1. On July 7, 1846, the first telegraph message was sent from Washington D.C. to Baltimore, Maryland. The message read, "What hath God wrought?"

2. Famous poet Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809, but spent much of his life in Maryland. On July 7, 1849, Poe stopped in Baltimore on his way back to New York and was found unconscious on the street. He died four days later, and the cause of his death remains a mystery.

3. On July 7, 1864, Confederate troops raided and burned the town of Funkstown, Maryland during the Civil War. The town was among many in Maryland that were targeted during the war as the state was considered a key strategic location.

4. On July 7, 1956, the state of Maryland implemented a new law that required all vehicles to have license plates with the slogan "The Free State" printed on them. This slogan has remained on Maryland license plates to this day.

5. On July 7, 2010, the city of Baltimore celebrated the 200th birthday of famous abolitionist and Maryland native Frederick Douglass. The celebration included a parade, a wreath-laying ceremony at Douglass' statue in Fells Point, and a festival featuring music and dance performances.