Seventh Annual Four Rivers Heritage Awards
November 2010

The Seventh Annual Heritage Award ceremony took place at Historic London Town and Gardens on November 10, 2010. The award categories included Heritage Tourism Product, New Initiative, Heritage Interpreter of the Year, Legacy Award, Public/Private Partnership, Heritage Partnership Award, Heritage Professional, and the most prestigious award, the Heritage Leadership Award. Please join us in congratulating these honorees:

Heritage Tourism Product Award: The Oysters on the Half Shell Exhibition at the Annapolis Maritime Museum was the 2010 recipient of this award. This engaging and interactive exhibit, called "truly magnificent" by Governor Martin O'Malley, is the museum's first permanent exhibition.

New Initiative Award: The Captain Salem Avery Museum's Heritage Eco-Tour received this award for their tour of a bio-retention project and a variety of outdoor exhibits, including rain gardens, rain barrels, and a brand-new native plant garden. Special recognition goes to Gail Schneider, who was the project manager for this multi-faceted project (note: in 2011, the museum changed its name to the Captain Avery Museum).

Heritage Interpreter of the Year: Meg Govan, whose outstanding tour presentations breathe life into the history of Annapolis for many, many visitors, was Four Rivers' Interpreter of the Year.

Legacy Award: An original "Frontiersman", Clarence "Speedy" Hogarth,inspires and engages visitors - especially the younger generation - with first-hand, "up-close and personal" experiences of the long-forgotten skills of frontier life. Speedy Hogarth was honored for preserving the art and craft of colonial leatherwork.

Public/Private Partnership Award: The City of Annapolis Gott's Court Parking Garden was the 2010 awardee for this category. The public/private team that designed and implemented this new structure was honored for their environmental and heritage-oriented sensitivity to the historic district of Annapolis.

Heritage Partnership Award: There were two recipients of this award in 2010. Historic London Town and Gardens and Anne Arundel County Public Schools were recognized for their remarkable long-term collaboration, resulting in many successful school projects, programs, tours, and workshops.

Also receiving the heritage partnership award was "Music to Our Ears: The Sounds of the African-American Experience at Carr's and Sparrow's Beaches," an oral history project that became an eight-minute documentary film, which has both educated and inspired. The Banneker-Douglass Museum, Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Annapolis High School, in particular, and the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation partnered to achieve this remarkable program.

Heritage Professional Award: Genevieve Kaplan, the Education and Public Program Manager of the Banneker-Douglass Museum in Annapolis, was the 2010 awardee. During her tenure at the museum, she has successfully doubled the number of programs offered and significantly increased visitation to the museum.

Heritage Leadership Awards: Two deserving individuals received this award in 2010. Vincent Leggett, founder and former president of the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, has dedicated more than 30 years to collecting, preserving, and disseminating stories of the African-American men and women that played critical roles in the history of the Chesapeake Bay. Mr. Leggett received this award for his serving the greater community by recording and sharing a history long ignored.

Gertrude Makell, the visionary leader and driving force behind the restoration of the Galesville Rosenwald School on West Benning Road in Galesville, also received a Heritage Leadership Award. Thanks to her energy, commitment, and creativity, the Galesville Rosenwald School has been restored and converted into a vibrant space that will serve as a permanent home for the activities of the Galesville Community Center Organization. For her tenacity and vision for a new purpose for the old school, and for raising more than $500,000 from community, county, and state funding sources to make the renovation possible, Ms. Makell was awarded the Heritage Leadership Award.

Sixth Annual Four Rivers Heritage Awards
November 2009

Heritage Professional Awards: Scotti Preston, Historic Annapolis Foundation Living History performer and educator, for her proven ability to make history come alive through first-person interpretation and education. The second honoree in this category is Dr. John Kille, Lost Towns Project, Londontown Foundation and Anne Arundel County Trust for Preservation, for his continuing dedication and commitment to preserving and sharing the heritage of our area.

