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Press Announcement: Accokeek Foundation to Increase and Improve Public Access to the Potomac River at Piscataway Park with NPS Chesapeake Bay Office Investments

February 11, 2013 by Anjela Leave a Comment

Accokeek, MD—The Accokeek Foundation was named as one of the 21 partner recipients of the National Park Service (NPS) Chesapeake Bay Office’s Fiscal Year 2012 Investments. Last Fall, the NPS Chesapeake Bay Office provided financial assistance for projects that address education, youth employment and stewardship programs, and public access and trail development in the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrail Network; such as the Piscataway Park Public Water Access Development project. Through this project, the Accokeek Foundation will significantly increase and improve public access to the Potomac River at Piscataway Park for views, boating, and other recreational uses. This federal funding will be leveraged with funding from the State of Maryland to complete this significant project.

The National Colonial Farm Boat Dock, which was destroyed by Hurricane Isabel in 2003, is currently being rebuilt to allow visitors to arrive by water. The current Saylor Grove Fishing Pier will be retrofitted to accommodate larger tour boats that serve passengers on the Potomac River. The fishing pier is a popular recreational feature of Piscataway Park and offers spectacular views of Mount Vernon across the Potomac. Additional improvements to the fishing pier include installation of a floating pier and gangplank, and a fixed ramp designed to accommodate visitors with mobility issues. The project includes the addition of a canoe and kayak dock adjacent to the pier.

The Potomac River is a key contributing segment of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, and the Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail. The new public access facilities will both enhance visitor experience at Piscataway Park and also advance the development of these national trails.

The first stage of the project, demolition of the current boat dock and the new steps and landing, is completed; the entire project is on track for completion by this summer. A public opening celebration is planned as part of the Foundation’s annual fundraising Leadership Salute event on June 22, 2013.

For more information about the boat dock project contact the site manager, Brandon Burton, at bburton@accokeek.org or call 301-283-2113 ext. 33.

For details about Leadership Salute contact the development office at development@accokeek.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Anjela Barnes, abarnes@accokeek.org
301-283-2113 ext 34

Filed Under: Featured News, News, Recreation Tagged With: boat, canoe, Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, fishing, kayak, mount vernon, National Colonial Farm, NPS, Piscataway Park, Potomac River, water

Accokeek Foundation Receives Ticket to Ride Grant for School Tours

August 28, 2012 by Brittany Leave a Comment

MEDIA CONTACT:

ACCOKEEK FOUNDATION AT PISCATAWAY PARK

ANJELA BARNES, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

OUTREACH@ACCOKEEK.ORG | 301-283-2113

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ACCOKEEK FOUNDATION AT PISCATAWAY PARK AWARDED NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION ‘TICKET TO RIDE’ GRANT TO BRING LOCAL STUDENTS INTO PARK

$230,000 Grant Connects 30,000 Students with National Parks Across the Country

Washington, D.C. (August 28, 2012) - Responding to an overwhelming need for transportation and educational programming funding from parks and schools nationwide, the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, created the Ticket To Ride program. With support from Disney, Ticket to Ride provides financial resources for transportation, in-park educational programming, and meals that make national park field trips possible for schools across the country. This year, Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park was selected to receive a Ticket to Ride grant in order to bring 1,500 students to Piscataway Park. Nationwide, over $230,000 in Ticket to Ride grants will make it possible for more than 30,000 students to experience their local national park this fall.

The Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park offers unique educational programs about Maryland’s history, modern sustainable agriculture, and natural resource stewardship. Entertaining tours and performances, customized experience based activities, and service learning opportunities help people connect to the land and to one another.

This land also serves as an outdoor classroom for educational programs, research, agricultural, and conservation projects. Each year, thousands of students and educators participate in programs developed to supplement social studies and environmental education in the classroom. With the Accokeek Foundation’s involvement in the Ticket to Ride program we will include pre-site and post-site component for students to complete prior to coming to the site and after they get back to school. These components will consist of an interactive learning guide with videos, trivia and vocabulary words that are in line with the theme tour chosen by the teacher.

