Here are answers to some of the top questions that readers have asked Ginger she began writing “Annapolis: From Past to Present” in November 2002.

1. Why and how did you start writing your column? For many women—especially young, single, avid golfers—working with the PGA Tour would be an ideal job. Not for me.
   
   I returned to Annapolis, my hometown, from Charlottesville, Virginia in June 2002. At the time, I only planned to stay briefly before moving to Florida to work with the Tour. Yet upon returning, I noticed that Annapolis had changed—and not just for the best. Development had transformed much of its landscape since I left for college in 1997, and it showed no sign of stopping. New developments—both residential and commercial—were emerging left and right: Park Place, Acton's Landing, the Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole, and so forth—the list seemed endless.
   
   This trend disturbed me. And, although I was just twenty-two years old, I remembered a smaller, simpler Annapolis. I remembered going downtown, as a child and seeing a harbor bustling with watermen and workboats—as well as tourists and pleasure craft. I also remember my great-grandfather, David Jenkins, discussing the city's history, the importance of that history, and the sense of purpose with which he spoke.
   
   That same sense of purpose prompted me to take a risk: I chose to stay in Annapolis rather than move, in order to help preserve my hometown's heritage. Just how I was going to do that was a good question. After all, I was a golf artist with a B.A. in Leadership Studies.
   
   I made my choice in late summer. Several weeks passed. Then, one evening, I had an idea. Actually my father and I had the idea. We were playing Scrabble and discussing The Capital's headlines when we reached this conclusion: The Capital was a fine newspaper; however it didn't have a weekly history column: one that would inform readers about local heritage and encourage them to become stewards of that heritage.
   
   We decided it should. We named it “Annapolis: From Past to Present,” And, for the first time in the history of our father/daughter Scrabble rivalry, we stopped playing in order to pursue the concept. We started by brainstorming a list of topics for the column; we listed over 200 within an hour or so, and I wrote sample columns based on three of them within a month.
   
   Meanwhile, my father mentioned the idea to Linnell Bowen: our friend, my role model, and Executive Director of Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. Linnell had a strong background in history, historic preservation, and education. She also knew The Capital's Executive Editor, Tom Marquardt. And, in early fall, she presented my columns to him, for his review, on my behalf.
   
   To my surprise and delight, The Capital embraced the concept. I wasn't sure that it would—especially since I hadn't studied history, historic preservation, journalism, or any other similar subject in college. Even so, the paper published my first column in November 2002.
2. What do you enjoy most about your work? Writing about local history has enabled me to make a small, but hopefully meaningful, contribution to my hometown. It has enabled me to meet and learn from people of all ages and backgrounds. It's also enabled me to learn about Annapolis's past and, and in doing so, understand its current issues more fully.
3. How can I access your past columns? By searching The Capital's archives at www.hometownannapolis.com . Search the archives either by my name, the title of my column, or date (the column ran weekly on Wednesdays from November 2002-November 2004 and on the second Wednesday of the month from then through the present). You can access articles that I've written for Shipmate magazine at www.usna.com .
4. Where do you get your information? I usually respond to this query by joking that “I make it up.” Of course this is false. I rely on eight main sources to research my column including the Archives of Maryland Online: a collection of over 471,000 historical documents available at www.mdarchives.state.md.us. I use this source to read Maryland Gazette issues from 1728-1839; Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly; “An historical list of the Office Holders of Maryland from 1634 through the present;” and Annapolis City Directories for 1910 and 1924. The 1910 Directory is especially informative; it reveals a person's name, address, occupation and race by using an asterisk to indicate African-American “persons or firms.”
   
   When I can't find what I need online, I visit the Maryland State Archives on Rowe Boulevard for these and other reasons: to read Annapolis city council proceedings from the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries, to view U.S. Census data and historical photographs, and to browse Index 106 (“A guide to the Annapolis items in the Maryland Gazette ”). This index, which was started by Phebe Jacobsen in 1958, enables patrons to search the newspaper for people and items relating to Annapolis.
   