Legacy Awards: Dr. Joan M. E. Gaither , Documentary Story Quilter, for inspiring new audiences to share in our regional heritage through documentary story quilts and collective quilting projects. The second honoree in this category is Norman Hazard of Galesville, Waterman and Boatbuilder, for sharing the traditional skills of local watermen with the community of Galesville.

New Initiative Award: Waypoint Signage and Brochure Showcasing "Best Practices" in Environmental Conservation by the City of Annapolis Environmental Commission.

Heritage Product Award: Carr's Beach Historic Music Festival, the first annual commemoration showcasing this historic African-American community's musical heritage. Honorees: Larry Griffin, Organizer and Jeff Brown , Emcee.

Heritage Area Certificate of Merit: The Hanover Street Historic Streetscape Reconstruction Project, for reuse of pre-existing streetscape materials and incorporation of sustainable construction practices in historic streetscape reconstruction. Honorees: Century Design Engineers, Anchor Construction, Goodwin & Associates, and the Honorable Ellen O. Moyer.

Four Rivers' most prestigious honor, the Heritage Awards: Mavis Daly, Shady Side Rural Heritage Society, for her boundless dedication and commitment to the heritage and community of Shady Side, Maryland. Also receiving the Heritage Award is Dr. Al Luckenbach, Anne Arundel County Archaeologist and Founder of the Lost Towns Project, for his many accomplishments as Anne Arundel County Archaeologist that have brought national recognition to our area.

Fifth Annual Four Rivers Heritage Awards
November 2008

Heritage Tourism Product Awards: Lost Towns Archaeology Project (C. Jane Cox and Jessie Grow), in collaboration with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the Annapolis Maritime Museum , for the innovative "Paddle Through History" guided and self-guided kayak tours of the Rhode River (partnership with Smithsonian Environmental Research Center) and of Back Creek and Spa Creek (partnership with Annapolis Maritime Museum); and to Dr. Mark Leone, Guest Curator of the Exhibit and Director of Archaeology in Annapolis; Amelia Harris, Exhibit Designer; Banneker-Douglass Museum; Historic Annapolis Foundation ; and Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer, for the "Seeking Liberty: Annapolis, An Imagined Community" exhibit at the Banneker-Douglass Museum, in partnership with the Historic Annapolis Foundation and the City of Annapolis.

Heritage Partnership Award: Presented to the Southgate Memorial Fountain Restoration Committee (with special recognition to Alderman Richard Israel, Chair, and Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer) for their tireless efforts to revitalize this 100-year-old Annapolis landmark.

Heritage Professional Award: Matthew Grubbs of Discover Annapolis Tours, for his outstanding contributions and extraordinary dedication to heritage tourism and the Four Rivers Heritage Area.

Legacy Award: The Spiritual Vibrations of Southern Anne Arundel County received this award for their more than 20 years of service to the community, through performing, teaching, and sharing the spiritually-inspired traditions of gospel music.

Four Rivers' most prestigious honor, the Heritage Awards: The First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis (Reverend William Hathaway, Pastor) was presented with a Heritage Award for its vision and leadership in developing and implementing an innovative preservation project that is an inspiration to our community, and the "sweat equity" of its members that has ensured its success. June Taft Hall, of the Shady Side Rural Heritage Society, received a Heritage Award for her years of service and boundless energy and dedication to the Shady Side community.

Fourth Annual Four Rivers Heritage Awards
November 2007

Heritage Product Awards: Capital City Colonials for their Annapolis Food & History Tour, which combines costumed guides, historical venues, and culinary delights. The second honoree in this category is the Highland Beach Historical Commission for a new photo exhibit, Scurlock-Beach Connections, developed in conjunction with the Smithsonian's Museum of American History, in the Frederick Douglass Museum and Cultural Center in Highland Beach.

Heritage Initiative Award: Annapolis Maritime Museum and the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society for their innovative public tours of Thomas Point Shoal Light. Lighthouse Tour Manager Tom Stalder was also acknowledged with an award for his dedication to the development of the public lighthouse tours.

