The certified heritage area for Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties, Stories of the Chesapeake announced its 2018 Heritage Heroes at its 2018 5th Annual Heritage Heroes Celebration held on June 7, 2018 in the Avalon Theatre in Easton.
Heritage Heroes are those individuals, organizations, or projects that advance the heritage area’s goals to preserve, promote, and interpret the natural, cultural, historic, and archeological resources that define this special place.
Featured speakers, renowned artist Marc Castelli and Blacks of the Chesapeake founder Vince Leggett, provided insight into the life of working watermen and how the watermen influenced their work. Both Mr. Leggett and Castelli were named 2018 Heritage Heroes for their efforts to promote and sustain the culture and heritage of working watermen.
Other 2018 Heritage Heroes include:
Kelley Cox – Tilghman Island
A native of Tilghman Island, Kelley Cox is the founder and executive director of Phillips Wharf Environmental Center. A marine biologist with a degree from Salisbury University, she has worked with various Chesapeake Bay Programs for over 15 years. As a member of a five-generation family of watermen, Kelley has a strong cultural appreciation for the life of the working watermen and what it means to bring fresh, healthy seafood to our tables. Kelley is active in numerous regional organizations including the Maryland Association of Outdoor and Environmental Educators and the Maryland Oyster Advisory Commission.
Tonya Brown – Kent Narrows Heritage Exhibit
Tonya Brown is lifelong resident of Queen Anne’s County born and partially raised on Kent Narrows. She developed the exhibit, currently on display at the Kennard Cultural Heritage Center, to share her heritage as a member of the Kent Narrows Community. The display highlights the work life and living conditions of African Americans and other migrant workers on Kent Narrows. Those viewing the exhibit can come to understand the strong morals, values, and respect for human life found in the Kent Narrows Community.
The Mainstay – “Golden Age of the Rock Hall Watermen
From approximately 1945 to the arrival of Hurricane Agnes in 1972, Rock Hall was
regarded as the “seafood capital” of the Chesapeake Bay. The abundance of catch was
astounding. Good livings were made and local children grew up in the tradition of the
watermen. Many legends were established and the stories of those days were vibrant and detailed, and they needed to be saved. The Mainstay, in Rock Hall, took on this task to save the stories and created a collection of 22-recorded interviews with the men and women who worked the water in those days. Their stories are worth hearing. You will laugh, perhaps shed a tear or two and learn from the recollections of these people.
Pat Guida – Caroline County
Pat Guida is a resident of Caroline County. Ms. Guida has conducted extensive research on many aspects of Caroline County history, including that of Frederick Douglass’ grandmother, who use to make and mend nets on the Choptank River right near the Old Steamboat Wharf in West Denton. Her research was instrumental in the nomination of the Choptank River to the National Park Service Network to Freedom program. Other research projects include the steamboat traffic on the Choptank and Harriett Tubman’s activities in Caroline County.
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~ Stories of the Chesapeake
