The Museum Division Overview October 2018 The Museum Division Overview Karen Stone, Division Manager

Our Mission The St. Mary’s County Museum Division was instituted by the St. Mary’s County Board of County Commissioners to preserve, research and interpret the unique history and heritage of our county, providing a deeper understanding of the past for the future generations. With this as its mission, the Museum Division serves as a resource, liaison and community advocate for all of St. Mary’s County public and private cultural assets.

Where are we located?

The St. Clement’s Island Museum (1) and the Piney Point Lighthouse, Museum and Historic Park (2) are 33 miles apart, and are almost equidistant from the Government Center in Leonardtown (3). Drayden African American Schoolhouse (4) is located just a few miles from Piney Point. The Charlotte Hall Schoolhouse is on the St. Clement’s Island Museum (1) property. 3 1 4 2

We manage a total of 94 acres of property. These properties include 6 historic structures, 5 modern support structures, and a variety of other physical assets, including an underwater preserve. We assist with the monitoring of St. Clement’s Island State Park and the Blackistone Lighthouse.

Our 6 Historic Structures Are: Piney Point Lighthouse

Piney Point Keepers’ Quarters

Piney Point Lighthouse Fuel building

1943 U.S. Navy Workshop building

Drayden African American Schoolhouse

Charlotte Hall Schoolhouse

Our modern support structures include: St. Clement’s Island Museum Building The Annex, Exhibits Fabrication Workshop & Storage Building Collections Management Building Piney Point Museum Building Potomac River Maritime Exhibit Building at Piney Point Our other assets include: 2 outdoor exhibit pavilions 1 picnic pavilion 4 public piers 1 kayak launch 3 vehicles 1 water taxi Our staff includes: 1 Division Manager 2 Site Supervisors 1 Museum Technician 1 Marketing/Program Specialist 1 Development Director (part-time) 1 Museum Store Manager (part-time) 10 Seasonal Museum Assistants (part-time) 1 Park Attendant (part-time) 4 Boat Captains (part-time)

Governance and Partners St. Mary’s County Commissioners appoint a Board of Trustees which oversee our activities. The Friends Organization is the 501(c)3 arm that raises funds to support historical and educational programs, as well as other projects for the museum sites. The MD Department of Natural Resources owns and operates the St. Clements Island State Park, and owns the property on which the St. Clement’s Island Museum sits. The St. Clement’s Hundred built and maintains the Blackistone Lighthouse, on St. Clement’s Island.

Alliances within the Community The Unified Committee for Afro-American Contributions was instrumental in the saving of the Drayden Schoolhouse and making it part of the Museum Division. The MD Historic Trust and Department of Underwater Archaeology oversee the U-1105 preserve, which is featured in an exhibit at the Piney Point Museum. 7th District Optimist Club founded the St. Clement’s Island Museum, and is the host to the annual Blessing of the Fleet, held at the Museum and on the Island every October. The Museum Division is part of both the State and the Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortiums.

Gateways & Watertrails program. On the Trails… Tidal Potomac Water Trail. Barnwood and Beach Glass Cultural Trail Religious Freedom National Scenic Byway. Historic Churches and Religious Sites Trail, and the African American Historic Sites Trail. Gateways & Watertrails program. Potomac Heritage Trail, the Captain John Smith Trail, and the Star Spangled Banner Trail.

What is the Museum Division currently up to? The Museum Division was reaccredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The exhibits for the new gallery spaces at the Piney Point Museum are in the final stages of design and the fabrication RFP will go out this winter. The Drayden African American Schoolhouse was open for tours all season. The CIP at St. Clement’s Island is getting underway as meetings with exhibit designers are beginning to take place. A new position was approved for FY2019 so the water taxi to St. Clement’s Island will run 7 days a week next season. This winter the Museums will remain open 7 days a week, with the reduced hours of Noon – 4pm.

Now let’s take a virtual tour!

Welcome to the St. Clement’s Island Museum, located in the 7th District. The museum opened its doors in 1975 Since then, additional property has been purchased, allowing for the addition of the support buildings. as a cooperative effort between the Seventh District Optimist Club, the County Department of Recreation and Parks, and the State of Maryland. In the works now are plans to renovate the museum building, and add a second floor in order to increase the available exhibit space. The current museum building was completed in 1984 – just in time for the 350th anniversary of the founding of Maryland.

