Four Rivers: What's New

It Takes a Village… Working Collaboratively with the Public Schools is a free workshop for heritage professionals that work, or would like to work, with Anne Arundel County public schools. Heritage site educators and history professionals who work with students from the public schools, and site directors planning for school group visits are encouraged to attend. This is your opportunity to hear from those at the top!

Speakers will include Terry Poisson, Coordinator of Social Studies, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Dr. Maureen McMahon, Assistant Superintendant of Advanced Studies and Programs, Carlesa Finney, Director of Equity Assurance & Human Relations, and Kim Callison, Coordinator of Elementary Reading.

The workshop will be held Monday, October 4, 2010 from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. at Historic London Town and Gardens Visitor's Center, 839 Londontown Road, Edgewater, Md.

Pre registration is required by emailing the Four Rivers Heritage Area at heritage_area@aacounty.org or calling 410-222-1805. To download an informational flyer to print or distribute, please click here.

Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County announces guidelines, criteria, and deadlines for the FY2011 Mini-Grant program. Made possible for the eighth year through financial support from Anne Arundel County and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Four Rivers’ Mini-Grants assist local heritage-related non-profit organizations in developing new heritage and preservation-related programs, activities, products, and events. Mini-Grant awards of up to $2,500 are available for projects within the heritage area that incorporate regional historic, cultural, and natural resources, collaborative partnerships, and the heritage area’s regional interpretive themes. More information about themes and suggested activities can be found in our state, county and city-approved Management Plan. Educational programs and activities related to statewide tourism initiatives such as the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 are encouraged, as well as proposals that incorporate innovative uses of technology and/or promote environmentally-friendly activities.

Past mini-grant supported projects within the heritage area include: “Paddle Through History” kayak tours of the Rhode River and Back and Spa Creeks; brochure development for the Annapolis Maritime Museum, Galesville Heritage Museum, Charles Carroll House, and Captain Salem Avery Museum; website development for the Galesville Community Center Organization’s Rosenwald School and website upgrades for Historic London Town and Gardens; archeological research by the Lost Towns Project; a regional Civil War cultural resources guide and a Parole oral history project by the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation; a museum exhibit on health and hygiene at Historic Annapolis Foundation’s William Paca House; the revised Eastport Walking Tour; exhibit development at the Annapolis Maritime Museum; a visitors’ kiosk at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; a walking tour brochure of the St. John’s College campus; an informational brochure for the West/Rhode Riverkeeper program; conservation of Francis Scott Key’s will at St. John’s College; and many more. The grant criteria and application form, as well as a complete list of past mini-grant awards, are available by clicking here.

Applicants must discuss their proposal with heritage area staff prior to application submission. Mini-grant applications are available online or by calling the Four Rivers Heritage Area office. The deadline for submission of mini-grant applications (original and 6 copies) is Friday, October 15, 2010. Mini-grant proposals will be evaluated by a Four Rivers Grants Committee, and awards will be announced approximately one month after application deadline.

For more information, please visit the "Mini-Grants" page on our website, www.fourriversheritage.org, and contact Executive Director Carol Benson at 410-222-1805 or by e-mail at heritage_area@aacounty.org.

Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County seeks nominations for its seventh annual heritage awards. These awards recognize individuals, organizations, partnerships, programs and products that contribute significantly to the community by interpreting, promoting, preserving, researching and/or supporting our historical legacy.

Awards are made in several different categories, including Best Heritage Tourism Product, Best New Initiative, Best Heritage Partnership, Heritage Professional of the Year, Heritage Interpreter of the Year, and the Public/Private Initiative Award. Nominations are also requested for the Legacy Award, which recognizes an individual or group who continues or preserves a traditional craft or livelihood, and the Heritage Leadership Award, which goes to an individual or organization for significant and long-lasting contributions to local history and heritage. Self-nominations are accepted.

Nomination forms are available by clicking here or by calling the Four Rivers Heritage Area office. Completed nominations must include a written statement of 500 words or less on why your nominee should be recognized in a particular category. Supplemental materials are required in some categories. A complete listing of previous awards winners is available on our website under “About Us.”

The nominations deadline is September 24, 2010. A heritage area awards committee will review and evaluate nominations; awards will be presented at the Four Rivers annual meeting and awards ceremony on November 10, 2010.

Four Rivers, one of Maryland’s eleven state certified heritage areas, is part of the Maryland Heritage Areas Program. For more information, please call the heritage area office at 410-222-1805. Contact: Carol Benson, Executive Director.

The public is invited to a presentation by Dr. Robert Selig on the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) National Historic Trail in Maryland. Download a brochure to print!

Date: Monday, August 30, 10 a.m. to Noon

Place: Chesapeake Room, 2nd floor, 2664 Riva Road in Annapolis

Who Should Attend: Anyone interested in learning more about this important Revolutionary War-Era National Historic Trail

FREE and open to the public

In the spring of 1781, the focus of the American War of Independence shifted to the southward. In early spring, Crown forces under Benedict Arnold raided the Virginia coast and Washington responded in May by sending the marquis de Lafayette to counter these incursions and to protect his home state. A few months later, in September 1781, the war came to Maryland when thousands of continental and French forces used the roads and waterways of the state as they hurried to Yorktown in Virginia. Some 225 years later, Congress designated these routes and waterways taken by Franco-American forces part of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) National Historic Trail from New England to Yorktown.

Dr. Robert Selig is a consultant historian who will be carrying out a research study for the Maryland component of the W3R National Historic Trail; he has been the consultant to the National Park Service and to seven other states along the Route. His presentation will consist of three parts: (1) background information on the efforts that resulted in the W3R-NHT designation; (2) an outline of the routes and water lanes through Maryland and the important role the state played in the campaign of 1781, the siege and victory at Yorktown, and the return marches of 1781 and 1782; (3) an outline of Dr. Selig’s plan for his research study, including where and what the primary resources are for this resource inventory for Maryland, the organizations with which he plans to work, and the final product that the funding partners in this project will receive.