“Providing the means for America’s youth to experience all that our national park system has to offer is imperative,” said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “The Ticket to Ride program makes it possible for us to engage the younger generation through the parks’ unique natural, cultural and historical classrooms, ultimately fostering an early love and appreciation for these important places.”

In addition to the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park, the Fall 2012 Ticket to Ride grantees include:

Assateague Island National Seashore

Biscayne National Park

Boston National Historical Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Buck Island Reef National Monument

Catoctin Mountain Park

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Congaree National Park

Crater Lake National Park

Craters of the Moon National Monument and National Preserve

Devils Postpile National Monument

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor

Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park

Fort Sumter National Monument

Homestead National Monument of America

Lava Beds National Monument

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

Moores Creek National Battlefield

National Mall and Memorial Parks

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

North Cascades National Park

Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail

Point Reyes National Seashore

River Raisin National Battlefield Park

San Juan Island National Historical Park

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Stones River National Battlefield

Virgin Islands National Park

Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument

Yosemite National Park

For many students, the Ticket to Ride field trip will be their first visit to a national park. Recognizing that once in the parks, a world of experiential learning opens up, the National Park Foundation and the National Park Service are dedicated to providing this critical access to the parks. Through these field trips, young people discover their natural, cultural and historical heritage, participate in volunteer and service-learning activities, enjoy recreational opportunities and most importantly, begin a lifelong relationship with their national parks.

For more information about the Ticket to Ride program, our corporate partners and ways to support this and the other exceptional National Park Foundation programs, go to www.nationalparks.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

You are the owner of 84 million acres of the world’s most treasured memorials, landscapes, ecosystems, and historic sites — all protected in America’s nearly 400 national parks. Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks. We work hand in hand with the National Park Service to connect you and all Americans to the parks, and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow. Join us in supporting your national parks — this is your land. www.nationalparks.org.

Join us – This is Your Land. www.nationalparks.org
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/nationalpark
TWITTER http://twitter.com/goparks

Filed Under: Featured News, News, Recreation, Uncategorized Tagged With: Children and Youth, National Colonial Farm, Nature

Children’s Day Event Teaches Southern Maryland History and Culture Through an Interactive Outdoor-Learning Experience

April 16, 2012 by Anjela Leave a Comment

For Immediate Release

Accokeek, MD–According to the Maryland Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights proclaimed by Governor Martin O’Malley, all Maryland children “shall have the opportunity to… discover and connect with their natural world… play and learn outdoors… celebrate their culture and heritage.”

For more than 50 years, the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park has been providing just this kind of outdoor-learning experience for children and people of all ages. The park serves the community as a natural landscape offering plenty of recreational activities managed by the Accokeek Foundation, with a variety of public events that invite the community for a unique educational experience which combines history, nature, and place.

On Saturday, May 12, the popular annual Children’s Day event at Piscataway Park returns with family-oriented activities that connect people to nature, while highlighting the significance of the culture and heritage of Southern Maryland. Children of all ages will take on the role of young explorers, using a discovery map to guide them while they seek out discovery stations with clues about the history of the region, and participate in interactive games and demonstrations on the National Colonial Farm for a view of a child’s life on an ordinary 18th century Southern Maryland tobacco farm.

The event will include an open house style tour of the barnyard to meet the farm animals, interactive performances by the National Children’s Museum, storytelling by the Culture Kingdom Kids, and food vendors. Complete all of the activities to earn keepsake tokens and a prize!