Heritage Partnership Awards: The Shady Side Rural Heritage Society and the Shady Side Elementary School for Shady Side's Got History!, a year-long collaborative program and exhibit on community history at the Captain Salem Avery House. The second honoree in this category is the Annapolis Maritime Museum for their leadership in coordinating the broadly collaborative Captain John Smith 400 festival in Annapolis last July. Sultana Projects, Inc., was acknowledged for vision and leadership in the development and implementation of last summer's bay-wide Captain John Smith 400 shallop voyage.

Heritage Professional Awards: Donna Hole for her years of service to Annapolis as the first Chief of Historic Preservation, and to Carol Treiber for her dedication to our cultural heritage as the Executive Director of the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County.

The Legacy Award: The Chesapeake 20 Association for preserving and educating the public about the historic Chesapeake 20 sailboat, originally designed in the 1930s by Galesville's Captain Dick Hartge.

Four Rivers' most prestigious honor, the Heritage Award: Two dedicated individuals who have devoted years of time and effort to their community's heritage - Galesville's Jack Smith and Roberta Cassard.

Third Annual Four Rivers Heritage Awards
November 2006

Heritage Interpreter of the Year Award: David L. Smith of Capital City Colonials, for presenting outstanding, educational, and factual tours. Often dressed in period attire, D. L. strives for the highest standards in historical accuracy, and he has a lively personality that makes him popular with diverse audiences.

Heritage Program Award: The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center on the Rhode River for their new Educational Outreach Program, which includes a kayak and canoe trail, as well as a variety of high-quality public environmental education activities.

Best New Heritage Initiative: Watermark and the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation for developing the African-American Heritage Tour, which engages visitors as they trace the rich history of African-Americans in Annapolis.

Heritage Professional Awards: Patricia Blick for her leadership in coordinating the HistoryQuest project at Historic Annapolis Foundation's St. Clair Wright Center, and Janet Surrett for her creative role in building a strong community history program and museum at the Captain Salem Avery House in Shady Side.

Legacy Award: Pam Offer and family, for continuing local traditions in preparing and serving southern Maryland and Chesapeake Bay fare. The Offer Family's crabcakes and oysters are legendary in South County.

Four Rivers' most prestigious honor, the Heritage Award: Awarded posthumously to Leonard Blackshear , who died earlier this year from cancer. Leonard, founder of the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Foundation, was remembered for his vision, leadership, creativity, and enthusiasm. Leonard was committed to local history as a means of connecting with heritage, promoting forgiveness and healing, and enhancing economic development. Dr. Patsy Blackshear accepted the Heritage Award in her husband's name.

Several awards were given for local historical interpretation:

Historians Glenn Campbell and Dr. Jean Russo for developing the interpretive components, including the audio tour, video scripts, and exhibit content, of Historic Annapolis Foundation's new HistoryQuest at the St. Clair Wright Center.

Banneker-Douglass Museum for its new permanent multi-media exhibit, Deep Roots, Rising Waters, which educates visitors about Maryland's African-American history.

Local author Ginger Doyel for her books, Annapolis Vignettes and Gone to Market: the Annapolis Market House, 1698-2005.

The City of Annapolis for its two new historical brochures, Art in Annapolis and From Declaration to Independence.

The Galesville Heritage Society for its new, self-guided brochure, Heritage Tour, of historic Galesville on the West River.

The Chesapeake Children's Museum for its innovative and interactive children's program, Lead On, Harriet!, about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.

Second Annual Four Rivers Heritage Awards
November 2005

Interpreter of the Year: Historic London Town & Garden's volunteer docent, Eleanor Anderson, for her exemplary work with the educational and living history programs at that colonial tobacco port site on the South River.

The Interpretation Award for Scholarly Publication: Dr. Michael Parker for his new book, Presidents Hill: Building an Annapolis Neighborhood, 1664-2005, a rich and detailed history of an Annapolis community.

The Interpretation Award in Local History: Galesville resident Jean Siegert Trott for her book, Galesville, Maryland: The Legend... The Legacy, a unique and colorful accounting of 350 years of people, places, and events in a small maritime village.

