BALTIMORE — March 25 is known as Maryland Day and the Maryland Department of General Services (DGS) is celebrating in a unique way.
They will bring in the holiday by presenting hand-held Maryland flags to visitors and employees at General Services facilities in Baltimore and Annapolis.
Maryland Day didn't become an official holiday until 1903 and the Maryland General Assembly authorized as a legal holiday in 1916. The flag wasn't officially adopted until 1904.
The flag bears the arms of the Calvert and Crossland families. Calvert was the family name of the Lords Baltimore who founded Maryland, and their colors are gold and black. Crossland was the family of the first Lord Baltimore, with their colors of red and white.
Today, 1,634 American-made Maryland flags will be distributed at the following locations: Maryland State House, 45 Calvert St. in Annapolis, the Treasury Building in Annapolis, COmmunity Place in Crownsville, the State Center buildings in Baltimore, and the William Donald Schaefer building in Baltimore.
