Maryland and Washington DC Walking Tours

2008 MARYLAND AND WASHINGTON DC WALKING TOURS

ANNAPOLIS

Colonial Stroll, through November 1, 10:30am, 90 minute tour from History Quest, 99 Main St. Annapolis. Tour the heart of Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy as their colonial-attired guides lead the way. Tour includes exteriors of the Maryland State House and famous historic mansions as well as the interior of the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel and Crypt. Building interiors when available. Call 410-268-7601 or visit www.watermarkjourney.com or www.annapolis-tour.com for additional information.
Three Centuries Walking Tour, through October 5, 10:30am from Visitors’ Center, 26 West St., and 1:30pm from the Information Booth, Annapolis City Dock, 1 Dock Street. The colonial-attired tour guides will bring history to life. Stroll through historic Annapolis, explore the interior of the Maryland State House, and be inspired by the sights and sounds of the U.S. Naval Academy, home to over 4,000 midshipmen. Building interiors when available. Call 410-268-7601 or visit www.watermarkjourney.comor www.annapolis-tour.com for additional information.
African-American Heritage Walking Tour, Saturdays through October 4, 1pm, History Quest, 99 Main Street, Annapolis. Trace the rich and authentic journey of African Americans in Annapolis and explore their contributions both nationally and internationally. Key historical sites include the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial and the Thurgood Marshall Memorial. Reservations required by calling 410-268-7601 or visit www.watermarkjourney.com for further details.
Haunted Ghost Tour, Fridays and Saturdays, 8:30pm through, August 30, 7:30pm Sept.-Oct. 4 and 7pm, Oct. 10-Oct. 31. Departs Information Booth, 1 Dock St. As the sun sets on the horizon and darkness begins, our colonial guides will lead you by candlelight through this historic and haunted town. Come hear stories of old and see if you can catch a glimpse of the spirits who still linger in the mist. Reservations recommended by calling 410-268-7601 or visiting www.watermarkjourney.com for additional information.
Annapolis Horse Carriage Rides, 25-Minute Horse Carriage Tour, Explore Annapolis as our forefathers experienced history in the making. Relax and enjoy a ride back in time as you listen to the gentle clip clap of horses' hooves on the cobblestone streets. Your coachman will create the visions of olden times with a professionally narrated 25 minute tour. Or try the 50-Minute Horse Carriage Tour, which encompasses additional historical information and places of interest. Sit back, relax and let your majestic horse-drawn carriage journey begin. Visit www.reservations.annapolis.org for online reservations.
Annapolis Horse Carriage Rides, 50-Minute Horse Carriage Tour
Our extended 50 minute tour encompasses additional historical information and places of interest. Sit back, relax and let your majestic horse-drawn carriage journey begin. Please note that this tour will not be available on December 31, 2008. Visit www.reservations.annapolis.org for online reservations
Annapolis Walkabout, Architectural Tour, 2 hours. Join architectural historian and long-time resident Dorothy Callahan as she shares the sites and stories of Annapolis through the rich history of architecture. See architectural treasures, the great houses, waterfront history, U.S. Naval Academy and historic preservation - all from the eyes of an experienced architectural historian! Visit www.reservations.annapolis.org for online reservations
Banneker-Douglass Museum, 2 Hours. Named for Benjamin Banneker and Frederick Douglass, the museum is dedicated to preserving Maryland’s African American heritage, and serves as the state’s official repository of African American material culture. Visit www.reservations.annapolis.org for online reservations
Annapolis, 1 hour. For those short on time or those with a short attention span! Walk the historic district with a knowledgeable guide that can steer you to the 'must see' places of Annapolis's historic district. This is not a forced march, but they do keep moving at a comfortable pace. More sights, less time, no building interiors. Only 15 individuals per tour. Visit www.capitalcitycolonials.org or call 410-295-9715 for more details.
Historic District 101, 1 3/4 hours. A colonial-clad guide will escort you through the historic district of Annapolis, showing sights and awakening stories of the past. The 'Golden Age' of Annapolis is given particular emphasis as this time played an integral part in the founding of our nation. Go inside Saint Anne's Church, the Waterfront Warehouse, the kitchen of a 1774 mansion, and pleasure garden of yet another mansion. Due to renovations in the Maryland State House during 2008, only an exterior tour of this treasure is possible. A bonus hands-on session highlighting the fur trading industry during colonial times is included. Each tour has a maximum capacity of 15 - book today! Visit www.capitalcitycolonials.org or call 410-295-9715 for more details.
