Maryland Facts and Figures

1876 artwork by Henry Mitchell, via Wikipedia Commons

 Maryland ranks sixth among states and provinces with markers in this database. Maryland is a state in the United States of America located in the American Northeast. It is also in the Mid-Atlantic region. Maryland is some 12 thousand square miles in size with a population of around 6 million people. The state is divided into 24 counties and an independent city and all of them have entries in this database. In Maryland we have discovered historical markers in 555 cities and towns lying in 384 different ZIP Codes.

There are at least 5,507 historical markers in Maryland, by our count. We have cataloged 5,504 historical markers and 358 war memorials—each individually presented on 5,829 illustrated, annotated, and searchable pages of the Historical Marker Database. Pages for historical markers from this state make up 3.8% of our total. In addition, we are reasonably certain of another three historical markers in Maryland that we don’t yet have, and instead show on our Want List. Our correspondents have been finding and adding hundreds of markers a month to the database from all over the world, so next time you visit this page you will probably find that the numbers here have changed.

The first Maryland marker in the database, Colony Of Maryland, was added November 9, 2005 while the database was being designed and tested (the Historical Marker Database went live January 1, 2006). It was photographed near Aberdeen in Harford County. The last one added was submitted on January 19, 2021, and titled Pocomoke City Historic Railroad Station. It is in Pocomoke City in Worcester County and had been erected in 1999. Keeping in mind that the erection date of many markers in the database is not known, one of the earliest historical markers we know of in Maryland was erected in 1792. More than one was erected that year. This one of them: Original Federal Boundary Stone, District of Columbia, Northeast 2, and one of our correspondents found it in Takoma Park in Montgomery County on September 11, 2016.

Marylanders don’t want to forget their Civil War history. How do we know? Because there are more historical markers in the database from Maryland about the Civil War—1,182 of them—than about any other historical topic. It is followed by Industry and Commerce with 950 markers.

The first marker added to the database with the Civil War topic was Rockville, added January 9, 2006. It had been erected in Rockville in Montgomery County. The last one submitted was submitted on January 19, 2021, and titled River Trades & Traditions / River Lore & Legend. It had been erected in Pocomoke City in Worcester County. The earliest marker erected with the Civil War topic that we have listed was erected in 1861. It is Capt. Samuel G. Prather, was found near Clear Spring in Washington County on December 5, 2009.

What is the most interesting historical marker in Maryland? What we know is that The Clara Barton House is the most viewed entry in the database from Maryland since it was added in 2006. It is located in Glen Echo in Montgomery County. This year so far, the most viewed Marylander entry is located in Adamstown in Frederick County. It is Carrollton Manor.

The Maryland county or independent city with the most historical markers listed in this database is Washington County, with 835 of them. It is followed by the independent city of Baltimore with 729 markers. The Sharpsburg area of Washington County has the highest number of markers within its limits, 422. In Baltimore the area with the most markers, 78, is Downtown.

Checking the database for the city or town in Maryland with the most markers we again find Sharpsburg at the top of the list with 422 markers in or near it. It is followed by Annapolis in Anne Arundel County with 234 markers. For the ZIP Code with the most markers it’s 21782 at the top of the list with 428 markers in its delivery area. (ZIP Code 21782 is assigned to Sharpsburg MD.) It is followed by ZIP Code 21401 with 162 markers. (21401 is assigned to Annapolis MD including the Cape Saint Claire delivery area.)

Getting back to Washington County, the first marker added to the database from there, One of Lee’s Ammunition Trains, was added June 2, 2006. near Halfway. The last one submitted was uploaded on November 11, 2020, and is titled Fairchild Aircraft Company, in Hagerstown. The earliest marker erected in Washington County that we have listed was erected in 1861. It was Capt. Samuel G. Prather, found near Clear Spring on December 5, 2009.

Latest Entry from Maryland
“Pocomoke City Historic Railroad Station”

And finally the first, last, and oldest markers from Annapolis. The first: St. Mary's City Cannon, was added October 9, 2007. It had been erected in 1908. The last: Bates: The Center of Community Life added on October 1, 2020. The earliest marker erected was erected in 1808: The Tripoli Monument, added on December 28, 2016.

The Maryland Historical Trust is currently in charge of the familiar Silver shield with black letters official historical markers found all over the state. We have 182 of their markers in the database. Also, a number of counties and an independent city have erected historical markers on their streets and roads and within their public areas, as have some other cities and towns.

By Allen C. Browne, April 22, 2017

A Maryland Historical Trust Historical Marker

Then there are federal government agencies that put up historical markers, especially in national parks and other areas under their jurisdiction. And finally, there are the numerous public and private organizations and individuals that erect markers. Some do this as a continual endeavor, and others once in a while, to mark something, someone, or someplace they find important or interesting. When one of our correspondents comes across one that satisfies our criteria, we add it to the database.

You’ll find that even the smallest, least populated, or most rural areas of Maryland have been marked with history. Check out Wicomico County, Caroline County and Somerset County. We've only found, respectively, 67, 59, and 37 historical markers there. Visiting one or more of these parts of Maryland might make for a pleasant road trip, and maybe you’ll discover more historical markers while you’re there. If you do, perhaps you’ll take the time to photograph them and, when you get home, become an HMdb correspondent by adding them to the database. Happy Hunting!