Maryland, a Mid-Atlantic state characterized by its plentiful coastlines and waterways on the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic, doesn't get as much hoopla as states like New York and Massachusetts. Yet, it's still steeped in unbridled history and charm, making the state known for blue crabs worthy of a Fun Facts post of its own. Without further ado, here are 12 interesting facts about the Old Line State: Many people mistakenly think that Baltimore is the capital of Maryland. While Baltimore is the state's largest city, Annapolis is its capital. The state is named after Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I of England and mother of Charles II and James II. One of the thirteen original colonies, Maryland is considered the birthplace of religious freedom in America, not Massachusetts. It was formed in the early 17th century as a refuge for persecuted Catholics from England by George Calvert, the first Lord of Baltimore. It became the thirteenth state to ap...

Given that I've worked in the hotel/lodging industry for over 6 years now, I enjoy studying up and learning about hotels around the world, especially those classified as historic and/or haunted. (I am, after all, a history junkie!) I thought it'd be fun to spotlight various historic hotels over the next few weeks as we draw closer to Halloween. We begin this spooktacular series on historic hotels with the Admiral Fell Inn , which is located in Baltimore, Maryland. The Fell family, Quakers from Lancaster, England, founded Fell's Point in 1730, and developed it into a shipbuilding center and busy deep-water seaport for exporting and importing. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Fell's Point was humming with exports of Maryland tobacco and grain and imports from Europe and the West Indies. By 1900, Fell's Point had devolved into a cesspool of debauchery and drunkenness known for its crime-ridden saloons and brothels. In response, the Port Mission Women...