Portal talk:Maryland/Did you know

Also include older articles?

I think we shouldn't limit ourselves to just new articles, older articles might have interesting facts in them too such as:

• ...that the Seal of Maryland is one of the few state seals to be two-sided?

Anyone agree? -Jeff ^(talk) 19:49, 22 August 2006 (UTC)

I think we will have to include older articles, since there aren't many new articles about Maryland that are created regularly. --tomf688 (talk - email) 21:07, 22 August 2006 (UTC)

Exactly what I was thinking too.-Jeff ^(talk) 01:48, 23 August 2006 (UTC)

"Did you know?" suggestions

I'm starting a list below of topics that may be worthy of the "Did you know?" section. Feel free to add to it. --tomf688 (talk - email) 20:01, 22 August 2006 (UTC)

Politics

• The current governor of Maryland, Robert Ehrlich, is the first Republican governor elected in 30 years.
• Unlike most other American courts, the judges on the Maryland Court of Appeals wear crimson (not black) robes, and neck bands, reminiscent of British court dress.
• Albert Ritchie was the 49th and longest serving Governor of Maryland, having held office from 1920 to 1935.
• Spiro Agnew, who was 55th governor of the state of Maryland from 1967 to 1969 and thirty-ninth Vice President of the United States from 1969 to 1973 under President Richard M. Nixon, was the highest-ranking Greek-American citizen to have held political office in the United States and is most famous for his resignation in 1973 following evidence of tax evasion.

History

• The Baltimore riot of 1861 was an incident that took place on April 19, 1861 in Baltimore, Maryland between Confederate sympathizers and infantrymen of the United States Army, and is regarded by historians as the first bloodshed of the American Civil War.
• The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil, and was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history with almost 23,000 casualties.
• The Flag of Maryland is the only state flag in the United States to be based on British heraldry.
• The Maryland State House is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, dating to 1772.
• Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay and, during the bombardment of the fort, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write The Star-Spangled Banner, the poem that would eventually be turned into the national anthem of the United States.
• Pan Am Flight 214 crashed in Elkton, Maryland, dispelling the myth that airliners in flight were impervious to damage from lightning strikes.
• The Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 raged in Baltimore, Maryland, from 10:48 a.m. Sunday, February 7, to 5:00 p.m. Monday, February 8, 1904. Over 1,231 firefighters were required to bring the blaze under control.
• The Seal of Maryland is one of the few state seals to be two-sided.
• Kent Island, Maryland was founded in 1631 as part of Virginia, three years before settlers landed in Saint Mary's City.

I'll go ahead and add some of these, if anyone wants to swap any out later (or sooner), then go right ahead.-Jeff ^(talk) 21:55, 23 August 2006 (UTC)

Buildings and structures

• The Thomas Viaduct over the Patapsco River was the first multi-span masonry railroad bridge in the United States when it was constructed between 1833 and 1835.
• The Sideling Hill road cut on Interstate 68 is an impressive, 340-foot-deep man-made mountain pass, visible from miles away.