In the 1600s, St Mary's City was a busy port and served as the state's first capital. Today, the spot is a living history museum romantically positioned among the surrounding forests, fields and farmlands along the river. The reconstructed buildings and costumed docents really make the past feel relevant. Given its distance from anything resembling a crowd, HSMC feels more colonial than similar places like Williamsburg.
![St. John's Site Museum at Historic St. Mary's City.](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2023-07/shutterstockeditorial1314102389.jpg?w=1920&h=640&fit=crop&crop=faces%2Cedges&auto=format&q=75)
© Regine Poirier/Shutterstock
Historic St Mary's City
Maryland
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