William Paca House & Garden

Start your exploration of Annapolis, a “Museum Without Walls” at the William Paca House and Garden. This five-part Georgian mansion was built in the 1760s for 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 Georgian-style homes in the country and a National Historic Landmark. Guided tours of the house, which feature period furnishings and paintings, share the story of William Paca, a young aspiring attorney who became a leader of the Revolutionary movement in the 1770s. Visitors also discover the inner workings of an upper-class household in colonial and revolutionary Annapolis and learn details about the enslaved people who were made to cook, clean, do laundry, and care for the children to provide for the elite lifestyle of the Paca family. 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 footbridge over a fish-shaped pond. The garden frequently hosts weddings, receptions, and other special events. Also available to view at the William Paca House is the exhibition, “We Hold These Truths: Maryland’s Signers and the Declaration of Independence.” This exhibition closely examines the Declaration of Independence and explores the lives of the Maryland men who pledged themselves to its purpose and ideals: William Paca, Samuel Chase, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and Thomas Stone. Each of these men lived in Annapolis at one time or another, and Annapolis is the only city in the nation that still has surviving houses of all its state’s signers. In the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to view historic objects associated with each signer and learn the surprising “truths” about the personal and political lives of these four patriots. Come and visit the William Paca House and Garden and the exhibit, “We Hold These Truths: Maryland’s Signers and the Declaration of Independence,” and experience firsthand the rich colonial history of Annapolis.