Reporting by By Alejandro Rodriguez Muñoz from Annapolis, Maryland.

Annapolis serves both as the capital of the State of Maryland and as the county seat for Anne Arundel County. It is located at the mouth of the Severn River, 30 miles east of Washington D.C. and 25 miles south of Baltimore. First settled in 1649, the city was the capital of the United States when the Congress met in 1783 and 1784. 

The city has hosted St. John’s College since 1696, and the U.S. Naval Academy since 1845. The Naval Academy was the single largest local source of employment for more than a century. Navy students are still seen today walking through downtown Annapolis frequently. 

Home to 39,174 people, Annapolis has been called America’s Sailing Capital by its citizens. The Chesapeake Bay and its creeks are the heart and soul of the city. 

“One thing that happens when you’re raised in Annapolis is that water becomes a part of your visual and spiritual being,” said resident Sharie Valerio, quoted in Then Again: Annapolis, 1900-1965, by Mame Warren. “It’s a beautiful thing to have as a part of your inner self.”

The Courts at Belle Pointe is a residential neighborhood surrounded by water fifteen minutes from downtown Annapolis. Most residents have jobs in the city, but many work remotely from their homes. Life goes on in these neighborhoods: Children play in the streets, ride bicycles or scooters. Neighbors still walk their dogs, and people are out in their front yards. It’s the kind of neighborhood where anyone would want to raise their children: charming, social and safe. 

There is a Seven Eleven a minute away, and a shopping area with restaurants and stores not far from the neighborhood, within walking distance. But non-essential businesses are closed. The Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, has issued a stay-at-home order. Since mid-March, most people in the community have carefully observed social distancing, a strategy that seems to be working. Currently, no coronavirus cases have been reported in the neighborhood.