Maryland is an important Mid-Atlantic US state. Annapolis is the capital city.
The state sprawls over an area of 32, 133 square kilometers. It is home to nearly 6 million residents.
1. The world's first ever telegraph message was dispatched from Washington DC to Baltimore city.
2. In 1982, Garrett Park, a town in this state, declared itself the US's first nuclear free zone.
3. Baltimore is the largest city of this state but not the capital. It has been an important seaport for a long time.
4. The state is frequently referred to as 'America in Miniature'. There exist different topographies here including mountains, forests, sandy dunes, low marshlands and others.
5. Maryland has participated in the Civil War, Revolutionary War as well as the War of 1812 against the British.
6. The National Aquarium in Baltimore attracts a whopping 1.5 million visitors annually. The popular aquarium is home to over 750 species.
7. The US's national anthem was composed by Francis Scott Key, a Maryland native. As the popular story goes, he wrote the anthem when watching an attack on Fort McHenry.
8. As per archaeologists, this region may have had humans living in it for around 21,000 years. The evidence is ancient items such as beads and arrowheads.
9. The first African-American Supreme Court Judge of the US - Thurgood Marshall is a native of this small but important state.
10. There exist 48 individuals residing in Maryland who are aged 114 or older which is a rare occurrence.
11. Established way back in 1727, the Maryland Gazette has the distinction of being the nation's oldest continuously published newspaper.
12. Did you know that this state donated some land for the formation of the US's capital, Washington D.C?
13. Maryland was named after Henreitta Maria, the spouse of King Charles I by Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore.
14. The nation's first post office was set up in Baltimore in 1774.
15. In 2008, Maryland became the first US state to designate a state exercise namely- walking.
16. The state is home to a town with the name - Boring. The tiny town was named after its first postmaster - David Boring. It is popular among passing travelers who take photographs of themselves with the Boring Post Office in the backdrop.
17. The state song was composed by a Confederate sympathizer and is still controversial. The song still remains a state song, despite many attempts to replace it.