18th Century, Women of Annapolis, 1 1/2 hours. This tour introduces you to women of all social classes that lived in the 18th century 'Golden Age' in Annapolis. See the different places sales, indentures, gentry and the middling class lived. Fashions were not just fashionable, but told a great deal about who you were. Come to know wives that stood behind Maryland's 4 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Learn about women tavern keepers, printers and publishers. Men welcome too! No more than 15 individuals on this tour - book today! Visit www.capitalcitycolonials.org or call 410-295-9715 for more details.
The Sands' House Treasures, 1 1/2 hours. One of the oldest homes in Annapolis, the Sands House has been owned and occupied by one family for over 230 years! It is a repository of treasures from six generations of Sands descendents, from colonial to present-day Annapolis, and offers a tangible record of times gone by. You will be welcomed to the Sands House by the great-great-great-granddaughter of John and Ann Sands, who bought the house in 1771. She will tell you of the Sands and their descendents, and their life in Annapolis - with the aid of three centuries of furniture, household items and personal effects of her many ancestors. Hear about Revolutionary War soldier William Sands, learn the life of an 18th-century tavern belonging to the Sands, and see early 19th-century samplers, rare Baltimore Album Quilt squares an the tolls of a family of seamstresses. A rare opportunity! Only 15 people are able to take this tour - book your spot today! Visit www.capitalcitycolonials.org or call 410-295-9715 for more details.
The Jonas Green House, 1 1/2 hours. A costumed guide will provide a brief Annapolis history while escorting you to the everyday home of Jonas Green, built in 1738. This residence also served as the print shop of Jonas and Anne Catharine Green, public printers and publishers of the Maryland Gazette. The current resident, Randall Brown, a direct descendant of the Greens, will lead the tour of his private residence. He will discuss Jonas Green's apprenticeship under Benjamin Franklin, his wife and sons' roles in the family business, and the politics of pre-revolutionary Annapolis. All this sets the stage for Anne Catharine Green - the family heroine! As this is a private home, the maximum number of individuals we can host is just 15 - book now to reserve your place. Visit www.capitalcitycolonials.org or call 410-295-9715 for more details.
Washington's Resignation Tour, 1 1/2 hours. Visit places in Annapolis with a uniformed aide-de-camp of George Washington. Hear the saga of Washington's 1783 journey from New York to Annapolis as he made his way here to resign his commission as commander in chief of the Continental Army. He could have easily declared himself king, but he didn't! This extraordinary event in our nation's history took place in Annapolis, in the Maryland State House. Book today - a maximum of 15 individuals are permitted on this tour! Visit www.capitalcitycolonials.org or call 410-295-9715 for more details.
Annapolis Food & History Tour, 3 hours. Attention Foodies and History Buffs! A new food tasting and history adventure awaits you. A colonial-clad guide will lead you on this tour through the rich history of Annapolis' past, while introducing you to 21st century culinary delights - a seamless blend of time and tastes. While walking this compact city, you will eat where the founding fathers ate and eat where they wish they could have eaten. Your guide will share with you toasts of yesteryear. Enough food is consumed to cover lunch. All food costs and historic venues admissions are covered in the price of your ticket. We recommend taking our food tour at the beginning of your visit in Annapolis so you can return to these wonderful eating establishments and historical sites to enjoy them at your leisure. Visit www.capitalcitycolonials.org or call 410-295-9715 for more details.
Trolley Tour of Historic Annapolis, 40 minutes. The Discover Annapolis tour is fun and full of surprises! You will discover this capital city from a trolley – which is a little bus with BIG windows. The tour takes 40 minutes. We’ll travel down charming streets laid out over three centuries ago. Our friendly guides point out all the major points of interest including the City Dock, the State House, handsome colonial mansions, beautiful Victorian homes, sailboats along the waterfront, and much more. The trolley is air conditioned in summer and heated in winter. Tickets are available at HistoryQuest, located at 99 Main Street in Annapolis. Visit www.reservations.annapolis.org for online reservations

