Opening Wednesday, July 1, CBMM’s long-term exhibition Stories from the Shoreline offers an immersive exploration of the Chesapeake Bay through the voices, traditions, and experiences of the people who call it home. The exhibition highlights Chesapeake waterfowling, including a spotlight on famed decoy makers Steve and Lem Ward. (Steve and Lem Ward at their shop. Photograph by A. Aubrey Bodine, c. 1966. Collection of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 747.1)
ST. MICHAELS, MD – Opening Wednesday, July 1, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s latest long-term exhibition, Stories from the Shoreline, invites guests on an immersive exploration of the Chesapeake Bay through the voices, traditions, and experiences of the people who call it home.
CBMM’s long-term exhibition Stories from the Shoreline draws on oral histories, memoirs, photographs, and artifacts to reveal how life along the Chesapeake is shaped by the dynamic relationship between land and water. (Scott children dip netting Mill Creek near Annapolis, Md. Photograph by Robert de Gast, 1974. Collection of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 975.298.35)
Located in the Bill Millar Pavilion within CBMM’s Welcome Center, Stories from the Shoreline draws on oral histories, memoirs, photographs, and artifacts to reveal how life along the Chesapeake is shaped by the dynamic relationship between land and water. The exhibition features dozens of personal stories illuminating pastimes and passions across generations, including shoreline fishing, waterfowling, plein air painting, eco-tourism, community conservation, and more.
Viewing Stories from the Shoreline is included with general admission, which is always free for CBMM members. CBMM invites the community to a grand opening celebration on Saturday, July 18, with opportunities to explore Stories from the Shoreline, meet featured storytellers and tradition bearers, and take part in hands-on activities inspired by the exhibition. Learn more and plan your visit at cbmm.org/StoriesFromTheShoreline.
“Stories from the Shoreline is the culmination of years of research, collaboration, and exhibition development, and we couldn’t be prouder to share it with our community,” CBMM’s Director of Curatorial Affairs & Exhibitions Jen Dolde said. “The stories featured in this long-term exhibition speak to the richness and diversity of Chesapeake life, and we’re excited to welcome guests into a space where those experiences can be explored and celebrated for years to come.”
Stories from the Shoreline connects past and present to create a human-centered portrait of life along the Bay, highlighting how Chesapeake communities on both shores adapt, preserve traditions, and engage with their environment.
The Chesapeake’s rich waterfowling culture is a major theme. The exhibition showcases CBMM’s world-class decoy collection while sharing the stories of hunters, craftspeople, and guides, tracing recreational hunting, decoy carving, market gunning, and the evolution of firearms.
Personal narratives are at the heart of the exhibition. Guests will meet waterfowler Gus Plutschak and learn why he refused to sell his prized hunting dog despite a lucrative offer from a visitor to his Easton, Md., barbershop, as well as celebrated decoy maker Robert D. Lambdin, who started as a log canoe and small boat builder in St. Michaels, Md., before branching into decoys and sinkboxes to fit the needs of his customers. The exhibition also traces the decoy making process with the help of images featuring the famed Ward Brothers of Crisfield, Md., at work.
More broadly, Stories from the Shoreline examines Chesapeake history along both shores, bringing together familiar and lesser-known stories to weave a rich tapestry of Bay life. The exhibition highlights Indigenous fishing and trapping traditions, terrapin farming, riverside baptisms, waterfront nightclubs, shoreline gambling, beachcombing, and more snapshots from the water’s edge.
Stories from the Shoreline shares stories that have often been left out of traditional Chesapeake narratives, such as Sambo Anderson’s experience waterfowling as an enslaved person and the cultural legacy of Black chefs in Baltimore who promoted terrapin cuisine. Present-day voices, like Baltimore-based historian and explorer Evan Woodard and the conservationists of the Elizabeth River Project, demonstrate how new generations continue to reinterpret and protect the shoreline.
Stories from the Shoreline brings together familiar and lesser-known narratives to weave a rich tapestry of Bay life, including a story highlighting riverside baptisms centered on the Cornish family. (Photograph, c. 1936. Collection of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 1173.85)
Years in the making through planning, design, and installation, Stories from the Shoreline was constructed in partnership with Art Guild, a national leader in exhibition fabrication, and design firm Metcalfe Architecture & Design. The new exhibition completes the storytelling in CBMM’s Welcome Center, which opened in December 2023, alongside Water Lines: Chesapeake Watercraft Traditions and Navigating the Chesapeake’s Maritime Culture.
On Saturday, July 18, CBMM will celebrate this new addition and these quintessential Chesapeake stories with a Chesapeake Celebration that serves as the exhibition’s grand opening.
Guests are invited to meet people featured in the exhibition, including Nause-Waiwash Chief Donna Abbott, sea glass expert Mary McCarthy, and dive deeper into their stories through a series of talks and hands-on activities, plus more fun with CBMM’s staff, volunteers, and community partners. Learn more and buy general admission tickets at cbmm.org/StoriesCelebration.
Stories from the Shoreline is made possible thanks to philanthropic leadership from Maxine & Bill Millar, Judy & Henry Stansbury, and The Vitale Foundation, along with generous support from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority and CBMM’s Regional Folklife Center under the Maryland Traditions program of the Maryland State Arts Council.
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a non-profit educational organization that preserves and explores the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and makes this resource accessible to all.
Every aspect of fulfilling this mission is driven by CBMM’s values of relevance, authenticity, and stewardship, along with a commitment to providing engaging guest experiences and transformative educational programming, all while serving as a vital community partner. Learn more at cbmm.org.