Please e-mail the Four Rivers Heritage Area Office or call 410-222-1805 to reserve your seat. Thank you!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 16, 2010
Annapolis, MD: Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County is pleased to announce grant awards from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) for four major heritage projects in Annapolis and southern Anne Arundel County. Project grant funds of $188,000 will support development of regional heritage-related projects totaling more than $434,000. All grants are fully matched at the local level, leveraging non-state funding to develop new projects, products, and activities consistent with the city-, county- and state-approved heritage area Management Plan. In addition to the four project grants, Four Rivers received $100,000 for management assistance, for a total of $288,000 in MHAA funding in the heritage area for the current fiscal year.

MHAA funding will support the following organizations with heritage-oriented projects: Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts (MHCA) received a capital grant in the amount of $90,000 for the modernization of restrooms. Maryland Hall, housed in the former Annapolis High School, is one of the primary hubs for arts and culture in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, and hosts 100,000 visitors and students from Maryland and the surrounding region each year. This modernization project is designed improve the visitor experience at Maryland Hall while preserving and protecting the historic structure in its adaptive reuse as a cultural and educational institution.

The Londontown Foundation received a grant in the amount of $50,000 for preliminary research and planning (Phase 1) of the reconstruction of the 18^th-century Rumney-West Ordinary within the historic area of Historic London Town and Gardens in Edgewater. This reconstruction follows two earlier reconstruction projects at the site, the Lord Mayor’s Tenement and the Carpenter’s Shop, and is a critical next step in the Foundation’s Master Plan. Phase 1 will involve archaeological excavations and related historical and interpretative research.

The Historic Annapolis Foundation (HAF) received a grant in the amount of $36,000 for “Project Run-A-Way,” a series of provocative and unique programs that will involve the public in exploring the history of slave and servant labor in the Chesapeake region. The content of the program will derive from primary source runaway advertisements from the Maryland Gazette and the Maryland Republican from the colonial period to emancipation (1727-1864). The program will include an online database, blog and webpage, as well as a future traveling exhibition and multimedia presentation including 10 dynamic, living history characters.

The United States Lighthouse Society received a grant in the amount of $12,000 for the implementation of the recently-completed “Interpretation & Furnishings Plan” for the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, which was funded in part by a Four Rivers Heritage Area mini-grant. The project includes development and presentation of interpretive exhibits throughout the lighthouse. Most areas of the lighthouse will be interpreted for the period of 1900-1910, but one room will be interpreted to represent the U.S. Coast Guard era of the 1960s through 1980s.

The management grant to the Four Rivers Heritage Area supports activities such as the annual mini-grants program, the annual heritage awards, regional interpreter training, networking meetings for site directors and managers, educational workshops, online resources, and economic development and capacity-building initiatives. For more information, please call Four Rivers Executive Director Carol Benson at 410-222-1805.

Four Rivers is pleased to offer a self-guided copy of our Independence Day Heritage Stride, the Signers' Stroll. If you missed this fun and family-friendly stroll last weekend, fear not. Download a copy of the map and guide here, and enjoy this short, 1.25-mile trek to houses belonging to some of the most interesting characters in historic Annapolis, including four signers of the Declaration of Independence. Begin at the Charles Carroll House, making your way to the Thurgood Marshall Memorial and Lawyers' Mall, and the Peggy Stewart House whose one-time owner was forced to burn his own tea cargo during the American Revolution. Learn about the fight for liberty in colonial Annapolis through the mid-twentieth century. Ten stops in all! Download and print your copy today or send one to a friend.

In celebration of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence, the Four Rivers Heritage Area invites you to participate in the July 4th edition of the Four Rivers Heritage Stride, the Signers’ Stroll! Our all-new Stride is scheduled for Sunday, July 4, 2010, at 8:30 am. We will meet at the Charles Carroll House in downtown Annapolis and take a short family-friendly trek (1.25 miles) through the City's historic district, finishing at the William Paca House and Garden, which will be opening at 10 a.m. for fun and educational Independence Day festivities. For a downloadable flyer, click here.

Our theme will be "Liberty" and ten stops along the way include all four Maryland-based Signers' homes, as well as sites related to African American history, women’s history, and the principles of freedom represented in the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Signers’ Stroll is an interactive guided tour for adults, families, and especially kids participating in leading roles. Play our “History Hop” game, and win a prize. Please join us in celebrating American Independence with this very special, family-friendly activity. Wear your patriotic red, white, and blue to join in the spirit!

This event is free, but RSVPs are requested by calling the Four Rivers office at 410-222-1805 or by email at heritage_area@aacounty.org.

Parking: Meter parking is available at City Dock, Market Square, or along Main Street. The Hillman Garage, a paid city lot located on Duke of Gloucester Street, is also available nearby. Free parking is available at the State employee garage (Saturday and Sunday only), located at the corner of Calvert Street and St. John Street, which is a 0.7 mile walk to the Charles Carroll House. Parking is not permitted in the lot at the Charles Carroll House on this day.

If you haven't sent in your RSVP for Four River's picnic, do it today! We'll have chicken and vegetarian wraps, fruit salads, green salads, brownies and cookies, sodas, lemonade, water, and more. Lunch is $10 per person, and beer and wine will be available for a nominal fee. Network with Four Rivers friends, board and staff, partners, stakeholders, consultants, and others. And there will no meeting to get in the way of the FUN!

Download your invitation by clicking here. RSVPs with payment should be received by this office by June 18, 2010. The picnic will be held at the Charles Carroll House, 107 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis from noon until 4 pm. Questions? Call Four Rivers staff at 410-22-1805. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

The Hammond-Harwood House, 19 Maryland Avenue in Annapolis, was featured this week as the "Home of the Week" in The Capital online. You can view the short video, featuring local docent Marcos Salaverria, of many of the fine features of this historic home by clicking here. This weekend, the Hammond-Harwood House invites you to join its annual Secret Garden Tour. On Saturday, June 5, and Sunday, June 6, you can visit more than a dozen secret gardens in the City of Annapolis. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of. For more information, visit www.hammondharwoodhouse.org.