BALTIMORE

Fell's Point Ghost Tours, 410-522-7400, www.fellspointghost.com. Friday and Saturday, 7pm. Fell's Point. Discover the hauntings, history and lore of this maritime neighborhood on the Original Fell’s Point GhostWalk, a one-hour walking tour named Best Tour,
The Mount Vernon Ghost Walk, Sept. 15-Nov. 24, Saturdays, 7pm, The Owl Bar in the Belvedere in Mount Vernon. Baltimore's cultural center may be more "spirited" than you think. Admire the architecture while tour guides regale you with the history and haunted lore of this striking neighborhood that was home to many of Baltimore's leading citizens. Hear about the ghosts who have never checked out of the Belvedere, a séance gone wrong, and more than one grand dame who still oversees the activities of her home. Join us for an exciting tour that pulls back the curtain and peers into the other side. Call 410-522-7400 or visit www.fellspointghost.com for more details.
The Preservation Society/Robert Long House, 812 S. Ann Street, Baltimore. Daily tours 1 and 2:30pm. Fell's Point. They offer walking tours on alternating Saturdays from March through November on maritime history, African American history, immigration and architectural history. Call 410-675-6750 or visit www.preservationsociety.com

CARROLL COUNTY

Walking Tours in Carroll County, 210 E. Main Street, Westminster. 410-848-1388, www.carrollcountytourism.org, Office Hours Mon-Sat 9-5, Sun and most holidays 10-2
Corbit's Charge, Westminster, www.pccwrt.addr.com , A 40 minute walking tour tracing the Civil War skirmish between General J.E.B. Stuart and a small unit of the Delaware cavalry. This encounter slowed Stuart's march to Gettysburg delaying his report to General Robert E. Lee about the major Union troop movements.
Courthouse Square, 40 minutes includes visits to the exteriors of 10 sites, including the historic jail, courthouse, and church.
Westward Expansion, 1 hour, includes visits to the exteriors of 31 sites. Stroll along Main Street while visiting many businesses with 19th Century architecture, and view private residences built by affluent Carroll County businessmen during the 1800s.
A Carroll County Gem, Uniontown, 1 hour, visits 18 sites in this historically quaint village, a townscape virtually unchanged from the turn-of-the-century.
Ghost Walk, A "spirited" self-guided walking tour of Westminster. Enjoy a light-hearted look at ghosts and goblins while viewing many architecturally interesting buildings and sites. This tour is especially fun if taken at dusk
Taneytown: A self-guided walking tour, In 1744 John Diggs gave a 60-acre tract to his son Edward & son-in-law Raphael Taney. After "growing" the tract to include 7,900 acres, Taney laid out lots and named the future town "Taneytown." The town center formed a crossroads from Baltimore thru Westminster to Taneytown. Well-to-do merchants and craftsmen built houses that still stand today. This tour will introduce you to some history of the previous owners and the architectural styles of several eras.
Union Bridge Walking Tour, Growth in this quaint town was fueled by the arrival of the Western Maryland Railroad in 1861. William and Ann Farquhar settled here in 1735 when William's father granted him 200 acres. Many of the settlers were Quakers. William's grandson named the town "Union Bridge" when local area citizens banded together to build a bridge over a local swamp. The National Park Service has recognized Union Bridge for its wealth of historic buildings. Many of the buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

FREDERICK COUNTY

City Scoots Segway Tours, 2905 Fallstaff Rd. Come glide with us through history on our Historic Frederick Glide. Descend along the same paths once traveled by Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, and countless other historical figures that formed our nation into what it is today. Visit the house where Barbara Fritchie heroically waved an American flag in front of the faces of the invading Confederate Army. Learn the legend of John Tyler and his dognapped best friend, "Guess." Along the way, find the beautiful, trick-of-the-eye, murals by local artist William Cochran. End your tour by gliding at 8 miles per hour, along Carroll Creek while witnessing the modernized expansion of Historic Frederick . Our Frederick Glides depart from and end at The Frederick Coffee Co. & Café of Eveready Square. One and Two Hour rentals available. They are available by appointment Sunday through Friday (and will be adding Saturday tours shortly) from 9am-6pm. Call 443-983-0419 or visit
www.cityscoots.net for more information.
Candlelight Ghost Tours of Frederick, through Oct. 11, Sat. 8:15pm, through Nov. 8, Fri. & Sat. 7:30pm. Based upon factual events and actual eyewitness encounters, Candlelight Ghost Tours of Frederick highlights numerous epicenters of paranormal activity located in historic downtown-Frederick. Tours begin at 124 N. Market St. Call 301-668-8922 or visit www.marylandghosttours.com for details.

