so handsome that he is even good-looking in free stock photos of the Chesapeake Bay retriever!

7. Did you know that Maryland has a state flag! It was adopted on March 9, 1904 and features the 17th-century heraldic banner of arms of Cecil Calvert, who was the 2nd Baron of Baltimore. Here is a gif of it billowing so consistently in the digital breeze.

8. The state bird of Maryland is the Baltimore oriole. In case you are wondering, it is not a coincidence that Baltimore hosts a Major League Baseball team with the exact same name.

9. The Black-eyed Susan is the state flower of Maryland, and has been for over a hundred years since 1918. Here is a picture of such a flower, but one with limp-ass petals that we are able to use free courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. We are not able to afford a high-quality stock photo of a good-looking Black-eyed Susan.

10. Made official in 1973, the Maryland state insect is the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly.

11. The Diamondback terrapin turtle is the Maryland state reptile. The terrapin is also the official mascot of the University of Maryland College Park.

12. In 1941, Maryland designated the white oak as the official state tree of Maryland. You can climb such trees all over Maryland, and they have been known to grow up to 150 feet.

13. The official fish of Maryland is the rockfish, designated in 1965. It also happens to be the official state fish of New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.

14. Believe it or not, jousting is a thing in Maryland and the official sport of the state. There is even a Maryland Jousting Tournament Association that hosts a schedule of regular jousting events.

15. While jousting is the official sport of Maryland, lacrosse is the official team sport of Maryland. The land has a long history with lacrosse, and Native Americans had already been playing it for centuries before white people came along. The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Glencoe, Maryland.

16. The Astrodon johnstoni is the official dinosaur of Maryland. This lil guy wandered Maryland grounds like 95 to 130 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period and was made the official state dinosaur in 1998.

17. Maryland has an official dance and it is the square dance! That also happens to be the official dance of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, and Georgia, as well as Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Missouri. And Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Oregon, as well as Tennessee and Texas. And Utah. And Virginia. And also Washington state! It’s also the official folk dance of California, New Jersey, and South Carolina. Clearly, America needs to diversity its dance card.

18. Drinking milk is supposedly good for you! We’ll leave the health talk to the scientists, but in the meantime, it’s also a state symbol for an incredible 20 states! Indeed, Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and of course, Maryland, all decided milk deserved a little extra love. Apparently, in these states, milk isn’t just for your cereal — it’s basically state symbol royalty.

Early history of Maryland

19. The area now known as Maryland was inhabited by a variety of Native American tribes for thousands of years before the arrival of European explorers and settlers, like the Algonquian-speaking Piscataway, Mattaponi, and Nanticoke tribes, as well as the Iroquoian-speaking Susquehannock and Conoy tribes.

20. In 1608, English explorer Captain John Smith maps the Chesapeake Bay area and noted the presence of Native American tribes.

21. In 1632, King Charles I of England grants a charter to Cecil Calvert, the 2nd Lord Baltimore so a colony could be established in the Chesapeake region.

22. A couple years later in 1634, the very first white people arrived and settled in Maryland and established the town of St. Mary’s.

23. The town of Baltimore was founded on the Patapsco River in 1732, where its harbors become instrumental and influential for commerce and shipping, as well as establishing the beginnings of a rich maritime history.

24. Annapolis briefly served as the capital of the United States for a few months in 1783-1784, immediately following the Revolutionary War. During this time, the Treaty of Paris was signed in Annapolis, officially ending the war between the United States and Great Britain.

25. Maryland was admitted to the Union on April 28, 1788 as the 7th of the United States.

Maryland topography & geography

26. The capital of Maryland is Annapolis. Baltimore is the biggest city, tho.

27. There are 23 counties in Maryland! Did you know that? Ok.

28. Assateague Island is a barrier island located off the coast of Maryland and Virginia, Assateague Island is home to a population of wild horses and offers miles of pristine beaches and natural scenery.

29. Maryland is bordered by Pennsylvania to the north, Virginia to the south, West Virginia to the west, and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

30. The highest point in the state of Maryland is Hoye-Crest on Backbone Mountain, which reaches an elevation of 3,360 feet.

31. Like pretty much all states that border the ocean, the lowest point of Maryland is 0 feet at sea leve.

32. Maryland is the 42nd-biggest state at 12,400ish square miles. That means it’s also the 8th smallest!

33. The Appalachian Mountains make their way through western Maryland, and the Appalachian-Blue Ridge forest is a heck of a sight to behold.

34. Maryland has over 10,000 miles of rivers and streams, including major waterways such as the Potomac River, the Patapsco River, the Patuxent River, and the Susquehanna River. These rivers and streams are important sources of drinking water, transportation, recreation, and wildlife habitat, and are a key part of Maryland’s natural heritage.

Where should I visit in Maryland?

