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After two years of construction, the Maryland State House now features a 19th-century room modeled after the old House of Delegates Chamber of the 1800s. The architecture and design of the room is so authentic one might look out the window expecting to see a horse and buggy instead of their car.
Design ideas were taken from photographs and descriptions in order to create a meeting room and historical displays mirroring the old House of Delegates Chamber. This recreated Victorian-style room is the first to represent the state house in the 19th century, as opposed to the rest of the rooms which focus on the 18th century. The complete project cost $3.1 million, but they were dollars well spent since Maryland played a major role in both the Civil War and the shaping of the United State's Constitution in the 19th century.
The renovation of the chamber can be credited to not only photographs but detailed documentation of the renovation in 1876. When it came to replicating the House of Delegates Chamber to a “T,” the sole uncertainty was which colors to use, simply because all of the optics taken at the time were in black and white. The beauty of this new space in the Maryland State House is that it is functional for legislation today, however its use will likely be limited to special conferences and negotiations.
For more information on the House of Delegates Chamber go to their official website, msa.md.gov/msa/mdstatehouse/html/silverrm.html.
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