HOWARD COUNTY

Ellicott City Historic District Walking Tour, A self guided walking tour of 28 historic sites, including houses of worship, homes, and museums. Copies available at the Howard County Tourism Visitor Information Center. 8267 Main Street, Ellicott City. Call 410-313-1900 or visit www.visithowardcounty.com for more details.
Ye Haunted History of Olde Ellicott City" Ghost Tour, Each Friday & Saturday night through November at 8:30pm their guides lead you through this charming and apparently spirit ridden town recounting 235 years of history & relating recent paranormal activity! Call 410-313-1900 or visit www.visithowardcounty.com .
Heritage Tours, through November, Second Saturday at 2pm. Travel along Main Street as part of an imaginary railroad…participate in a 1800s-style bucket brigade to put out an imaginary fire...learn how the rock formations along the road were blown up before dynamite…explore one of the mystifying alleyways of Tongue Row and experience the sounds of Main Street during the 1700s. In this lively one-hour walking tour along Main Street, learn the 5Rs (Railroad, River, Road, Rock and Rebuild) of Ellicott City. Learn about 20 historic sites, including the raging Patapsco River, the first national road, the town’s hidden cobblestone alley, B&O Railroad Museum, the gigantic rock cliffs alongside the sidewalks and the mysterious marker near the Railroad bridge. Discover the abundance of antique stores, restaurants and specialty shops as you walk along the bustling historic district. Reservations required by calling 800-288-8747.
Ghost Walks in Historic Savage Mill, Oct.-Nov. Fri. & Sat. beginning at 8pm. Discover the Mill’s exciting past as well as its intriguing paranormal present. .

