▁research ▁and ▁historic ▁interpretation ▁area ▁that ▁exists ▁today ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁Maryland ' s ▁original ▁colonial ▁settlement . ▁ ▁Historic ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁City ▁also ▁co - run s ▁( joint ly ▁with ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁College ▁of ▁Maryland ) ▁the ▁now ▁intern ation ally ▁recognized ▁ ▁Historical ▁Arch ae ology ▁Field ▁School , ▁a ▁desc endant ▁of ▁Kennedy ' s ▁idea ▁that ▁a ▁school ▁should ▁be ▁involved ▁in ▁research ing ▁and ▁pres erving ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁colonial ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁City . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁term ▁as ▁U . S . ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Navy , ▁Kennedy ▁made ▁the ▁request ▁for ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁Academy ▁Band ▁in ▁Ann apolis ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁The ▁band ▁continues ▁to ▁be ▁active ▁to ▁this ▁day . ▁ ▁R oles ▁in ▁science ▁and ▁technology ▁ ▁Federal ▁study ▁and ▁accept ance ▁of ▁the ▁te legraph ▁ ▁While ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress , ▁John ▁P end leton ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁the ▁primary ▁and ▁decis ive ▁force ▁in ▁Congress ▁in ▁se cur ing ▁$ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁( an ▁enorm ous ▁sum ▁at ▁the ▁time ) ▁for ▁testing ▁Samuel ▁Mor se ' s ▁te legraph ▁communic ations ▁system . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁electronic ▁means ▁of ▁long - distance ▁communication ▁in ▁human ▁history . ▁The ▁government ▁tests ▁cor ro bor ated ▁Mor se ' s ▁in vention ▁and ▁led ▁to ▁federal ▁ad option ▁of ▁the ▁technology ▁and ▁the ▁subsequent ▁establishment ▁of