You may have walked passed or even visited The Hogshead (43 Pinkney Street) in downtown Annapolis. This early 18th-century building is typical of the modest wood frame structures that housed many colonial Annapolitans. Today, it serves as an interactive, hands-on museum and historic landmark, offering visitors the opportunity to experience what life was like during the 1700s in Annapolis.
New developments have recently been made at Hogshead in Annapolis (including renaming the site to "Sign of the Hogshead"), and I was lucky enough to hear about them first hand. What was once considered a home that housed fresh recruits from the Revolutionary War, we now know to be an everyday craftsman’s house.
Unlike the other houses that Historic Annapolis oversees, Sign of the Hogshead is used as a place to interpret what everyday living looked like for the average family living in Annapolis during the colonial days. This interactive and hands-on experience is a perfect afternoon activity for the entire family.
Sign of the Hogshead’s volunteers are what set this site apart from traditional history museums. Dressed in colonial garments as they answer your questions and talk about the intricacies of 18th-century life, they bring not only a wealth of information on a wide range of topics, but genuine enthusiasm and love for early Maryland history. The varied interests and specialties of the guides allow for a different visitor experience each time you stop by this great attraction.
Sign of the Hogshead is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from Noon - 4:00 pm.
Historic Annapolis is the leading nonprofit preservation and history organization in Annapolis, MD. Since 1952, their mission has been to preserve and protect the historic places, objects, and stories of Maryland’s Capital City, and provide engaging experiences that connect people to the area’s diverse heritage. For more information on Sign of the Hogshead and Historic Annapolis' other sites, visit them online here.
Photos and video courtesy of Patrick McNamara of Drawn to the Image
