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Anne Arundel County borders the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and is equidistant from Washington D.C. and Baltimore. With over 533 miles of shoreline, the County furnishes waterfront living to many residential communities. Annapolis, the State Capitol, has been named one of the 10 best places to live in the United States. The city's historic district is a major tourist attraction and gathering place for dining, shopping and entertainment. Anne Arundel County is rapidly becoming a major center for national and international company headquarters. The Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) is the fastest growing airport in the region and hosts a number of international and domestic carriers. The BWI area, located in the northwest section of the County, is a hub of commercial and industrial development supporting 50% of all jobs and 57% of all companies in the County.
The first European settlers arrived in present-day Anne Arundel County in 1649. Seventeen years earlier, King Charles I signed the Charter of Maryland granting the colony to Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore. Cecil Calvert and his father, George, who died two months prior to the charter, envisioned the colony as both an economic enterprise and a place where fellow Roman Catholic royalists could escape the religious strife that was increasingly prevalent in England. After the death of his father, Cecil Calvert was materially aided in his enterprise by his father-in-law, Thomas Arundell, first Baron Arundell of Wardour. A wealthy and influential Catholic, he was able to fulfill his dream of establishing a colony in North America through his son-in-law. In 1642 the English Civil War broke out between the Roman Catholic royalists supporting Charles I and the Protestant Parliamentarians. Cecil Calvert, whose patronage came exclusively from the monarchy, became understandably concerned about his ability to maintain control over his colony. To solidify his position, he took several steps that would prove pivotal in the history of the Maryland Colony and what would soon become Anne Arundel County.
In December of 1649, the first European settlement in Anne Arundel County was founded by these Puritans on the north shore of the Severn River opposite present-day Annapolis. It was called Providence.
Personal tragedy was also a part of 1649 for Cecil Calvert, with the death of his beloved wife of twenty-one years, Anne Arundell. In 1650 the Maryland General Assembly created Anne Arundell County and named it after his late wife. The County Seal, still in use, is a slight variation on the Coat of Arms of the Lords' Baltimore.
The General Assembly voted in 1694 to move the capital from St. Mary's City to "Anne Arundell Towne." In 1695, the town was renamed " Annapolis" in honor of then Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Mary. Annapolis became the economic, social and political center of the colony and the seat of government for Anne Arundel County. It remained the Capitol and seat of government when statehood was achieved on April 28, 1788.
Anne Arundel County continues to grow, attract business and new residents, because of its central location between Baltimore and Washington. It offers superior transportation networks, natural beauty, recreational opportunities and 533 miles of shoreline. The population of Anne Arundel County is projected to grow throughout the twenty-first century from 485,800 in 2000 to 563,000 in 2030.
Learn more about Annapolis, Maryland's History
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