Photo: Melford (the Thomas Duckett House), Mitchellville, Prince Georges County. It was built in the late 1840s and is an excellent example of the mid- 19th century side‑hall and double‑parlor plan, brick plantation house. Jack Boucher, photographer, 1989, for HABS (Historic American Buildings Survey).
Maryland Counties & County Seats
The City of Baltimore is governed independently, similar to the independent cities of Virginia.
Maryland ("Terra Maria") is named for the wife of England's King Charles I, Queen Henrietta Maria. It was the name of the charter issued by the King in 1632 to the first Baron Baltimore (George Calvert) for establishing a new Province. During the preparation of the official charter, Lord Baltimore died, thus it was ultimately issued to his son, Caecilius (Cecil) Calvert. But it was Cecil's younger brother Leonard who actually led the first two ships (the Arc and the Dove) of settlers to the new Province of Maryland, where they landed in March, 1634. The first group of more than 200 founded the town of St. Mary's and attempted to establish a feudal system. Resistance prevented this from occurring and by 1638 a Colonial Assembly was governing according to the laws of England.
Some historians assert that Maryland's nickname, "Old Line State," was bestowed by George Washington in reverence of its regular line troops, the Maryland Line, who served with distinction and made important contributions and sacrifices in many revolutionary battle engagements.