The museum shares the story of Maryland's founding and traces the route of the first brave English colonists who landed on St. Clement's Island in March of 1634. It holds artifacts that tell the story of life on the Potomac River in earlier times And tells the history of local watermen and the Blackistone Lighthouse. 

On the grounds is a 19th-century one-room school, used until the 1960s and relocated from nearby Charlotte Hall in 1991, and the Doris C, a Potomac River dory boat that worked the waters of the Potomac in the early 1900’s.  

Part of the earlier expansion was the building of a collections management facility, which houses many of our 4,970 artifacts in a climate controlled environment.

Special Events Maryland Day is the annual celebration of the original landing on St. Clement’s Island on March 25, 1634. It involves, speeches, tours, special guests and a host of other activities. The Black Diamond Disaster: Tragedy on the Potomac is a new event, just added this year. It focuses on a little-known Civil War-era shipwreck off of St. Clement’s Island.

This is the Friends biggest annual fundraiser.

Heritage Day takes place out on the Island, and highlights the historic and environmental significance of St. Clement’s Island and it’s surroundings. Children’s Day brings together community organizations and special guests, and gives children and their families a day to explore the museum while enjoying lots of additional activities and food. The Appraiser Fair brings together experts to help people identify and evaluate their antiques and other family treasures.

The 33rd annual Doll & Train Holiday Exhibit is scheduled for December 1st through January 6th. The focus is on literature so each display will includes books or documents from St. Mary’s County’s history.

St. Clement’s Island State Park The Museum runs a seasonal water taxi to St. Clement’s Island where you can explore the 1634 landing site, see the lighthouse, and enjoy a walk in nature. Beginning in 2019 this service will be available 7 days a week. St. Clement’s Island State Park

The reconstructed Blackistone Lighthouse was completed in 2008. The reconstructed bell tower was added in 2010. Both were built by members of the St. Clements Hundred, who offer tours of it on the weekends when the Museum’s water taxi is running. You are welcome to go to the Island using your own boat to enjoy fishing, hiking or just relaxing on the beach.

Time to travel to south county! The highlight of this site is the Piney Point Lighthouse, which is the oldest lighthouse on the Potomac River. It was constructed in 1836 – and you can climb the tower. A 6-acre park surrounds the lighthouse and keepers quarters, with a picnic area, kayak launch, boardwalk, pier and sandy beach. The museum deals with the site’s history and also includes artifacts from the WW II U-1105 Black Panther German submarine which lies just offshore in an area designated as the state’s first Historic Shipwreck Dive Preserve.  A maritime exhibit of historic wooden boats that once plied the waters of the Chesapeake Bay is housed in the Maritime Building.

In 1976 the Lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1980 St. Mary’s County became the caretakers and keepers of the Piney Point Lighthouse and grounds previously owned by Stewart Petroleum. In 1990 stewardship transferred to the Recreation and Parks Department and the Museum Division. Since then The Maritime Exhibit Building was competed, the main museum building has been renovated, and new exhibits are in the final design stages now.

There are many ways to enjoy this property. Bring your kayak, enjoy a picnic, a stroll on the beach, or watch the osprey from the pier…

Special Events Pirates On The Potomac brings together children of all ages for a great deal of fun. The Lower Potomac Marathon and the 10 Mile Run are favorites with our volunteers.

The 11th annual Holiday Exhibit at Piney Point runs from November 26th through January 6th. Exhibits are in the main museum and the Keeper’s Quarters. This year’s theme is Reading Lights the Way.

The Drayden African American Schoolhouse is one of the best preserved African-American schoolhouses in the country. It occupies its original site and has not been significantly altered. Built circa 1890, it was in use until 1944. Interpretive panels offer self-guided tours, and it is open on the first Saturday of every month, March through October. Group tours are available by advance arrangement.

The U-1105 Black Panther German Submarine is Maryland’s first Shipwreck Preserve. You need to be an advanced diver to see it in person, but we have an exhibit about it at Piney Point.

Everyone in the Museum Division pitches in to bring our County’s history to life!

Now that you have seen what we have to offer, we hope you will come out and visit us soon!