WASHINGTON DC

Don't miss getting the inside scoop...writer and tour guide Mary Kay Ricks knows all the scandal and history behind every building. . Call 301-588-8999 or email marykayricks@gmail.com or visit www.tourdc.com for group reservations. Some of her well known tours include:
Spies and Scandals, Leading figures of the Watergate scandal lived (and still live) in Georgetown. So did spies ranging from the Civil War, World War II, and the Cold War era. Jonathan Pollard, convicted for spying for Israel, met his "handler" in the forsythia garden behind the mansion to the right.
Women, Love and Property, A walking tour in Georgetown that highlights women (white and black) descended from Martha Washington and their homes, a notorious woman who scandalized Andrew Jackson's administration, and Katharine Graham, the most powerful woman in American publishing.
John and Jackie, Georgetown, Some say the Kennedys were the happiest together when they were newlyweds in Georgetown. Join in for a unique walking tour that features the early years of one of America's most magnetic couples. They begin with the two-bedroom rental where the newlyweds first lived together. Then go on to the brick federal home that Jackie loved, and see a few of the homes where JFK lived as a bachelor - always taking the family cook along with him.
Oak Hill Cemetery, Founded by Georgetown native son W.W. Corcoran in 1849, Oak Hill, with its beautifully landscaped terraces and winding paths, quickly became one of the gems of the rural cemetery movement.   And it is as rich in history as it is in beauty.   Lincoln's Secretary of War is buried near one of those tenacious Confederate female spies who operated brazenly in Washington. Katharine Graham, a 19th century Russian count, abolitionists, southern supporters, writers, and, of course, the best families of Georgetown and Washington all call Oak Hill home. And two men, who became locked as adversaries in a long and bloody war - Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis - walked these paths in grief. Both mourned children who were buried here and then moved after the war.
Underground Railroad in Georgetown, Join in for a walking tour in Georgetown that highlights the story of the "Pearl," when 76 enslaved Americans, including a good number from Georgetown's finest families, attempted to escape from Georgetown and Washington on a 54-ton schooner. We only recently learned that in 1858 a woman and her daughter escaped from one of Georgetown's most historic homes (above) and made it safely to freedom. Central to our story in Georgetown is the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church - founded in 1816 as the first African-American church in the District of Columbia. We begin our walk at Mt. Zion's cemetery, which is long believed to have been used as a stop on flights to freedom. We are often welcomed into the Mt. Zion Church and their community center to share their rich history. The land for their church on 29th Street was purchased from a Georgetown businessman and developer who had been one of the fugitives on the Pearl. His lovely home is also on the tour.
Divided and Torn: The Civil War in Georgetown and the end of slavery. The Civil War reverberated through a divided Georgetown. Hear the intriguing story of one family whose pro-Union father watched his sons sneak across the Potomac to join the Confederate Army. Louisa May Alcott nursed wounded soldiers in a Georgetown hotel turned into hospital - even a couple of Confederate ones. Georgetown slave owners were compensated when their slaves were freed with one catch - a loyalty oath to the north. But there was no provision for compensating the formerly enslaved.
Georgetown Then and Now Follow them on a walk that brings alive a town that began as a favorite fishing haven for Native Americans and much later evolved into Washington's most elite neighborhood and the area's most fun place to shop and eat. Established as a colonial tobacco port in 1751, Georgetown's story charts America's story and its preserved architecture of the Federal and Victorian periods attracts people from all over the world. They touch on all our important themes on this walk - it's a little of every walk described above - the Civil War that divided this 19th century town, the Underground Railroad, the Kennedys, Watergate figures, and the ever present spies and scandals.
Embassy Row - The Gilded Age and Beyond, Explore the Rich History of the Dupont Circle neighborhood that includes newspaper publisher Cissy Patterson's Stanford White designed mansion at 11 Dupont Circle, her sharp-tongued rival - Alice Longworth Roosevelt, the Walsh McLean mansion - once home to the Hope Diamond - that is now the Indonesian Embassy, and the stunningly opulent Turkish Embassy built by the crimped Coca-Cola bottle top fortune. And that's just for starters. Arrangements can usually be made for an inside tour of the Indonesian or the Finnish Embassy.
World War II on Embassy Row, On the Eve of the war, Washington had become a capital on the alert of attack and Dupont Circle hosted the Office of Civil Defense run by an earlier charismatic mayor of New York, Fiorello La Guardia. He hired the President's wife - Eleanor Roosevelt - and they worked across the circle from where the legendary publisher Cissy Patterson harangued the president daily. FDR happily sniped right back.   In an earlier life, the exclusive Cosmos Club was used as a barracks for Canadian women. Further north on Massachusetts Avenue, the Japanese Embassy braced itself after the attack on Pearl Harbor that hurled America into the fray.
Dupont Circle Elite in Black and White, New Hampshire Avenue North of the Circle was designed as the promenade for grand residences during the Gilded Age. Perry Belmont arrived straight out of Edith Wharton's New York and needed an entire L'Enfant block to build his Beaux Arts masterpiece. But it was anchored by side streets hosting people of disparate classes, color, and backgrounds. In the early 20th century, Strivers' Rows - streets where middle class blacks strived to live the good life - cropped up in major cities in the north and right here in Dupont Circle. They also focus on one truly unique Strivers Row - home briefly to Langston Hughes, Charles Houston, General Benjamin O. Davis and a roster of early 20th century African-American luminaries.

Additional Washington DC tours are available. For detailed information visit www.culturaltourismdc.org or call 202-661-7581. Some tours offered are:
City Within a City: Greater U Street Heritage Trail, 14 poster-sized illustrated signs combine story-telling with historic images. Discover the history of this neighborhood celebrated for nurturing national and international leaders in civil rights, law, science, and the arts.
Civil War to Civil Rights Downtown Heritage Trail, 21 poster-sized illustrated signs combine story-telling with historic images. Discover the little-known sites that link the history of the city to the history of the nation.
Midcity at the Crossroads: Shaw Heritage Trail, 17 poster-sized illustrated signs combine story telling with historic images. The Shaw neighborhood you will discover is one of the city's oldest, where traces can be found of nearly every group that has called Washington home.
River Farms to Urban Towers: Southwest Heritage Trail, 17 poster-sized illustrated signs, which combine story-telling with historic images. The two-hour, self-guided tour proceeds up Southwest's historic “main street,” Fourth Street, and heads west toward the Washington Channel Waterfront. The trail continues along the waterfront toward Fort McNair, Washington's first military installation. The last trail signs guide you back toward Waterside Mall.

