Today marks the anniversary of the day people first set foot in the province of Maryland in 1634.  On that day, 376 years ago, the Ark and Dove anchored and Maryland’s first settlers came ashore at St. Clements Island in what is now St. Mary’s County.

On June 20, 1632, Charles I of England granted a charter to Cecilius Calvert, the Baron of Baltimore for the territory that is now Maryland. Traveling with the first settlers was Leonard Calvert who was sent by his brother Lord Baltimore and charged with settling the newly chartered territory.

The Ark and Dove departed from Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England on Nov. 22, 1633 with approximately 150 settlers, most of which were indentured servants. A few days after beginning the voyage the two ships encountered a severe storm which tossed the ships about violently and the when the storm was over the smallest ship, the Dove was no where to be found. The Ark continued toward its destination.

The Ark continued on by sailing south along the European coastline until reaching what is now called the Canary Islands and then headed due west across the Atlantic. The ship first reached the Caribbean Island of Barbados on Jan. 3 of 1633 or ’34. The travelers disembarked for a few weeks, resting and replenishing provisions. It was while there, the Dove rejoined the Ark.

The two ships stopped at a few more Caribbean Islands and then sailed north to Virginia where they stopped on Feb. 27. After resupplying the ships the group navigated up the Chesapeake Bay until reaching the Potomac River on March 3, 1634.

The ships sailing up the Potomac alarmed the Native Americans who had never before seen a modern ship. Leonard Calvert proceeded in the Dove to Piscataway where he was successful negotiating a peaceful accord with the Conoy Chief. Once that was accomplished, Calvert sailed back down the river where the Ark and Dove anchored and finally reached their destination on March 25.

When everyone was ashore, the group held a thanksgiving ceremony which is now commemorated as Maryland Day. However, day was not formally observed until 1903 when the State Board of Education chose the day as the day to be devoted to Maryland history. In 1916 the day was authorized as a legal Maryland holiday.

For information on early Maryland history check this link: http://mdroots.thinkport.org/