"Annapolis - Main Street Memories" by Paul McGehee. The illuminated dome of the Maryland State House presides over cobblestone reflections on Annapolis' historic Main Street. This scene of the storied thoroughfare as it appeared in the early 1980's is a perfect example of the old living alongside the new, a thriving modern downtown that held on to many of its 18th century buildings instead of knocking them all down every few decades as some towns do. Apart from a few modern structures, and utility poles, the appearance of this charming scene is pretty much the same today as it was in 1800...the Historic Preservation Commission has been key in maintaining the area in recent years. In the early 1950's things were looking bleak for some of the old structures and there was talk of tearing them down but Historic Annapolis, Inc. was formed just in time to employ pioneering preservation tactics that were years ahead of the Federal curve. Thanks to concerned citizens we have the five-block-long strip of historic buildings along Main Street (formerly Church Street) leading up to St. Anne's Church, 65 preserved buildings in all, from the City Dock to the Maryland Inn...and the beautiful Maryland State House, which was completed in 1797. In fact, the State House (which houses the Maryland General Assembly and the Governor's office) is the oldest U.S. State Capitol which has been in continuous legislative use since the early days of our nation. Construction of the State House actually began in 1772 but was delayed during the years of the American Revolutionary War against Britain. In 1783 and 1784 it served as the Capitol building of the United States Congress of the Confederation, and is where the Congressional Proclamation of the Treaty of Paris was signed and ratified, formally ending the American Revolutionary War. Annapolis' historic Main Street indeed holds many memories. "Annapolis - Main Street Memories" is faithfully reproduced as an archival-quality print from McGehee's original color pencil and acrylic artwork, each hand-signed by the artist. Print image size: 10 5/8" x 16 5/8".