Roads to Diversity: Adams Morgan Heritage Trail, 18 poster-sized illustrated signs combine story telling with historic images. Discover the history of this neighborhood known as much for its charming Victorian row houses as its ethnic restaurants and bright murals.
Tour of Duty: Barracks Row Heritage Trail, 16 poster-sized illustrated signs combine story telling with historic images to let you discover the history of this neighborhood.
Follow the signs on this self guided Cultural Tourism DC Neighborhood Heritage Trail to learn more about the rich military and political history of Capitol Hill's Barracks Row.
Village in the City: Mount Pleasant Heritage Trail. Locate 17 poster-sized street signs combining storytelling with historic photographs and maps along the way. Find the first sign at 16th and Harvard streets, NW, three blocks from the Columbia Heights station on Metro’s Green line. The 90-minute, self-guided tour loops through the Mount Pleasant Historic District and ends at Mount Pleasant and Kenyon streets, NW.
Anecdotal History Tours, The Washington Post says of author/historian/guide Anthony Pitch, "You'll follow him dreamily, mesmerized by his tales." Join his unique walking and motorized tours featured on national and international TV.
Before Harlem, There Was U Street, Tour Duke Ellington's U Street neighborhood where a vibrant African American community developed in the shadow of Howard University.
Bike the Sites, Bike the Sites guided tours are the most interactive and fun way to see our nation's capital, whether you're a first-time visitor to Washington or a local. The tours combine history, interesting facts, and a love for the city with a safe, enjoyable, and easy bike ride.
Capitol Hill, Most people think of Capitol Hill as a place where business is done, laws are passed, and deals are sealed. But "the Hill," as locals call it represents much more.
City Scooter Tours, An interactive and fun way to see the special sites of Washington DC. Each scooter tour combines history, interesting facts, and an affection for the city with an enjoyable and leisurely ride. Rent a scooter or wheelchair for the day, week, or longer and see all the sites DC has to offer!
Civil War Washington: Soldiers and Citizens - A Bus Tour, Lincoln under fire! Contraband camps and Emancipation celebrations! Working women and wounded soldiers! Conspiracy and assassination! Experience the tensions and turmoil affecting the Federal City during the Civil War years.
Different Voices, Different Views - A Cultural Tourism DC Bus Tour of Historic Anacostia, Take in the best view of the city and visit the home of Frederick Douglass, as you tour this historic district steeped in Civil War history, and the history of Washington's African American community.
Duke Ellington's DC: Shaw/U Street Bus Tour, Step into their time machine for a trip back to Washington's Black Broadway, boyhood home of the great Duke Ellington and the heart of African American culture in the nation's capital.
Insider's Insights™ Walking Itinerary: Dupont Circle/Kalorama This walking itinerary of Dupont Circle/Kalorama highlights the fascinating history and charming streetscapes of this eclectic neighborhood that bustles with busy bookstores and high-style shops, more than 20 art galleries, and an abundance of restaurants and cafes. On this 1.7 mile walk you'll pass three historic house museums, a significant textile collection, and the oldest museum of modern art in the nation.
On Location Tours, Inc. Lights, camera, action! Hop on location for the Washington, DC TV and Movie Sites tour, which takes guests past the sites of their favorite movies and TV shows shot in the nation's capital.
Spies of Washington® Walking Tours Whether you select a walking tour of Georgetown or Lafayette Square, you'll follow trails of espionage and intrigue, "meet" diverse personalities, and hear incredible tales. Your guide is Carol Bessette, a retired Air Force intelligence officer and Vietnam veteran.
Walks and Canal Boat Rides along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Enjoy a scenic ride and relive history with a canal barge ride along the Georgetown section of the C & O Canal. Or take a guided walk with a knowledgeable National Park Service Ranger.
Washington Walks The best way to tour any historic city is by foot. From the National Mall memorials to historic neighborhoods, hear our insider perspective on must-see places like Georgetown, Embassy Row, and Capitol Hill.