This five-part Georgian mansion was built in the
1760s by William Paca, one of Maryland’s four Signers of the Declaration of
Independence and the state’s third Governor. Carefully restored by Historic
Annapolis beginning in 1965, today it is recognized as one of the finest 18th-century
homes in the country and a National Historic Landmark. Guided tours of the
house, which features period furnishings and paintings, reveal the inner
workings of an upper-class household in colonial and revolutionary Annapolis.
Painstakingly restored to its original splendor
using details drawn from historic artwork and archaeological excavations, the
two-acre colonial William Paca Garden is a picturesque retreat
from the bustle of the city. Visitors can view native and heirloom plants while
exploring the terraced landscape’s formal Parterres, naturalistic Wilderness,
and practical Kitchen garden. The charming Summerhouse beckons guests to cross
the latticework bridge over a fish-shaped pond. The garden frequently hosts
weddings, receptions, and other special events.
Concerned that developers might tear down the home
of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Historic Annapolis and the
State of Maryland bought the Paca mansion and the rest of the Carvel Hall site
in 1965. Over the next decade, a team of experts—archival researchers,
archaeologists, architectural historians, paint analysts, x-ray photographers,
carpenters, masons, landscape designers, horticulturists, and other skilled
professionals—restored the William Paca House and Garden to their 18th-century
appearances. The site was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
The William Paca Garden is
a two acre oasis of natural beauty in the bustling center of Annapolis’
Historic District. Although many colonial Annapolitans had gardens, only
Paca’s has been returned to its original splendor and opened to the
public. Intrigued by garden details in the background of Charles Willson
Peale’s 1772 portrait of Paca, researchers were able to reconstruct the site
from a series of archeological digs that turned up evidence of the garden’s
former glory.
