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Maryland State ParksThe MD State Parks Include The 1827 Monument To George Washington
There are forty five Maryland State Parks and they are as varied as the state itself. They include a park that alledgedly had the largest Oak tree in the United States, a monument to George Washington, a stone fort dating back to the French and Indian wars and a barrier island that has wild horses.
Maryland is located on the Atlantic coast of America just to the south of Pennsylvania and is the 42nd largest state in the Union. It has an extremely varied topography ranging from coastal sand dunes and marshland in the east to the pine clad mountains in the west. The state parks in Maryland reflect this diversity, Assateague State Park is on a barrier island in the Atlantic Ocean and Greenbrier State Park in the west includes part of the famous Appalachian mountain trail. The history of the state goes back to 20th of June 1632 when a charter was granted to Cecil Calvert the 2nd Lord Baltimore allowing him to create a colony in the area. It was named in honor of the wife of King Charles 11 of Britain who was called Henrietta Maria. The name given in the charter was "Terra Maria," Latin for Mary Land.
The colony was envisaged by Lord Baltimore as being a haven for Catholics. Although most of the first settlers were Protestants many of the high political positions came to be held by Catholics. The colony also became a destination to which thousands of British convicts were sent as punishment. The 18th century actually saw armed conflict between the colony of Maryland and Pennsylvania, its neighbour to the north, over the exact position of the border between the two colonies. The disagreement began in 1730 and only ended when a treaty was signed in 1760. Maryland was one of the thirteen colonies to fight against Britain in the American Revolution and it became the seventh state admitted to the Union when it ratified the Constitution. Maryland has been important in the history of the United States in two other ways. Firstly in December 1790 it donated land to the Federal Government for the creation of Washington D.C. allowing it to become the site for the capital city of this new nation. Secondly, the anthem "The Star Spangled Banner" written by Francis Scott Key in 1812 was penned during the bombardment of Fort McHenry as the British attempted to capture the port of Baltimore.
During the American Civil War Maryland came out for the Union side but the men of the state were divided in their loyalties, 85,000 joined the Union Army while 30,000 fought for the Confederacy. The state was also the site for the bloodiest battle of the war which took place at Antietam in September 1862, there were around 23,000 casualties. The colorful history of Maryland is reflected in the Maryland State Parks. For example, St.Clement`s Island State Park, located in the Potomac River, preserves the landing point of the first colonists on 25th March 1634. Fort Frederick State Park has stone fortifications that date back to the French and Indian War of 1756 and South Mount State Park is sited on a Civil War battlefield. The geography of the state also defines many of the Maryland State Parks. Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and most of the state`s waterways are part of the watershed of this great bay. It runs in a north south direction and very nearly bisects the state. The counties that lie on the Atlantic side of the bay are known as the Eastern Shore. Much of the southern boundary of Maryland is defined by the course of the Potomac River.
A number of the state parks in Maryland lie on either the Chesapeake Bay or on the Potomac River. Examples of bay parks are Calvert Cliffs State Park, Hart-Miller Island State Park, Janes Island State Park and North Point State Park. The Potomac River has Purse State Park and St. Clement`s Island State Park along its banks. Although this is a relatively small state the state parks in Maryland showcase this wonderful area and bring enjoyment to the millions who visit every year.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources are the controlling authority responsible for managing the state parks in Maryland. If you would like to ask any questions, or wish to find out about such things as passes, pets in the parks, events, charges or making a reservation, then here is their website. This is a list of the parks -
This map shows the counties in Maryland -
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