Cannonball House

The Cannonball House on Mulberry Street is one of St. Michaels' most-photographed landmarks, a Federal-style house built in the early 19th century that took a direct hit from a British cannonball during the War of 1812 engagement known as the Battle of St. Michaels. The house has been preserved with its original features and sits at the edge of the St. Michaels Historic District.

The town's association with the 1813 battle has become a point of civic pride, and the Cannonball House is the most physical reminder of that event. It is privately owned but visible from the street, and the exterior and its setting in the historic district make it worth a short detour on any walking tour of the town.

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A story
During the Battle of St. Michaels in 1813, British naval forces attacked the town. According to local legend, the townspeople hung lanterns in trees and on the masts of ships to confuse British gunners, causing their cannonballs to fly over the town. One cannonball did find its mark — rolling into the house on Mulberry Street that now bears the name Cannonball House. Whether the lantern trick actually worked is debated by historians, but the story has stuck.