Interpretive Product Award: Annapolis Maritime Museum and Historical Interpretation Committee Chair Dr. William Dudley for building, leading, and bringing together a collaborative team of local historians and heritage site representatives to create a new historical interpretive plan for the Annapolis Maritime Museum.

Heritage Program Award: The Historic Annapolis Foundation and Chamber Music Annapolis share the Heritage Program award for sponsoring the Maryland Early Music Festival in 2004 and 2005, with special recognition of Carolyn Surrick and Geoff Giffin.

Heritage Event Award: Annapolis Maritime Museum's Maritime Market Days, a celebration of heritage preservation, economic development, and diversity.

Best New Heritage Initiatives: Annapolis Tours & Watermark Cruises for their new Bay Lighthouses Tour, a voyage featuring three Bay lighthouses and living history interpretation by Cliff Long. The second honoree in this category is the Galesville Heritage Society for their innovative Living History program, as part of 2005's South County Sundays, featuring the stories of local veterans and teachers.

Heritage Professional Award: Dr. Elizabeth Stewart, Research Historian at the Banneker-Douglass Museum for exceptional dedication to Maryland's African-American heritage, outstanding contribution to the Annapolis Maritime Museum's Historical Interpretation Committee, and constant willingness to share her knowledge and expertise with the heritage community.

Legacy Awards: David and Ginger Hildebrand for 25 years of researching, performing, and teaching colonial music. The second honoree in this category is South County waterman John VanAlstine for his community-minded efforts to educate children about the importance and heritage of Chesapeake Bay watermen.

Four Rivers' most prestigious honor, the Heritage Award: Renowned photographer Marion Warren, for a lifetime of work documenting and preserving the visual heritage of the Chesapeake Bay.

First Annual Heritage Awards Winners
November 2004

Heritage Interpreter of the Year: Nancy Reams, volunteer with Historic Annapolis Foundation, Historic London Town, the Charles Carroll House, and Hammond Harwood House.

First Person Interpretation Award: Janice Hayes Williams of Legacy Promotions and Scotti Preston.

Site Interpretation Award: Hammond Harwood House, for its new brochure.

Scholarly Publication Award: Dr. Jean Russo and Mark Letzer for their edited book, The Diary of William Faris: The Daily Life of an Annapolis Silversmith.

Local History Award: Lois Nutwell for her book of historic images of Deale, Ripple in the Wind: Down the Creek and Along the Shore in Deale, Maryland.

Interpretive Tour Award: Jack Smith for his narrated boat tours of the historic West River.

Children's Interpretation Award: Chesapeake Children's Museum, Annapolis Department of Transportation, and Ginger Doyel for the heritage activity booklet, "My Annapolis Adventure: Passport to Discovery".

Educational Interpretation Award: Captain Salem Avery House, Discovery Village, the Shady Side Elementary School, Annapolis Maritime Museum, waterman John Van Alstine, designer Ruth Ann Thompson, and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Program for "Seasons of a Chesapeake Bay Waterman: An Activity Guide for Teachers."

Heritage Event Award: Discovery Village for the Blessing of the Fleet Festival featuring the watermen of southern Anne Arundel County.

Heritage Program Award: Annapolis Maritime Museum for its summerlong maritime concert series at the Annapolis City Dock.

Best New Heritage Initiative: Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society, the City of Annapolis, Annapolis Maritime Museum, and Anne Arundel County for the Thomas Point Shoal Light Consortium that will preserve and interpret this Chesapeake Bay icon.

Heritage Professional Award: C. Jane Cox, Anne Arundel County cultural resources planner, for her work with Anne Arundel County's Lost Towns Project, the Annapolis Maritime Museum, Anne Arundel County Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Thomas Point Shoal Light.

Legacy Award: Russell Steele, for his work using colonial building methods to reconstruct the Lord Mayor's Tenement at Historic London Town & Gardens.

Four Rivers' most prestigious honor, the Heritage Awards: Paula Fishback, founder of Three Centuries Tours. The second honoree in this category is Peg Wallace, founder of the Annapolis Maritime Museum.