General Event Details:

Saturday, May 12, 2012
Children’s Day in Piscataway Park
10 am – 4 pm
Admission is $10 for non-members; $5 for members; children 2 and under are free
One free adult admission per paying child

Contact: Anjela Barnes, Communications Manager

Filed Under: Annual Events, Family Events, History and Culture, News Tagged With: children, Children in Nature, family events, farm life, Piscataway Park, Potomac heritage

Accokeek Foundation President Named 2012-2013 Noyce Leadership Fellow

March 5, 2012 by Anjela 1 Comment

For Immediate Release: March 5, 2012

Science Center and Museum Executives Chosen for Intensive Leadership Program

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Noyce Foundation, in collaboration with the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), announced last week the participants for its fifth round of yearlong sponsored fellowships. Accokeek Foundation President and CEO, Lisa Hayes, is among the 18 senior-level executives from science centers, children’s museums, natural history museums, and field-based institutions chosen to participate in the Noyce Leadership Institute (NLI) Fellowship. The Noyce Leadership Institute brings together leaders in informal science education from around the world to act as change agents at the crossroads of societal trends, global issues, and the cutting edge of science. The focus of the strategic initiative by Lisa Hayes is to create a national model in Piscataway Park for connecting people to the environment through interpretation of the indigenous cultural landscape of the Piscataway people.

“The NLI Fellowship will help to prepare the next generation of leaders to extend the impact of science centers and museums deeper into their local communities and to increase understanding and excitement about science,” said Dr. Geno Schnell, NLI program director.

NLI envisions an essential and transformative role for science centers and other institutions in the engagement of citizens of every age in understanding crucial science-related issues. Leaders of such innovative hubs are supported and challenged by the Noyce Leadership Institute to make the individual, organizational, and community changes required to realize this vision. From 2008 to 2011, 70 Fellows have participated in NLI. These individuals represent 59 institutions from 21 nations.

The 2012–2013 Noyce Leadership Fellows were selected through a competitive process by a committee composed of professionals representing the fields of informal science education and executive leadership. The Fellowship program provides an action-learning framework via a mix of face-to-face sessions, executive coaching, peer learning, audio conferencing, and other learning strategies over a year, followed by ongoing Fellow alumni activities.

Click here for a list of the 18 Noyce Fellows and their Strategic Initiative Sponsors.

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About the Noyce Leadership Institute

The NLI bears the name of Robert Noyce, co-founder of Intel and inventor of the integrated circuit. His work in leading science, engineering, and technology to a whole new level of innovation — as well as the creation of new industries — is legendary. Known for his integrity, authenticity, character, inclusiveness, and continuous innovation, Noyce’s legacy continues to serve as a standard for leaders today.

About the Association of Science-Technology Centers

ASTC is a global nonprofit organization of science centers and museums committed to raising public understanding of science’s role in solving critical societal issues and its value in igniting and nurturing the innovative spirit that people of all ages need for success in today’s world.

Through strategic alliances and global partnerships, ASTC strives to increase awareness of the valuable contributions its science center members make to their communities and the field of informal science learning. Founded in 1973, ASTC now numbers nearly 600 members in 45 countries, and its members include not only science centers and museums, but also nature centers, aquariums, planetariums, zoos, botanical gardens, and natural history and children’s museums, as well as companies, consultants, and other organizations that share an interest in informal science education.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. Primary funding for the Noyce Leadership Institute comes from the Noyce Foundation, with additional support to date from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the David & Lucile Packard Foundation.

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Filed Under: Featured News, News

Accokeek Foundation Receives Honorable Mention, 2011 Board Leadership Award

November 19, 2011 by Laura Leave a Comment

The Accokeek Foundation was recognized last week by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement as a 2011 honorable mention recipient of the Board Leadership Award. The Accokeek Foundation will receive communication exposure and training and development opportunities for the board and CEO from the Center’s Learning & Leadership Institute.

Wilton Corkern, who recently retired after more than 20 years’ service as the Accokeek Foundation’s President, nominated the Accokeek Foundation’s Board of Trustees for the Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s 2011 Board Leadership Award. Corkern cited the board’s steady leadership, fiscal responsibility, support for the hard-working staff, and its commitment to maintaining and expanding service to the public during the challenging economic times of the past five years.