We have received some very bad news: I have learned today that our funding for next year is in serious jeopardy. The County auditor has recommended that our support from Anne Arundel County be zeroed out. I urge you to contact your County Council member today to voice your support for the heritage area, and request that the County continue its funding for Four Rivers. Here are some key points to share:

The Annapolis, London Town and South County Heritage Area (known as the Four Rivers Heritage Area) bases all operations and initiatives on our Management Plan, which was adopted by County Council Resolution No. 35-00. The County's support comes in the form of a $20,000.00 grant, which in 2010 leveraged over a million dollars in project funding, as outlined in page four of our 2009 Annual Report. The Heritage Area is also included in the recently adopted General Development Plan (GDP), the County's comprehensive land use management plan.

Without the County's funding as a base to build from, our entire operating budget is in jeopardy, because the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority state funds that we receive are required to be fully matched.

Four Rivers is the only entity through which heritage-related nonprofit organizations and municipalities here are eligible for matching MHAA grants and low interest business loans. Since certification in 2001, Four Rivers has brought more than $2.2 million in matched program and project grants, including one low interest loan to a heritage tourism business, leveraging $7.5 million in programs and projects.

To see how many important projects over the years throughout the heritage area have received vital support through our organization, please take a moment to review our Public Impact Grid - grants and loans are listed by fiscal year and by the primary organization receiving the funding.

Please take a stand for us! Contact your County Council member today.

Thank you for your support,

Carol Benson, Executive Director

On Wednesday, May 5th, Governor Martin O’Malley signed into law a bill that establishes the African American Heritage Preservation Program to identify and preserve buildings, communities and sites of historical and cultural importance to the African American experience in Maryland. The program will be administered as a joint partnership of the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC).

“The heritage preservation program will help restore a multi-cultural landscape while capturing the uniqueness of Maryland’s rich and diverse history and stimulating increased dialogue among individuals, groups, and sites,” said Commission Chair, Theodore Mack.

Governor O’Malley was joined at the bill signing ceremony by Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, Speaker of the House Michael Busch and sponsor of the bill, Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller.

“This program provides us with a new opportunity to celebrate the diversity of the State's communities and to tell the story of the African American experience in Maryland for the benefit of residents and visitors alike,” said Maryland Department of Planning Secretary Richard E. Hall.

The African American Heritage Preservation Program also provides support for the acquisition, construction, and capital improvement of buildings and communities of importance to the history of African Americans in Maryland. This competitive program, offered once per year, is supported through an annual appropriation from the Maryland General Assembly. The legislation requires the Governor to include $1,000,000 in the annual capital budget submission for the program for specified fiscal years. Grant awards generally range from a minimum of $10,000 to a maximum of $100,000. For assistance in the development of project scope and purpose, contact Dr. Joni Jones, (MCAAHC) at (410) 216-6190. For assistance with capital project and technical preservation issues, contact Michael Day (MHT) at (410) 514-7629. Application materials for the upcoming grant round will be available in the coming weeks, pending the approval of the final program regulations.

The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture serves as the statewide clearinghouse for preserving evidence of and documenting the African American experience in Maryland. It specializes in the collection and preservation of historical materials: art objects, memorabilia, manuscripts, photographs, and other articles of significance to African American history and culture. For the community at large and Maryland educational systems and institutions, the Commission provides exhibits, programs, and resource materials.

The Maryland Historical Trust is a state agency dedicated to preserving and interpreting the legacy of Maryland’s past. Through research, conservation and education, the Trust assists the people of Maryland in understanding their historical and cultural heritage. The Trust is an agency of the Maryland Department of Planning and serves as Maryland’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

Join us for a special "Brown Bag" lunchtime session to learn about the Star-Spangled Banner Geotrail led by Eleanor Mahoney, Director of the Friends of Chesapeake Gateways, on Monday, May 10th, at Noon at the Banneker-Douglass Museum, 84 Franklin Street in Annapolis. Bring your brown bag lunch, and Four Rivers will supply the cookies!

The new Star-Spangled Banner Geotrail is a unique journey through American history and across the landscapes of the Chesapeake Bay. Participants explore more than 30 forts, museums, battlefields, ships, parks and preserves, each with its own unique story about the War of 1812. This first-of-its-kind, multi-state initiative is supported by Friends of Chesapeake Gateways, the Maryland Geocaching Society, and the National Park Service. Geocaching, pronounced "geo-cashing," is a worldwide phenomenon in which participants use a hand-held GPS (Global Positioning System) to locate a hidden "cache." Searching for a cache is akin to going on a treasure hunt and can involve clues, riddles and visits to multiple locations. A "geotrail" is a series of caches tied together by a common topic or theme. This Brown Bag lecture is sponsored by Four Rivers' Technology Working Group. FREE, all are invited! For more information, call the Heritage Area office at 410-222-1805 or email heritage_area@aacounty.org.

Although time and water damage has eroded much of the time capsule's contents, this remarkable discovery was made during a demolition project in Annapolis' Clay Street neighborhood. The contents that have survived tell of a segregated community and the mid-century efforts of the Annapolis Housing Authority to provide affordable housing to city residents. Read the entire story in The Capital here. If this story inspires you to assemble your own time capsule, tell us about it!

An Annapolis tradition, the Wednesday night sailboat races will begin April 28, 2010 and continue each week until September 8. Bring a chair and a snack to the Annapolis Harbor (City Dock) on Wednesday evenings for the 6:05 start. After the races, enjoy a great dinner at any one of the dozens of local restaurants! About 150 yachts race around several marks in the Bay then back into Spa Creek for the finish in front of the Annapolis Yacht Club. For more information about the races, call 410-263-9279 or visit www.annapolisyc.com.

The Captain Salem Avery Museum invites you to join them for an exciting talk about native ospreys. Melanie Lynch, expert on ospreys, will take her audience up close and personal on Friday, April 9 at the Museum. Coffee and delicious homemade desserts will be served from 7 to 7:30 pm, followed by the program.

