Historic State House Acorn To Be Part Of Annapolis Museum Exhibit

ANNAPOLIS, MD — For more than 200 years, an 800-pound wooden acorn adorned the top of Maryland’s State House, providing an architectural flourish that was unique as well as large.

The acorn, fashioned out of a cypress tree on the state’s Eastern Shore, was placed atop the Capitol in 1788, 180 feet in the air. It remained there until 1996, when it was removed by a helicopter after it was determined that water seepage over the years had damaged the structure’s interior. A replica replacement, made from the acorn’s original wood, was constructed and hung at the top of the Capitol as a tribute to the original landmark.

But after the location of the original acorn became a bit of a mystery, officials from Historic Annapolis found the original and have arranged for it to be loaned to the local organization. The acorn will be part of an exhibit, “Annapolis: An American Story” which will take place in 2022 at the Historic Annapolis Museum.

The exhibit will open for a winter preview beginning Nov. 28 before the exhibit opens officially on Maryland Day weekend, which begins March 25, 2022.

The acorn was installed at the museum, 99 Main St., on Nov. 12 as a crew was able to narrowly fit the acorn through the front entrance to the museum. Now, local officials are welcoming the public to come view the acorn and learn about its place in Maryland history long after it made its debut at the State House.

“Historic Annapolis is thrilled to see the original State House acorn return to Annapolis and excited to share its story in our new exhibition Annapolis: An American Story,” Robert Clark, the president and CEO of Historic Annapolis, said in a news release. “ We are grateful to the State House Trust and the Maryland Department of General Services for the loan of this fascinating piece of history.”

When it opens, "Annapolis: An American Story" will serve as a groundbreaking centerpiece and tie together, for the first time, the city’s rich history and important cultural sites.

The exhibit's dramatic stories will tell of Annapolis and its diverse people — revolutionaries, visionaries and champions in the nation’s continuing quest for liberty and justice — who helped to shape the American story across more than 400 years.