Since its creation more than a half-century ago, the Accokeek Foundation has enjoyed a stellar volunteer Board of Trustees. Founders Robert Ware Straus, Henry Ferguson, and Charles Wagner, and the Foundation’s first president and benefactor, Congresswoman Frances Payne Bolton, were visionary thinkers who instilled in the trustees a sense of aiming for and achieving the highest goals.

Accokeek Foundation President Lisa Hayes notes, “Our institution today – the oldest land trust in the Tidewater Potomac region, with a unique public/private partnership with the National Park Service and an array of innovative educational programs, as well as a first-rate professional staff – is testimony to the early vision of the founders and to the tradition of excellence being continued by our current trustees.”

“The Board Leadership Award acknowledges boards that have exerted their leadership in an exemplary way and motivates those that have not with clear and tangible best practices each organization can adopt,” said Center CEO Glen O’Gilvie. “We are pleased to acknowledge the Accokeek Foundation as a stellar example that other organizations should follow, and share the best practices from each of our 2011 honorees with the community.”

The Center for Nonprofit Advancement, in partnership with Reznick Group and BoardSource, launched the Board Leadership Award in 2011 to recognize and spotlight outstanding leadership from Boards of Directors of Washington-area nonprofit organizations. The award recognizes the role that boards play in building and sustaining successful organizations—assuring that they are well led, well supported, and responsive to the people and communities they serve.

Filed Under: Featured News, News

Wilton Corkern Receives Accokeek Foundation’s National Conservation Leadership Award

October 17, 2011 by Anjela Leave a Comment

Jim Rees presents Wilton with a gift from Mount Vernon Ladies Association

Accokeek, MD–On October 9, 2011, the Accokeek Foundation honored Dr. Wilton C. Corkern, Jr., with its National Conservation Leadership Award, in recognition of more than two decades of service to advance stewardship and conservation, especially land preservation and sustainable agriculture. The award was presented at the Foundation’s annual Leadership Salute, a lovely outdoor event in Piscataway Park which raised nearly $55,000 for the Accokeek Foundation’s programs, including a $20,000 grant awarded by the Wallace Genetic Foundation in honor of Corkern.

Corkern, who recently retired from the Accokeek Foundation, became President and CEO in 1990. He established the Foundation’s modern organic Ecosystem Farm with its innovative new farmer training program. He also helped to organize and launch the Friends of the Potomac and to secure designation of the Potomac as one of the first “American Heritage Rivers.” Under his leadership, the Foundation reinvigorated its land conservation program, constructed a “green” Education Center, developed stewardship demonstration areas, and launched the Foundation’s Piscataway Cultural Landscape Initiative, an effort to transform the concept of “indigenous cultural landscape” into a concrete interpretive experience of Piscataway culture and history.

Corkern was recognized for his accomplishments and receivedcongratulatory proclamations from many, including:

Assistant Secretary of the Interior Robert G. Stanton brought greetings from Steny Hoyer, Minority Whip of the U. S. House of Representatives; Ken Salazar, U. S. Secretary of the Interior; and Jon Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service
Delegate James Proctor presented the Governor’s Citation from Martin O’Malley, Governor of Maryland
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., presented a resolution from the Senate of Maryland
Delegate Joseph Vallario presented a resolution from the Maryland House of Delegates
Senator Miller and Delegates Proctor and Vallario presented a Maryland State Flag that flew over the State House in Annapolis
Accokeek Foundation Trustee Eugene Roberts presented a Certificate of Recognition from Rushern Baker, Prince George’s County Executive
Elizabeth Hewlett, Chairman of the Prince George’s Planning Board, presented a Certificate of Appreciation from the Prince George’s Planning Board
Alexcy Romero, Superintendent of National Capital Parks–East, presented three “Centennial Challenge” medallions from the National Park Service: The Frederick Douglass Medallion for Excellence in Leadership; the Carter G. Woodson Medallion for Making a Difference; the Willow Oak Medallion for Excellence in Resource Management
James Rees, President of Mount Vernon, brought greetings from the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association

Corkern previously worked at the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, the George Washington University, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He has served on numerous boards and commissions, and currently serves as chair of the steering committee of the Washington AIDS Partnership, as a board member of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, and as a trustee of the Corina Higginson Trust, a Washington, DC, philanthropy. He was recently appointed by the Secretary of the Interior to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail Advisory Council. He is a member of the Cosmos Club. Corkern received his PhD in American Civilization from the George Washington University.