Reservations are required and admission is limited, so act quickly. The fee is $7 for members and $10 for non-members. To reserve your spot, please call Peggy Tucker at 410-266-8846 or email her at ppts2@verizon.net.

Ospreys have been on a prodigious rebound since the banning of DDT, and much is being learned about both their resident and "out of Bay" lives through the use of banding, satellite tracking, and webcams. Ms. Lynch also organizes an osprey banding trip at Patuxent River on Jug Bay each year. More information about the June 19 trip will be available at the April 9 seminar.

Anne Arundel County’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) will host a snowstorm recovery meeting for Anne Arundel County non-profit organizations on Saturday, April 1, 2010 at 10:00 am at the Auditorium of the Henry L. Hein Public Service Building, 7480 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Glen Burnie, MD 21061. Private-Non-Profits (PNP’s) that sustained damages or incurred costs related to the December 2009 Winter Storm may be eligible to seek reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Admininstration (FEMA). PNP’s that are recognized by Internal Revenue Service designated Section 501(c), (d), or (e) or by State certification that the organization is a non-revenue producing nonprofit entity organized or doing business under State law, may be eligible. Eligible nonprofits will be able to meet one-on-one with FEMA project officers to discuss expenses related to the December 2009 Winter Storm and gather information on the reimbursement process.

Although the focus is on the December storm, there will be someone present who can answer questions about the February 2010 snowstorms. For further information, please contact Teresa Chapman, Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management at tchapman@aacounty.org or 410-222-0602.

We are grateful for the support of Governor O'Malley and his administration for Maryland Day Celebration 2010. Check out this link to the March 17 edition of One Maryland, the Governor's e-newsletter, featuring Four Rivers' Maryland Day. Today is the first day of the celebration; visit www.marylandday.org to see what's going on this weekend!

Four Rivers Heritage Area has created a Youtube channel and we are currently featuring a Maryland Day video courtesy of the City of Annapolis. Check out this short film on Four Rivers' Youtube channel featuing Annapolis Mayor Josh Cohen. Thank you Rhonda and Josh of the City of Annapolis for your support! After you watch the video, check out www.marylandday.org for event details and schedules.

As we come closer to the Maryland Day Celebration weekend, our work is falling into place! We are pleased to share the small poster (8 1/2 x 11" format) for the event!

Ed Chrystal, of the design firm Chrystal Creative, has designed our rack card and poster again this year. Ten thousand rack cards have been printed and most have been distributed throughout the area and also at Maryland's four Welcome Centers around the state. We still have some available, so please call the Four Rivers office at 410-222-1805 if you would like some to distribute to your members/stakeholders.

The artwork is beautiful! Download the poster here (scroll down to "downloads" and select the poster). We will be printing the poster and distributing it to our partners, or you can download and print your own!

Four Rivers has the support of a growing list of Heritage Area businesses for the Maryland Day Celebration 2010, which this year will stretch to cover an entire weekend: March 19 - 21! Participating businesses so far include the Inn at Herrington Harbour, the Westin Annapolis, Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites Annapolis, The Inn at Horn Point, The Taylor House, the William Page Inn, Rams Head Tavern, Reynolds Tavern, Watermark Tours, and Wimsey Cove Framing & Art. Please visit www.marylandday.org to see their specials with links to their sites, and to get the latest updates on planning for the event; we also thank the Downtown Annapolis Partnership and the South County Chamber of Commerce for their support!

This announcement applies only to those organizations considering applying for a multi-heritage area grant from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority: the deadline for applying for this grant has been extended from February 12 to February 19th due to the recent heavy snowfall. For more information, contact Administrator Richard Hughes at rhughes@mdp.state.md.us or Assistant Administrator Jen Ruffner at jruffner@mdp.state.md.us. For Heritage Area program grants, applicants must submit an Intent to Apply form to the Four Rivers Heritage Area by February 19 at 5:00 pm. Call Four Rivers staff at 410-222-1805 or email heritage_area@aacounty.org with questions.

Applications for FY2011 Maryland Heritage Area (MHAA) Project Grants are now being accepted.

Project Grant applications should be submitted directly to individual Managment entities. Applicants within the Four Rivers Heritage Area must submit an Intention to Apply form by Friday, February 19th at 5 p.m. The final application will be due to the Four Rivers office by COB on March 5.

MHAA FY2011 Grants Workshop, Monday, February 1, 10 a.m., in the Heritage Center Complex, 2664 Riva Road, in the Chesapeake Room on the 2nd floor. Light refreshments will be provided. Led by Richard Hughes and Jen Ruffner of the MHAA. Come learn about the details of the revised grant application, now available online at http://mht.maryland.gov/grants_heritagearea.html.

Other Funding for Historic Preservation and Museum Projects

The weekend-long Maryland Day celebration planning is coming along! We hope that you will be able to participate in any of the various events and activities that will take place March 19th through the 21st all over the Heritage Area. There will be fun, family-friendly events in Annapolis and South County throughout the weekend. To keep updated on new activities and participating sites, please visit the www.marylandday.org website. We will be adding new sites up until March, so check back often!

On Sunday, January 3, 2010, an article on Four Rivers Heritage Area mini-grant program, by Andrea F. Siegel, was published in the Baltimore Sun's Arundel Section. You can read the entire article by clicking here. The article highlights several of the projects funded in part by Four Rivers mini-grants, which are awarded in amounts up to $2,500 and are fully matched by other funds, including the most recent grant-round - which resulted in 11 awards! Last year was the sixth year that Four Rivers awarded grants in support of historic, cultural, and natural resources of the region.

Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County is pleased to announce eleven new mini-grant awards to local heritage-related nonprofit organizations. This matching mini-grants program, made possible for the sixth year through financial support from the City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, leverages other funding to assist local heritage related non-profit organizations create new programs, activities and events that build upon interpretive themes in the state, county and city-approved heritage area Management Plan, foster collaborative partnerships, and enhance local cultural historic resources and heritage tourism.

Organizations and projects approved for mini-grant awards include:

The Historic Annapolis Foundation, for a new exhibit and living history interpretation celebrating the life and legacy of Maryland’s renowned eighteenth-century printer and publisher, Anne Catharine Green. The exhibit will be located in HistoryQuest at 99 Main Street in downtown Annapolis.
The Anne Arundel County Bar Foundation, Inc. for a research project amplifying the Crossroads of the Community exhibit currently housed at the Anne Arundel County Courthouse. Reference materials resulting from this project will be available in the exhibit space and online.
Banneker-Douglass Museum with the Banneker-Douglass Museum Foundation, in cooperation with Anne Arundel County Schools, for an educational oral history project with Annapolis High School African-American History classes about the musical heritage of Carr’s Beach.
The City of Annapolis, Annapolis and Anne Arundel Conference and Visitors Bureau, and Downtown Annapolis Partnership for the installation of a new sign marking the entrance to the Visitor’s Center and West Street at the boundary of the Annapolis Historic District.
Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center in partnership with the Northern Arundel Cultural Preservation Society, for the development and operation of a docent program for the Legacy Center and its exhibits.
Historic London Town and Gardens, in collaboration with Anne Arundel County Schools, for an educational outreach program for local fourth grade students to learn about transatlantic trade during the eighteenth century. Student work from this program will be displayed at London Town and available for viewing online.
Anne Arundel County Trust for Preservation, in collaboration with the Sands House, for an archaeological investigation at the Sands House and a public program presenting their results.
The Shady Side Rural Heritage Society for a color brochure offering an ecological tour, including features of the bio-retention project that will be completed on the grounds of the Captain Salem Avery Museum in Spring 2010.
The Annapolis Chamber Players and the Charles Carroll House for a series of chamber music concerts with educational discussions featuring music from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The Annapolis Maritime Museum for its first brochure detailing the maritime experience offered by the expanded museum, including information on the “Oysters on the Half-Shell” exhibit opening March 2010.
The City of Annapolis Historic Preservation Commission for a reprinting (and web-posting) of its informative booklet, Building in the Fourth Century, the Annapolis Historic District Design Manual.

Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County, one of Maryland’s 11 certified heritage areas, is a partnership among the State of Maryland, Anne Arundel County, the City of Annapolis, the town of Highland Beach, and local historic sites, heritage organizations, and heritage-related businesses, to encourage economic vitality through historic preservation and heritage tourism. For more information, please contact Executive Director Carol Benson at 410-222-1805

Please support Maryland's Heritage Areas! Write a letter of support today to Governor Martin O'Malley to ask for level support in FY2011 for the MHAA Program!

The Governor is in the process of creating his budget, and the DLS has recommended cutting the funding to the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority to $360,000. This would be a devastating cut that would severely impact the survival of the statewide heritage areas program, which has previously been funded at $3 Million annually.

The Heritage Area program has been building tourism and small businesses across Maryland for more than ten years. Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town and South County is in its ninth year of operation and has brought funding of over $7.4 million to programs and projects in our area. The Authority's recently completed strategic plan contemplates an environment of continued investment to sustain its success.

Funding for the program comes not from the general fund but from Program Open Space monies, since the goals of both are so closely aligned. The program is extremely effective in leveraging funds and forming strategic partnerships. It is visible and popular at the local level, and it is relatively inexpensive for what it gives back to the state in terms of jobs, tourism venues, preservation and recreation, and product development. Maryland's Heritage Area program is the most successful of its kind in the country and the model for other states seeking to build a strong economic base in heritage tourism. Heritage tourism is a "green" industry that will never be outsourced overseas or even outside of the state. Research shows that heritage tourists represent an attractive demographic: They are older, often travel in groups, and spend more time and money in a place than other visitors.

Across Maryland, heritage areas leverage the funds provided by the state through matching federal and private grants, with an average return on investment of $4.61 per $1. These state and local revenues go directly to our communities, most notably small businesses that support tourism, among the largest private sector employers in Maryland. Heritage Areas are creating an economy rooted in the very things that Maryland is so proud of: our history, culture, and natural resources, and we do this by creatively maximizing the investment of the State of Maryland.

Please help us in our appeal to the Governor to fund the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority at level funding for Fiscal Year 2011 so that we can continue this critical effort on behalf of Maryland's future. Thank you for your support!

You are cordially invited to the Deale Area Historical Society Victorian Christmas Open House, Saturday, December 19th, 4:00pm to 7:00pm, at the Deale Museum at Nutwell School, Herrington Harbour North, Deale Road, Tracys Landing, MD.

Toys and Christmas items from the Deale area on display. Free Admission!! Hot apple cider and fresh-baked goodies from Herrington on the Bay Catering!

Stay the night! The Inn at Herrington Harbour South is offering Hot Tub Rooms for only $99 (plus tax). Transportation to and from the Historic Village provided; for more information, contact tdipietri@herringtonharbour.com.

The public is invited to participate in this FREE Heritage Tax Credit Seminar for Residential and Commercial property owners. Learn about tax credits available to you for rehabilitating or renovating historic properties. Speakers will be Patricia Blick, Chief of Historic Preservation, City of Annapolis, Michael Day, Maryland Historical Trust, and Tristan O'Connell, Esq. This event sponsored by Four Rivers Heritage Area, Downtown Annapolis Partnership, the Annapolis Historic Preservation Commission, and the City of Annapolis. Reservations required; please RSVP by emailing heritage_area@aacounty.org or calling 410-222-1805. The seminar will be hald at the Annapolis City Hall, 160 Duke of Gloucester, Annapolis, MD, beginning at 6:30 pm.

The Annapolis Maritime Museum presents performer Gordon Bok live at the renovated McNasby's Building tonight, October 8, 2009 at 8 pm. Tickets are $20 at the door. AMM had this to say about Mr. Bok:

"Gordon Bok grew up around the boatyards of Camden, Maine, and spent time aboard fishing boats, passenger schooners, and as deckhand, mate, and captain of various yachts. He learned tunes, sea songs, stories, legends and ballads from the people he worked with, and began to write songs based on the experiences of those he knew -- songs like "Bay of Fundy," among others. His songs were based on the experiences of those he knew -- real people whose language was honest, whose feelings were credible. Over the years his rich voice and fluid guitar work attracted a following up and down the Atlantic seaboard and beyond.

A superb storyteller, Bok often introduces songs in concert with a bit of their origin and history. He toured for nearly thirty years with the trio, Bok, Muir and Trickett. He has also performed with his wife, harper Carol Rohl, and with Anne Dodson, Cindy Kallet, Bob Zentz, Margaret MacArthur and other well-known folk artists."

Don't miss this great fall event! Visit www.amaritime.org or call 410-295-0104 for more info.

Herrington on the Bay and Herrington Harbour welcome everyone to enjoy the second Herring Bay Eco Day on Sunday, October 11 from 1 pm to 5 pm, a green festival featuring fun and entertainment for the whole family! Located at Herrington Harbour South in Southern A.A. County, the beautiful waterfront Eco-Lifestyle Resort offers astounding Chesapeake views while you listen to local bay tunes provided by Coastal Flats.

Kid-friendly activities, eco-education and demonstrations, local food and drinks, local artisans and farmers, wellness activities like seated massage and aromatherapy will all be available! Admission to the festival is FREE; $5.00 per car parking fee. Proceeds benefit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. For more information and directions, visit www.herringtononthebay.com/eco/eco-day.php.

Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County seeks nominations for its sixth annual heritage awards. These awards recognize individuals, organizations, partnerships, programs and products that contribute significantly to the community by interpreting, promoting, preserving, researching and/or supporting our historical legacy.

Awards are made in several different categories, including Heritage Tourism Product, New Initiatives, Heritage Partnership, Heritage Professional, and Public/Private Initiatives. The heritage area encourages nominations for green or environmentally friendly heritage-related products and tours, as well as nominations that include the use of technology in heritage-related educational products and tours. Nominations are also requested for the Legacy Award, which recognizes an individual or group who continues or preserves a traditional craft or livelihood, and the Heritage Award, which goes to an individual or organization for significant and long-lasting contributions to local history and heritage. Self-nominations are accepted.

Nomination forms are available online or by calling the Four Rivers Heritage Area office. Completed nominations must include a written statement of 500 words or less on why your nominee should be recognized in a particular category. Supplemental materials are required in some categories. A complete listing of previous awards winners is available on our website, on the "Heritage Awards" page.

The nominations deadline is September 28, 2009. A heritage area awards committee will review and evaluate nominations; awards will be presented at the Four Rivers annual meeting and awards ceremony in early November 2009.

Four Rivers, one of Maryland's eleven state certified heritage areas, is part of the Maryland Heritage Areas Program. For more information, please call the heritage area office at 410-222-1805. Contact: Carol Benson, Executive Director.

Four Rivers Heritage Area is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for the FY2010 Mini-grant program. Awards of up to $2,500, which must be fully matched, are available to heritage-related sites and organizations, as well as municipalities to develop new and innovative programs, partnerships, exhibits, tours, events, and other initiatives that are consistent with the regional themes and activities suggested in our state, county and city approved Management Plan (available here). We encourage mini-grant proposals that include collaborative partnerships and enhance preservation and heritage tourism.

The full guidelines and application are available for download on Four Rivers' Partner Pages. Applications must be received by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, October 13, 2009.

The staff of Four Rivers Heritage Area have started our own "Four Rivers" blog with notes about adventures in heritage tourism, and more! Visit us at http://fourriversha.wordpress.com/ for staff updates and "tweets". While you're surfing the net, please don't miss the brand-new Anne Arundel County Horse Heritage blog with short essays on our region's unique equine history and heritage. Become a "Follower" on the Horse Heritage blog to keep up-to-date on new stories and resources. Please give us your feedback, comments, etc.. by emailing heritage_area@aacounty.org or calling us at 410-222-1805. We would appreciate your input!

Ted Weihe, President of the Chesapeake 20 Association, recently wrote to us marking the association's many accomplishments since receiving a mini-grant from Four Rivers.

Ted writes, "We have held two Nationals [at Annapolis Maritime Museum], and currently have a six-month exhibit on display there on the history of our class (opening timed with our arrival from West River). This would not have been possible without the Four Rivers grant. ... I have worked hard at our website, www.chesapeake20.org. At first I just tried to get the materials on it, but we have now organized it by decades. This effort of identifying our most historical documents was critical to our exhibit where every document displayed is original. We have been fortunate to collect archival materials from John Kramer and Helen Orme, prior to their deaths. We also have materials from Neal Kramer, Will Keyworth, Helen Headler, Elsie Witman and many others - usually from their family albums. We have two exact models of Stormy that were built by John Kramer.

We have revived the class with strong turnouts - 10 last Sunday. Currently, e yacht builders in Baltimore are making a new cold molded 20, plan to restore two classic 20s, and we have a [fiber]glass boat soon to be constructed by Hartge Yacht Yard. We have pulled old hands back into the class - and in fact, race more classic (wooden) than glass 20s. I race Stormy which was built in 1939 - and remains very fast and competitive."

Thanks for the update, Ted, and congratulations on a rich and informative website about this wonderful Galesville-based class of boats!

A brand new Hammond-Harwood tour looks at how closely the house follows the principles of classical architecture. Offered at 10:00 am on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, the tour takes bout two hours. Cost is $10 for HHH members and $15 for non-members. Reservations are required. Please call 410-263-4683 x10 or buy tickets online at www.hammondharwoodhouse.org. Also, save the date: September 19, 2009 for the House's annual Garden Party. Details are available on their website!

Four Rivers is proud to announce that FY2010 Funding from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority to our heritage area totals $314,450! For details, please visit our 'Press Room' page.

The Anne Arundel County Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC) has announced an updated list of County farmer's markets. To download the list (in PDF format), please click here. There is a county market open nearly every day of the week! For more information about Anne Arundel County and agriculture, visit the AAEDC online.

The Captain Salem Avey Museum is pleased to announce a call for submissions for a photography contest and show to open this September. Photographs should be taken this summer, 2009, and may focus on either the Chesapeake Bay or southern Anne Arundel County (3 photos per entrant, only please). The deadline to submit your photographs is Sunday, August 2, 2009. For details and an entry form, visit www.shadysidemuseum.org. All ages are welcome!

A hands-on exploration of local history: the War of 1812 and the history of the Star Spangled Banner will be featured in the Shady Side Rural Heritage Society s Children s Summer Series at the Captain Salem Avery Museum, 1418 E.W. Shady Side Road, July 13 to 17.

Among the activities planned for the children are making a soldier s haversak, preparing and eating hardtack, learning the meaning of the Stars and Stripes, and making and designing a flag. There will be two session on the first four days of the Series. Morning sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and afternoon sessions are from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Sessions are limited to 20 participants ages 6 to 11.

On Wednesday, the two sessions will join for a field trip to Fort McHenry and the Flag House in Baltimore. Families of participants are welcome. Parents are needed to provide transportation and chaperone this all day trip from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The cost of the Series is $60 for children of members of the Shady Side Rural Heritage Society, and $70 for children of non-members. An additional $7 fee for materials and admissions will be collected on the first day of the camp. For more information and to register, call the Museum at 410-867-4486 or visit the web site at www.shadysidemuseum.org.

The City of Annapolis recently received two prestigious awards from the National Arbor Day Foundation: being named a "Tree City USA Community" and receiving the Tree City USA Growth Award for demonstrating progress in its community forestry program. For the full press release, click here. Congratulations Annapolis!

Visitors to Maryland Prioritize Their Interests: An Online Survey

Prepared for the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Presented January 2009, and summarized by Roz Racanello, Executive Director, SMHAC. Note: This is a compilation of input from 269 visitors to Maryland in the Fall of 2008.

WHO?

71% married or in domestic partnership, average 2.85 people in household
38% have children 18 or younger in household
72% have other adults
94% have been to college
83% are Caucasian
Average age is 43.8 and mean household income is $98,183
84% were visiting from Baltimore or DC
They take an average of 6 overnight trips a year and 6 day trips.
50% often plan their trips according to their interests

WHAT DO THEY DO?

Selecting from a list of 28 activities they checked these sites as likely to interest them:

89% Historic sites
89% Natural scenery
87% Outdoor recreation
87% Cultural attractions
80% Towns and cities
73% Shopping
735 Dining on local cuisine

WHAT DO THEY WANT?

Exhibits on history of the site
Demonstrations of period activities
Guided Tours
Living History
Behind the scenes tours
Driving tours
Authentic Music
Re-enactments
Guides in period costume
Hands on activities
Hiking biking paddling trails
Programs & lectures
Audio tours

HOW DO THEY GET THEIR INFO?

87% used online sources and those were primarily (46%) begun with search engines
80% used off line especially
45% Heard through word of mouth
Articles, tourism guides and brochures followed

WHERE DID THEY GO?

43% went to Four Rivers Heritage Area (we are TOPS in this survey!)
39 % went to Baltimore Heritage Area
34% Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area
64% went to one of the 3 heritage areas on the Eastern Shore
18% went to Southern Maryland Heritage Area
Montgomery County had 16%, Anacostia Trails Heritage Area had 5%, Canal Place had 10%

FAVORITE ACTIVITIES?

66% Enjoying the scenery
59% Shopping*
57 Historic sites
57% Cultural attractions
56% Outdoor recreation

*While a small number admitted to planning shopping as part of their trip a much larger number said they enjoyed shopping while at their destination.

HISTORY: (in order of preference)

Early architecture & building traditions
Founding & settlement
Native American history & culture
Religious Freedom
Immigration & western expansion

NATURAL RESOURCES that they enjoyed were primarily:

Outdoor recreation hunting, fishing, beaches, boating
Chesapeake Bay foodways & culture

WAR & CONFLICT: top 3 in this order: Civil War, Revolutionary War, 1812.

TRANSPORTATION & WORK: top 3: Working the Bay, Space, Roads & railroads

THEMES: by a huge margin the winner is Outdoor recreation & adventure, followed by early architecture, founding & settlement, Chesapeake Bay foodways, Native American history, National Conflicts, Transportation & Work.

Now that we know what visitors are looking for, let's work harder to help them get what they want!

On November 5th at Historic London Town and Gardens, Four Rivers held its Fifth Annual Heritage Awards ceremony, and recognized the following individuals and organizations with Heritage Awards:

Heritage Tourism Product: "Paddle Through History" Kayak Tour of the Rhode River (partnership with Smithsonian Environmental Research Center) and "Paddle Through History" Kayak Tour of Back Creek and Spa Creek (partnership with Annapolis Maritime Museum)

Honorees: Lost Towns Archaeology Project; C. Jane Cox; Jessie Grow; Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; Annapolis Maritime Museum

Heritage Tourism Product: "Seeking Liberty: Annapolis, An Imagined Community" Exhibit at the Banneker-Douglass Museum, in partnership with the Historic Annapolis Foundation and the City of Annapolis

Honorees: Dr. Mark Leone, Guest Curator of the Exhibit and Director of Archaeology in Annapolis; Amelia Harris, Exhibit Designer; Banneker-Douglass Museum; Historic Annapolis Foundation; City of Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer

Heritage Partnership Award: Southgate Memorial Fountain Restoration Committee (with special recognition to Alderman Richard Israel, Chair; Mayor Ellen O. Moyer)

Heritage Professional Award: Matthew Grubbs, Discover AnnapolisTours

Legacy Award: The Spiritual Vibrations of Southern Anne Arundel County

Heritage Award: First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis (Reverend William Hathaway, Pastor)

Heritage Award: June Taft Hall, Shady Side Rural Heritage Society

Congratulations to all our deserving award recipients!

