Roots and Tides Byway
Naval Academy, MD

The Yard, as the campus is called, is now 338 acres and the Brigade of Midshipmen is 4000 strong. The byway enthusiast may want to take advantage of the guided tours leaving from the Visitor Center that has a wide variety of exhibits depicting a midshipman's life. Also on display here is "Freedom 7," America's first manned spacecraft. Alan Shepard, commander of "Freedom 7," was a Naval Academy graduate. An expansive gift shop with all types of souvenirs is also available.

The Chapel is a must visit. Often referred to as the 'Cathedral of the Navy,' this magnificent building, designed by noted New York architect, Ernest Flagg, was built in 1904. You can view stained glass windows designed by Tiffany studios of New York inside. Beneath the Chapel, is the crypt of John Paul Jones, the Revolutionary War hero who inspired his fellow countrymen with the noted phrase, "I have not yet begun to fight!"

Visit the Naval Academy Museum which houses an extensive maritime collection, including some of the nation's earliest battle flags and the table on which the agreement was signed for Japan's surrender at the end of World War II. Another exciting exhibit is the 1951 Gallery of Ships, a priceless collection of model ships that is considered one of the finest in the world.