The event was sponsored by generous donors, including Susan Gage Caterers, B.K. Miller Company, Alexander and Cleaver, Chesapeake Bay Funders Network, the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, Prince Charitable Trusts, SMECO, Cultural Resources Management Group, Delegate Joseph F. Vallario, Jr., and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Leadership Salute contributions help to ensure high-quality, affordable educational and recreational opportunities for the local community.

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About the Accokeek Foundation and the National Conservation Leadership Award

The Accokeek Foundation, which was established in 1957 to protect the Mount Vernon viewshed, stewards 200 acres of Piscataway National Park along the Potomac River in Prince George’s and Charles Counties, Maryland. Its programs include the National Colonial Farm, a living history museum that preserves heirloom plants, heritage breeds of livestock, and historic buildings of the Chesapeake Tidewater; the Ecosystem Farm, a demonstration of sustainable agriculture; and training programs in organic farming, museum theatre, and other related fields.

The Accokeek Foundation established the National Conservation Leadership Award in 2001 to recognize contributions in the conservation of natural, cultural, and historic resources. Former recipients of award include Robert G. Stanton, former Director of the National Park Service; John M. Derrick, former chairman and CEO of Pepco Holdings; Steny H. Hoyer, Democratic Whip, U.S. House of Representatives; Gilbert Gude, former Member of Congress; the Mount Vernon Ladies Association of the Union; Willem Polak, President of the Potomac Riverboat Company; Glenn Eugster, retired Assistant Regional Director for Partnerships, National Park Service National Capital Region; and Thomas V. “Mike” Miller, President of the Senate of Maryland. Peter Gilsey, Chair and CEO of Ariba Asset Management, Inc., was selected as the 2010 recipient and was honored posthumously in December 2010.

Filed Under: Featured News, News, Stewardship and Conservation Tagged With: Leadership Salute, National Conservation Leadership Award, National Park Service, NPS, Piscataway Park

The Greenhorns Film and Young Farmers Highlight Food Day Event

October 11, 2011 by Anjela Leave a Comment

DC Metro Area Food and Farming Leaders to Converge on Accokeek Farm

Accokeek, MD – The Greenhorns, a national grassroots nonprofit organization of young farmers, will premiere their much-anticipated documentary film, “The Greenhorns,” to DC Metro Area audiences at the Accokeek Foundation on Saturday, October 22. The screening is part of a full day and night of programming for area young and beginning farmers, as well as food leaders, being organized by the Accokeek Foundation, The Greenhorns, Chesapeake Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT), and Alice Ferguson Foundation nonprofit organizations. Beginning with workshops, speaker presentations (including the Rural Coalition), and a potluck, a farm campout will extend this social event into the next morning. This is an official national Food Day event and is FREE and open to everyone. Families are welcome and encouraged to join in the activities.

“The Greenhorns” film documents the decisive reemergence on our national landscape of a key cultural and economic force, the young American farmer. These new men and women in agriculture operate and thrive despite a longstanding trend of farmer attrition and aging, and the continued rapid loss of farmland to development. The average age of a farmer in America is 57, and USDA subsidies to huge agribusinesses dominate Farm Bill spending. But many communities are experiencing a resurgence of activity among young, new and aspiring farmers. In the DC Area alone, we find numerous new farms and farming initiatives, both urban and rural, with young farmers at the helm.