35. The Inner Harbor is the bustling waterfront district in the heart of Baltimore, the Inner Harbor is home to many attractions, including the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center, and the USS Constellation. In addition to all the rich naval and maritime history it offers, the Inner Harbor also has a lot of family-friendly dining, shopping, and entertainment. A visit to the Inner Harbor is a fantastic way for a family with young children to spend a day.

36. The Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore is dedicated to the Black experience in Maryland and features exhibits on history, art, and culture. The museum’s collection includes artifacts from Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Thurgood Marshall.

37. The Baltimore Orioles play at Camden Yards, considered one of the most beautiful and iconic ballparks in baseball. Built in 1992, it was the first “retro-style” ballpark, designed to look and feel like the classic ballparks of the early 20th century. The park features a unique combination of modern amenities and historic charm, with a red-brick facade and a view of the Baltimore skyline.

38. The National Museum of Health and Medicine is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, and is a super unique experience that goes into the history of medicine, from Civil War-era surgical instruments to modern medical technologies. Visitors can learn about medical advancements, innovations, and discoveries that have shaped the field of medicine.

39. Art lovers will want to go to Baltimore and visit the Walters Art Museum, which features a diverse collection of art from around the world, spanning from ancient times to modern day. This place has works by heavyweights like Claude Monet, Raphael, and Édouard Manet.

40. Once called a “Suburban Burning Man,” modern artist Clarke Bedford hosts the Vanadu Art House in Hyattsville, Maryland is a rustically-designed art house constructed of unique recycled metal objects and sculptures and mosaics. This mix-mash of junk and bric-a-brac exudes a colorful energy that also extends to several fully functioning art cars. It’s definitely worth a trip.

Fun, cool & weird facts about Maryland

41. The Baltimore Ravens are the only professional sports team whose name is a literary reference. The Raven is from the famous Edgar Allan Poe poem of the same name.

42. The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery was found in 1840, making it the very first dental school. Previously, dental was not really treated as a profession separate from medicine.

43. Dating all the way back to 1772, the Maryland State House in Annapolis is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use in the United States.

44. The Star-Spangled Banner — the national anthem of the United States that symbolizes the country for better and for worse — was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key, who witnessed the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812. President Herbert Hoover signed the law that made this the national anthem in 1931.

45. In 1901, Dr. Florence Rina Sabin at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine became the very first female professor of medicine.

46. The Maryland Gazette was founded in 1727 and remains the oldest continuously published newspaper in the country.

47. The very first balloon flight took place in Baltimore on June 24, 1784 by 13-year-old Edward Warren in a balloon designed by Peter Carnes.

48. The Ouija board was first manufactured in Baltimore in 1890, and has been creeping people out for over 130 years ever since. Don’t forget to buy your very own Ouija board so you and your friends can have seances! In fact, the headstone for the grave of Elijah Bond, the man who first patented the Ouija board, happens to be the design of the Ouija board.

What famous people are from Maryland?

49. Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, poet, and literary critic who is best known for his dark and mysterious tales of horror and suspense. He is considered one of the most important and influential writers in American literature, and his works continue to be read and studied around the world. Though born in Boston, Edgar Allan Poe moved to Baltimore in his early 20s and remained there until he died in 1849. You can see his mark all over Baltimore in museums and landmarks.

50. Babe Ruth is perhaps the most influential athlete in the history of sports, save perhaps Michael Jordan. The Sultan of Swat was born in the Pigtown section of Baltimore on February 6, 1895.

51. In addition to Babe Ruth, a number of other Hall of Fame baseball players were born in Maryland: Lefty Grove (Lonoconing), Cal Ripken Jr. (Havre de Grace), Jimmie Foxx (Sudlersville), Al Kaline (Baltimore), Vic Willis (Cecil County), Home Run Baker (Trappe), Harold Baines (Easton), and Judy Johnson (Snow Hill).

52. Thurgood Marshall — the first Black person to serve on the United States Supreme Court — has very deep ties to Baltimore. Born there in 1908, Marshall began his legal career in Baltimore, working as an attorney for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1934 to 1936. During this time, he argued several key civil rights cases in Maryland and helped to lay the groundwork for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, which led to the desegregation of public schools in the United States.

53. Anna Faris — star of the Scary Movie franchise and legit one of the funniest women working in show business today — was born in Baltimore in 1976.

54. Upton Sinclair was an American writer and social activist who is best known for his novel The Jungle (1905), which exposed the harsh and unsanitary conditions of the meatpacking industry in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century. Sinclair was born in Baltimore in 1878. His 1926 book Oil! also inspired the P.T. Anderson film There Will Be Blood. You should absolutely read it to understand the history of labor rights in America.

55. John Waters is the eccentric American filmmaker and artist known for his cult classic films like Pink Flamingos, Serial Mom, Hairspray, and Crybaby — many of which are set in his hometown of Baltimore, where he was born in 1946.

56. Soul Train Music Awards Legend Award recipient Toni Braxton was born in Severn, Maryland in 1967 and “Love Should’ve Brought You Home” is still a banger.

Cover Image Credit: Image by Bruce Emmerling from Pixabay

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