Although GW had traveled the Baltimore-Marlboro road on his return south in 1773, he still was unfamiliar with the route and paid 7s. 6d. for a guide to Baltimore (General Ledger B description begins General Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 193). The roads in this part of Maryland ran through farms, and much time was lost in stopping to open and close gates each time the road passed from one field to another. Ebenezer Hazard complained in 1777 that he passed through 32 gates in one day on his way from Baltimore to Marlboro (HAZARD description begins Fred Shelley, ed. “Ebenezer Hazard’s Travels through Maryland in 1777.” Maryland Historical Magazine 46 (1951): 44–54. description ends , 48–50).

Upon their arrival at Baltimore, GW and the other Virginia and North Carolina delegates who arrived on this day were met by three companies of militia and escorted to the Fountain Inn (SCHARF [2] description begins J. Thomas Scharf. The Chronicles of Baltimore; Being a Complete History of “Baltimore Town” and Baltimore City from the Earliest Period to the Present Time. Baltimore, 1874. description ends , 132). This inn and tavern, run by a former Philadelphian, Daniel Grant, was a “large and commodious house, lately built by Mr. Gough, in Market-street, Baltimore” (Md. Journal, 20 Aug. 1773). The Fountain Inn was moved in 1782 a short distance to a new edifice built by Grant on Light Lane between Market Street and Ellicott’s Wharf (Md. Journal, 3 Dec. 1782). GW stayed at the inn several times on later trips to Baltimore.