“The Greenhorns” shows how a new generation of young agrarians who farm with their brains as well as their bodies exert a promising and necessary impact against these prevailing crises. These greenhorns are working to reverse negative trends in favor of healthy food, local and regional foodsheds, and the revitalization of rural economies, one farm at a time. Official mandates calling for the increase and successful resettlement of young farmers stir hope while farmland remains abundant, if difficult to access for most new entrants. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s recent call for 100,000 new farmers is an encouraging sign. Now we need policies to back up that goal. With over 400 million acres of farmland poised to change hands over the next twenty years, the time for action is NOW. The 2012 Farm Bill package of legislation is already in the pipeline. The documentary sets this context, shows the issues, and introduces the viewer to a savvy, purposeful posse of young farmers getting into the business of fixing America. One farmer at a time.

Directed by farmer/activist Severine von Tscharner Fleming, produced in dozens of states over three years, “The Greenhorns” runs a fast 50 minutes. Click here for more information and to make reservations to attend the event.

Contact:

Molly Meehan, Accokeek Foundation
Patrick Kiley, The Greenhorns

Filed Under: Agriculture and Farming, Featured News, News Tagged With: 2012 Farm Bill, Farm Day, Farmer Training, Piscataway Park, The Greenhorns

“Enduring Traditions” – Accokeek Foundation Announces the 11th Annual African American Heritage Day Event Schedule

September 2, 2011 by Anjela Leave a Comment

Accokeek, Maryland–On September 24^th the Accokeek Foundation’s 11^th annual African American Heritage Day will celebrate the region’s history and culture with “Enduring Traditions: Rich Connections to Our Past” at the National Colonial Farm at Piscataway Park. Bring the family for a day full of music, living history demonstrations, children’s activities, fascinating panels, and the best soul food this side of the Mason Dixon line.

Arrive early to enjoy the 11 am appearance of Culture Kingdom Kids, who will perform poetry that chronicles the lives of famous Marylanders like Harriet Tubman and Thurgood Marshall, dance to such favorites as “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and finish by engaging the audience in performing the group’s “Walk Through Our History” song. Then take a trip through African American musical history, from the stirring voices of the Gospel Soul Seekers to the celebrated Washington Revels Jubilee Voices to the Sandra Y. Johnson Trio’s soulful jazz and blues.

Stroll out to the historic farm house and kitchen (don’t be surprised if a few chickens stroll along with you), where costumed interpreters will provide a lively introduction to Maryland’s African American past through cooking, quilting and conversations about what daily life was like. From the farm’s kitchen garden to the authentic tobacco barn to the resident hogs, sheep, and cattle, you will feel as if you have stepped back in time. Children can play games from the past and may be asked to help with the chores. Also on hand at the farm will be Trooper Dick Crawford and members of the Greater Washington DC Chapter 9th & 10th (Horse) Cavalry Association of the famous Buffalo Soldiers, sharing another aspect of the “enduring traditions” of African Americans’ contributions to the history of our country.

In the Education Center two fascinating panel discussions will be moderated by Ted Mack, chair of the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture. The first panel will explore the topic of food justice and the role of African American farmers in Maryland. The second panel will focus on historic preservation of not only buildings and cemeteries, but also of historically significant homes. Also in the Education Center, oral historian Wayne Rose will gather stories of visitors’ family history and traditions.

Wander down to the fishing pier with its majestic view of George Washington’s Mount Vernon across the Potomac River and visit the Heritage Market. You can buy fresh produce from farmers and a variety of products from area vendors, from quilts and jewelry to luxury soap and glass art. Fabulous soul food will be provided by The Stress Reliever, a newcomer to the area’s food truck scene, with a menu that includes fried and baked chicken, collards, okra, mac and cheese, and peach pie. Learn about trapping and fishing from Morris Smalls, a Gullah man originally from South Carolina who will demonstrate his “tools of the trade.” Louise Webb and Dorothea Smith of the Charles County African American Heritage Society will demonstrate creative ways African Americans have found to recycle and reuse common household items. Also on hand will be representatives from other cultural organizations in the region with information on upcoming programs, as well as a professional genealogist who will provide advice and guidance on tracing your family’s African American ancestors.

