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All month, I’ve been thinking about the importance of community. Throughout January, we at Historic Annapolis had many opportunities to experience the strong sense of community that exists within our city and beyond. Community takes on many forms– some big, some small, some loose-knit, some tight. I envision this as concentric circles, nested inside one another. The innermost circle is the core HA team. The next includes our volunteers, donors, and members. Beyond that, our partners, the Annapolis community at large, and finally, our preservation partners throughout the state. January was an eventful month, kicking off what we expect to be a very momentous year ahead.
A couple weeks ago, our staff huddled together for an off-site retreat. We reaffirmed our core values, reflected upon the successes of the past year, and set intentions for the coming year. Now is a time of growth, energy, and spirit at HA, shared among a diverse group of professionals, all working together.
Radiating outward, the concept of community was most apparent last weekend when HA friends and colleagues mourned the loss of a beloved and long-standing HA docent, Tony Zecca. Tony was widely respected for his scholarly-based living history interpretations and his kind demeanor. All who gathered were unified by a mutual admiration for Tony and his contributions to HA.
And then, an even broader community circle emerged with a swift and unprecedented collaboration to acquire two drinking vessels that belonged to William and Mary Paca over 250 years ago. These objects descended through nine generations of the Paca family and will soon be on public display at the Paca House for all to see. This acquisition was made possible by the extraordinary generosity of our community of docents, volunteers, and supporters, along with our partner organization, the Maryland Center for History and Culture, with whom we now have joint ownership of these rare collection items. This community was committed to bringing these objects home.
Other growing and valued community partners played an important part of this eventful month – the Society of Colonial Wars, who recognized HA and our Hogshead Trades Museum as the charitable recipient of this year’s colonial ball, and, as we entered the 2025 legislative session, the State of Maryland, whose historic properties we proudly care for. We also joined in a broad county-wide celebration honoring several individuals who espouse the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., including a cherished member of HA’s Board of Trustees, Carroll H. Hynson, Jr.
And lastly, as the City Dock Redevelopment project continues to advance, we are reminded of the role HA serves in representing the preservation interests of the entire Annapolis community. We are listening to you – our supporters and champions – who are looking to us to advocate for making downtown resilient without sacrificing the unique historical character that we love so much. And in turn, we ask for your continued support in our efforts to ensure that the essence of our historic core is not lost.
All this in just one month! Let’s see what February brings.