   Patrons need to show a photo ID to enter the Archives. They also need one to enter the Maryland State Law Library, also located on Rowe Boulevard. I go there to access the Baltimore Sun on microfilm, the Revised By-Laws of the Corporation of the City of Annapolis (1839), and The Code of the City of Annapolis by the Counselor (1897).
   
   A photo ID is also required to enter another place where I perform my research: Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy. Nimitz has an outstanding microfilm collection. It includes Evening Capital issues from 1884-1981, as well as issues of the Washington Post , New York Times , other newspapers and periodicals. Its microfilm readers are modern and reliable. And the best part is that one can print a “reasonable number” of pages from them for free.
   
   Nimitz also has a Special Collections & Archives Division. It's located on the third floor and contains the Naval Academy's official records or archives, as well as rare books, manuscripts, photographs and other historically significant materials in the library's collections. I typically go there to access these items: a cache of 400 letters written by Alfred Schanze, USNA 1908; the Evening Capital's Historical and Industrial Edition : an oversized bound volume, which offers a snapshot of Annapolis in 1908; the Naval Academy's Register of Alumni, graduates, former naval cadets and midshipmen (1845-1981 ); and Johnson's Directory for Annapolis, Maryland for 1896-97 .
   
   In addition to Nimitz, I also frequent Greenfield Library at St. John's College. Greenfield has several benefits. It's a short walk from my home; its ground floor provides quiet, private spot in which to write; and it contains the books that I use the most: Annapolis Maryland Families (Volumes I and II) by Robert McIntire.
   
   These heavy red books contain nearly 2,000 pages of information about the history of local families. Mr. McIntire, a self-described “non-Annapolitan” who lacked “any hereditary ties with the city” used thousands of birth and marriage records, obituaries, tombstone inscriptions, and more to write his works. A typical entry in them cites a person's name, place and date of birth and death, occupation, if he married and had children, and the names of his spouse and children. (This is helpful since newspapers often failed to list a woman's first name well into the 20 th century.)
   
   Mr. McIntire's books are available at other local libraries, including the Anne Arundel County Public Library/ Annapolis Area Library on West Street. What I appreciate most about this site is its Maryland Gold Star Collection. It's located in the Quiet Room and has an array of periodicals, files, and books about Maryland history.
   
   Speaking of books, I also draw upon my personal library for information. Books that I use most often from this source include Polk's Annapolis City Directories for 1939, 1954 and 1969; Then Again…Annapolis, 1900-1965 by Mame Warren; Architecture in Annapolis: A field guide published by the Maryland Historical Trust Press; and Jack Sweetman's The U. S. Naval Academy: An Illustrated History .
   
   Two other staples on my shelves are The Diary of William Faris , edited by Mark Letzer and Jean Russo; and St. Mary's Church in Annapolis, Maryland: A Sesquicentennial History, 1853 – 2003 by Robert Worden. These books are a good entrée into the eight and final source that I use to inform my column: people—especially members of the Annapolis History Consortium. Members of this informal group, including Jean Russo and Robert Worden, have either a professional or avocational interest in Maryland history. They meet monthly to learn about and/or discuss topics related to this interest and each others' ongoing research efforts. In between meetings, they also support each other's efforts and answer queries—including many from me.
   
   I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a second group of people that has contributed significantly to my column: those who I've interviewed and written about such as native Annapolitans Capt. Richard Lazenby, USN (ret.), Peggy Kimbo, and Orlando Ridout IV. Their reflections of our city's past comprise the first three chapters of Annapolis Vignettes : the book based on my column, now available from Tidewater Publishers. For more information about the book visit www.cmptp.com , call 1-800-638-7641, or write to Cornell Maritime Press/ Tidewater Publishers, P.O. Box 456, Centreville, MD 21617.
5. What would you like to do next? I'm currently writing a book about the Annapolitan Club's history. I'd like to write at least two other books about local history including one containing a selection of the 400 letters that Alfred Schanze, USNA 1908, wrote during his time at Annapolis (while attending Wilmer's U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School and the Naval Academy from 1904-08 ). I'd also like to write a book about women who have contributed to historic preservation in Annapolis, such as Anne St. Clair Wright, Pringle Symonds, Linnell Bowen, and Naomi Kinard.