Donated tree to become part of new Maryland Dove

ST MICHAELS, MD – The new Maryland Dove currently under construction by shipwrights at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum will have a bit more of CBMM’s hometown in it thanks to a generous donation of wood from an Osage orange tree by St. Michaels, Md., resident Tracy Wagner.

Pieces of Osage orange donated to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum by St. Michaels resident Tracy Wagner sit on CBMM’s waterfront campus ready for use in its construction of a new Maryland Dove. – Contributed Photo

“I am happy and pleased that the wood is going to CBMM and they will be able to work with it,” said Wagner, who needed to remove the tree for safety reasons. “Osage is a very hard, pliable wood that’s historically been used for boatbuilding, so this is wonderful use for it.”

According to CBMM’s lead shipwright Joe Connor, who serves as construction manager on the build, the wood will be used to make mast steps, knees, and stanchions for the new Maryland Dove, a reproduction of the vessel that accompanied the first European settlers to what is now Maryland in 1634. To learn more about the project, visit marylanddove.org.

“Osage orange is both a beautiful type of wood and one that is incredibly useful in traditional wooden shipbuilding,” Connor said. “We are very grateful for this donation and can’t wait to mill these pieces and put them to good use as we continue our work on Maryland Dove.”

CBMM has reopened, but its working Shipyard remains closed to the public. Visit welcome.cbmm.org and plan your visit today to learn about the Chesapeake Bay’s history, traditions, and culture in a park-like setting along the Miles River and St. Michaels Harbor.

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~ Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum