Maryland’s First Places

By Kathy Knotts

Historic St. Mary’s City

       Trace Maryland’s history to its roots at the Maryland Day celebration at our state’s first capital. Visit the Godiah Spray Tobacco Plantation to see heritage breed cows, pigs and chickens and the Woodland Indian Hamlet and learn about the people and culture that were here before the colony. Step on board the Maryland Dove to imagine the risk taken on the original journey in 1634; explore the reconstructed Town Center, the place for all government business in the 1600s; and the St. John’s Site Museum, to examine what archaeology has discovered. Gather on the lawn of the reconstructed State House of 1676 for the opening ceremony (1pm). Keynote speaker Travis Parno, HSMC director of research and collections, will discuss the early years of our state and John McAllister, president of the Historic St. Mary’s City Foundation board will receive the museum’s Cross Bottony award for his years of service. Music provided by the Southern Maryland Youth Orchestra and the Southern Maryland Gospel Choir. The program will close with the Ceremony of the Flags, a perennial crowd-pleaser, when children from all 23 counties plus Baltimore City present their county flags.

Saturday, March 23, 10am-4pm, free: https://hsmcdigshistory.org/

St. Clement’s Island Museum

      Maryland’s first English colonists celebrated their safe landing in the new world at St. Clement’s Island. The St. Clement’s Island Museum tells their story. You’ll see them as depicted by local artist George McWilliams, who used contemporary locals as models for his 1999 mural. The museum and water taxi will be operating for visitors before and after the wreath-laying ceremony (2pm). The Rev. G. Ronald Murphy delivers the keynote address as well as presents the original 17^th century iron cross the first Jesuits brought to the island during the first Mass in the English New World. To help celebrate the occasion, the museum hosts author Amy Schisler, who signs copies of her book The Devil’s Fortune.

Monday, March 25, 10am-5pm, Colton’s Point, St. Mary’s County: www.stmarysmd.com.