Activities will take place from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Early arrival is encouraged to see the opening performance at 11 am. Admission is $5. Accokeek Foundation members and children 2 and under are free. Online advanced admission sales are available.

Filed Under: Annual Events, Featured News, History and Culture, News

Explore “Crime and Punishment in Colonial Maryland” Through Museum Theatre

July 21, 2011 by Anjela Leave a Comment

Accokeek, MD—A historic farm house and heritage breed farm animals provide the backdrop for an entertaining evening of theatrical performances at the National Colonial Farm on July 30. For five years running, the Museum Theatre Program at the Accokeek Foundation has provided a few talented performers with intensive training in living history and museum theatre–a form of live performance used to educate and engage visitors at museums around the world. Rooted in scholarly research, this year’s program uses a variety of theatrical techniques to explore the topic of crime and punishment in Colonial Maryland. Weekend performances in July have provided interns the opportunity to engage with visitors in performances of vignettes they created, including “Tales from the Pillory” and “Insolent and Contemptuous Carriages,” even as they feverishly developed the script and rehearsed their final show: “Murder on the Potomac.”

“This internship has been a wonderful learning experience that has tested my limits in acting and history and lengthened them”, states intern Jeanette Wheeler. “It truly has been an experience of a lifetime.” Rounding out the cast of interns this year is Shanice Jones, Mariah Fry, Valerie Holt, Lindsey Mitchell, and Abby Barber.

The internship program culminates in the Foundation’s popular Colonial Day event, which has something for audiences of all ages. At 5 p.m. families can enjoy a delightful adaptation of “Goody Two Shoes,” a favorite 18th century children’s story (developed in collaboration with the National Children’s Museum), and “Songs and Tales from the Pillory.” Then the audience will be invited to stroll through the house and yard of the National Colonial Farm looking for “clues” to a murder before taking a seat and watching as Miss Nancy Marple Fletcher Drew attempts to solve the mystery of “Murder on the Potomac” in this hilarious send-up of the classic “whodunit.”

Event Details
Colonial Day: Crime and Punishment in Colonial Maryland
Saturday, July 30
5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
$7 members; $10 non-members, with advance admission available

Filed Under: Annual Events, Featured News, History and Culture, News Tagged With: 18th century history, crime and punishment, internships, MTIP, Museum Theatre, National Colonial Farm, Theater

High-Tech Treasure Hunt Set to Launch June 4, 2011

May 10, 2011 by Anjela Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 10, 2011

Captain John Smith Geotrail features over 40 Chesapeake sites in Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware

Piscataway Park along the Potomac River

Annapolis – Set to launch on National Trails Day, June 4, 2011 at the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park, the new Captain John Smith Geotrail is a journey across Chesapeake landscapes that evokes scenes and stories experienced by Captain Smith 400 years ago. Adventurers will have the chance to explore more than 40 sites that highlight places associated with Smith’s explorations, the natural resources of the Chesapeake, and American Indian communities then and now. Located along the James, Rappahannock, Potomac, Susquehanna, and the Nanticoke Rivers, the geotrail’s sites complement and promote the congressionally designated Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.

This multi-state initiative is sponsored by the National Park Service and its Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network, Maryland Geocaching Society, and Chesapeake Conservancy.

Geocaching, pronounced “geo-cashing,” is a worldwide phenomenon, in which participants use a hand-held GPS (Global Positioning System) to plot map coordinates in order to locate a hidden treasure or “cache.” Searching for a cache is akin to going on a treasure hunt and can involve clues, riddles and visits to multiple locations. Shovels are a forbidden tool – caches are never buried. A “geotrail” is a series of caches tied together by a common topic or theme.

If you are a journalist or blogger interested in a sneak preview with an experienced geocacher, please contact Susan Kelley or Cindy Chance for a Captain John Smith geocache experience near you.

Geocaching volunteers will be on hand at the kick-off event to teach the basics to people new to the hunt, and extra caches will be placed, including some just for kids. The event begins at 10:00 am and runs until 12:00. Do expect most serious geocachers to bolt as soon as the Smith Geotrail cache coordinates are officially “published” sometime around 11:30 and cachers download to their mobile devices.

