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Shiplap House was built about 1715, making it one of the oldest surviving buildings in Annapolis. The term "shiplap" refers to the exterior siding on the rear of the building, a technique used primarily in shipbuilding.

Edward Smith lived there and used it as his place of business and to house "strangers." He combined inn-keeping with the business of a "sawyer," cutting lumber into lengths suitable for building houses and ships. When Smith died in 1723 his wife ran the business until her death.

Taverns such as Shiplap House were an important part of the cityscape. People coming to town for the General Assembly, Provincial Court, and to buy and sell their goods, depended on taverns for a place to stay, get a bite to eat, and find out all of the current news of the day.

Shiplap House has been restored over the course of many years. It was purchased by Historic Annapolis Foundation in 1957 and later purchased by private owners who completed the interior restoration in the early 1980s. During the restoration process, early building techniques and materials were uncovered giving us insight into the skills and practices of early eighteenth-century house builders of Annapolis.

Currently, Shiplap House houses the main offices for Historic Annapolis Foundation. The first floor, where a tavern room has been recreated and a display of eighteenth century maritime trades is on exhibit, is open to the public on a limited basis.

Visit the Historic Annapolis Foundation's website for more information about Shiplap House.

Banneker-Douglass Museum The Barracks Charles Carroll House Circuit Court for A.A. Co. The City Dock City Hall Hammond-Harwood House Maryland Government House Maynard-Burgess House Middleton Tavern The Naval Academy

Old Treasury Building Reynold's Tavern Shiplap House The State House St. John's College Summer Garden Theatre Walking Tours of Annapolis William Paca House Victualling Warehouse

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