An important archaeological find from the "Archaeology in Annapolis" excavations on Fleet Street this summer, which has been featured in recent articles in the New York Times and the Capital, has been placed on display at the Banneker-Douglass Museum, 84 Franklin Street, Annapolis. This find is the remains of a "bundle" that contained objects with traditional African religious significance, dated to circa 1700, which appears to reflect African ritual practices from Annapolis slaves' West African heritage. Four Rivers is proud that our own Aleithea Williams, Heritage Programs Coordinator at Four Rivers and a contract archaeologist with last summer's excavations, was the first to uncover this spectacular find, under the supervision of Matthew Cochran and the program's director, Dr. Mark P. Leone of the University of Maryland. Congratulations all around and especially to Archaeology in Annapolis, for bringing to light this revealing and unexpected find, which lay just a few feet below Fleet Street for three centuries!

The Highland Beach Historical Commission, in partnership with the Annapolis Community Bank and Annapolis Rotary Club, is proud to announce the publication of Highland Beach on the Chesapeake Bay: Maryland’s First African-American Incorporated Town. This volume will be a tribute to the 115th anniversary of the founding of Highland Beach.

This handsome 8.5" x 11" hardcover limited-edition volume will feature 160 pages of fascinating text and will be richly illustrated with over 200 captioned archival photographs, compliments of "friends of the beach" and the private collections of Highland Beach and Venice Beach residents. Many of these photographs are unpublished until now. Highland Beach on the Chesapeake Bay will be a permanent record of life in these historic communities from 1893 to 2008 that will be treasured for generations.

For more information, please contact Jean Langston, Executive Director of the Highland Beach Historical Commission, at 410-267-6960, or write to: Highland Beach Historical Commission, 3202 Wayman Ave., Highland Beach, MD 21403. With an initial printing of only 1,000 copies, don’t miss your opportunity to capture history in this commemorative volume.

The Baltimore & Annapolis Rail Trail, a segment of the East Coast Greenway, is accessible from the Jonas Green Park (just after the Naval Academy Bridge coming from downtown Annapolis). As the weather turns cooler and the leaves start to change, take an afternoon to explore this historic former railroad route. The path is relatively flat, paved in good condition, and off-road (except where it crosses intersections). Visit the East Coast Greenway website (www.greenway.org) then select "Maps" and scroll down for a good map of the B & A Trail, inlcuding where it connects to the BWI Trail that circumvents the airport. Contact Four Rivers at heritage_area@aacounty.org, or call us (410) 222-1805, to discuss your ideas for more biking initiatives in the Heritage Area.

The newly opened Wiley Bates Legacy Center, located at 1101 Smithville St., Annapolis, invites you to explore African American history with an exciting new exhibit: 'Trails, Tracks, Tarmac: Lives of African-Americans in the History and Culture of Northern Anne Arundel County, 1850 to the Present'. Using documentary story quilts, photos, railroad collectibles, land documents, and personal recollections on DVD, the exhibition will tell stories of African Americans' contributions to the development of northern Anne Arundel County. The Bates Legacy Center will be open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 3 pm, and Sundays by appointment. Call 410-266-5004 for more information.

In March of 2007, Anne Arundel County's Lost Towns Project discovered the location of the circa 1700 home of the Samuel Chew family of Herring Creek Hundred. A Four Rivers Heritage Area Mini-Grant awarded to the Anne Arundel County Trust for Preservation supported historical research and archaeological fieldwork related to the search. Members of the Deale Area Historical Society also assisted with this effort, providing volunteer help and historical background. Several generations of the Samuel Chew family resided in a substantial brick home situated on property originally owned by Samuel Chew, a close associate of Lord Baltimore and a founder of the circa 1660 town of Herrington.

In the course of excavating the Chew home site at present-day Fairhaven, the Lost Towns Project archaeologists uncovered a stone foundation that measures 66 x 66 feet or 4,356 square feet. Incredibly, a two-story brick structure with these dimensions is bigger than better-known historic mansions such as Tulip Hill or Mount Clare. Once one of the great mansions of the Chesapeake, the Chew home was virtually forgotten following its destruction in a 1772 fire. This large brick building also occupied one of the highest spots in South County, which made it plainly visible when approaching from the Chesapeake Bay. Ceramics such as Rhenish stoneware, Delftware, creamware, and pearlware suggest that the house probably dates to 1700 and was occupied until the late 18th century. Personal artifacts reflect the wealth of the Chew family, including a fragment of an English Borderware candlestick (only the second candlestick ever recovered by the project), a crystal wine glass stem with a swirled white pattern, and an olive-green glass wine bottle seal marked 'S. Chew'.

Excavations at the Samuel Chew family home represent one of the more ambitious research projects undertaken by the Lost Towns Project. Much more historical research, archaeological fieldwork, and laboratory processing and analysis needs to be carried out before this fascinating site can be fully understood. Students and the public can help with this project by volunteering in the field, archives and archaeology lab. To join, please call the Lost Towns Project offices at 410-222-7440 or the project's laboratory at 410-222-1318.

Maryland has designated 19 byways that encompass 2,487 miles of beautiful roads, which offer a taste of Maryland s scenic beauty, history and culture. Take the roads less traveled including four entirely new byways featuring nationally significant themes: the Star-Spangled Banner, Antietam Campaign, Booth s Escape and the Mason and Dixon byways. Anne Arundel and Calvert Counties are home to the newly-expanded 'Roots and Tides' Byway, that runs 47 miles from Annapolis to Plum Point and features the scenic historic South County landmarks of the Four Rivers Heritage Area.

A 176-page guidebook featuring Maryland's Byways, developed by the Maryland SHA in partnership with Maryland's office of Tourism development and the National Scenic Byways program, has just been published, and will be available free of charge to the public at Welcome Centers and other centers for visitor information.

To link to the State Highway Administration's Maryland Byways map, click here.