Participants will find plenty to explore at Accokeek. Situated on the banks of the Potomac, with Mount Vernon visible on the opposite shore, the Accokeek Foundation and its National Colonial Farm offer a wide range of fun educational events for adults and children.

“The geotrail is a wonderful way to introduce people, especially families, to the wide variety of resources available on the Captain John Smith Chesapeake trail” said Jonathan Doherty, National Park Service Assistant Superintendent. “As a National Historic Trail, we have an obligation to help everyone discover important Chesapeake places and provide an opportunity to have fun learning about our common heritage. Geocaching is good clean fun that gets everyone outside!”

Charles Stek, chairman of the Chesapeake Conservancy, said “The Geotrail will get people to come out and play with the trail, Chesapeake history, and our great natural resources.”

To join the adventure, a geocacher must access the official geocache website at www.Geocaching.com to set up an account. A basic membership is free. Once an account is established, the geocacher can use the advance search function to locate the Captain John Smith account, retrieve the map coordinates, and see the cache details for each Captain John Smith Geocache. Included with the information for each cache location is a description of the site and its significance to the Chesapeake and Smith’s voyages. The next step is to head outside with a GPS to find geocaches along the Captain John Smith Geotrail!

This is the second Chesapeake-focused geotrail built in partnership with a National Historic Trail. Last year, on a cold February day, the launch of the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Geotrail drew nearly 800 weekend visits. In the past year, that trail has drawn nearly 8,000 visitors to its sites.

A collectible, highly coveted, and trackable geocoin will be given to the first 400 geocachers who locate a minimum of 15 geocaches along the trail. To be eligible for the coin, geocachers must download a trail passport from www.smithtrail.net, find and log on www.Geocaching.com at least 15 geocaches from the trail, record the secret code word from each cache on their passport and post a picture of each cache location on the corresponding geocache webpage. After discovering the 15 required caches, geocachers may have their passports validated in person or via mail at the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay office: 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 314, Annapolis, MD 21403.

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About Chesapeake Conservancy

Chesapeake Conservancy is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure conservation, stewardship, access and enjoyment of the Chesapeake’s iconic landscapes, great rivers and cultural and historic assets. The Conservancy advances this mission through education, the marshaling of new resources and the forging of partnerships with governments, businesses, public-interest groups and citizens. The principal focus of the Conservancy is the implementation of: the John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail; the Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Network; and a Chesapeake Treasured Landscape Initiative. The Conservancy believes that by helping educate citizens about the Chesapeake Bay and by providing new opportunities for improved public access, tourism, recreation and cooperative conservation of its treasured landscapes and ecosystems, we can create a lasting ecological and cultural legacy for the Chesapeake Bay.

About the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail

The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, extending approximately 3,000 miles on the Bay and tributaries, is the nation’s first water-based trail. It follows the routes of John Smith’s exploratory voyages in 1607-1609 and offers trail visitors recreational and educational experiences on land portions as well as on the water. Primary interpretive themes center on 17th century American Indian societies and cultures and the natural resources of the Bay.

About the Maryland Geocaching Society

Founded in the fall of 2002, the Maryland Geocaching Society (MGS) was among the first groups to organize around the adventure and passion of geocaching. Over the past eight years, the Society has welcomed nearly 3,000 members to its website and sponsored multiple state-wide activities, including “Cache in Trash Out” programs to assist in the maintenance of parks and trail systems. The MGS promotes geocaching as exciting, earth-friendly and adventurous outdoor recreation for the whole family.

Contact:

Laura Ford, Director of Communications, Accokeek Foundation

Cindy Chance, National Park Service, Chesapeake

Filed Under: Featured News, News Tagged With: Captian John Smith Geotrail, Chesapeake Bay, Geocaching, hiking, National Park Service, National Trails Day, Nature, Piscataway Park