Extreme Cold Warning issued February 6 at 6:24PM EST until February 8 at 10:00AM EST by NWS Wakefield VA

Donations Needed for Finishing the Skipjack "City of Crisfield's" Restoration Website Administrator Wes Simpkins, January 15 As many of you know, Skipjack Heritage, Inc. is the proud owner of the historic Skipjack "City of Crisfield," which was originally constructed in 1949. The organization aims to completely restore the boat and return her to sail preserving her intended purpose. Restoration efforts are ongoing, but additional support is needed to complete the project in time for the July 4th celebration, marking the ... (Full Story & Photos)

The Skipjack City of Crisfield is Looking Good! Website Administrator Wes Simpkins, December 17 Wow............ from Reedville, Virginia's FB page. The skipjack City of Crisfield has a rich history, built in 1949 on Cockrell Creek by Charles Herbert Rice. Now part of The Skipjack Heritage Museum on Deal Island, Maryland, she has undergone recent restoration. Her hull and decks were fiberglassed, and she emerged from the shed on Saturday. Gorgeous does not do her justice.... (Full Story & Photos)

Merry Christmas Website Administrator Wes Simpkins, December 02 Skipjack Heritage, Inc. wishes all a very blessed Merry Christmas. Thanks to all who have came by the Museum and said hello. We thank you for your patronage. "May the light of Christmas shine brightly upon your family, guiding you with faith, love and togetheness." Luke 2:11 (KJV) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Matthew 2:11 (KJV) And ... (Full Story & Photos)

Skipjack Heritage, Inc. - Skipjack Heritage Museum Has a New Website Webmaster Wes Simpkins, November 26 Welcome to our brand new website. This site is just not dedicated to the Skipjack (boat) itself, but is a liitle different in that we wanted to focus on the people of Deal Island and its surrounding townships seeing how much history and tradition is in such a reserved area of lower Delmarva. While we have those who are still dedicated to living in the area and call home there are many of us who ... (Full Story & Photos)

We Need Your Help Website Administator Wes Simpkins, November 18 The Skipjack Heritage Museum, website (Skipjack Heritage, Inc.) desperately needs your input in regards to the local history of some of our towns such as Wenoma, Rock Creek-Chance, Mount Vernon, Dames Quarter, Oriole and so on. We're still writing Deal Island's history as well, so please give us your stories, etc. Anything you might be able to contribute including stories, documents, pictures (just ... (Full Story & Photos)

Deal Island Skipjack Races Website Administrator Wes Simpkins, October 05 66th Annual Deal Island Skipjack Race & Festival... (Full Story & Photos)

to our new website. Here you will get an appreciation of what Skipjack Heritage, Inc. is about, who we are, what we do and our passion for preserving what we consider to be one of the most historic and legendary vessels to ever be built, work and sail the Chesapeake Bay along with their gallant captains. Skipjack Heritage, Inc. not only emphasizes the working and non-working Skipjacks currently still in use and seaworthy today, but additionally focuses on "past, by gone Skipjacks, Bugeyes, etc. that were part of the lower Delmarva," its owners, captains, crews and families. In addition one of the things that makes Skipjack Heritage, Inc. unique and distinctive that we are proud of being a little different from other similar type websites, organizations, museums where it is our desire to preserve the heritage, the legacy of "greater Deal Island, Maryland and surrounding localities" in its rich history, people, communities, faith and culture.

We are an exclusive and to a degree insulated part of Somerset County, Maryland, which is why many have still chosen to stay...... who are community oriented where our customs, people, speech (our backwards talk and dialect), diet and dependance on the Chesapeake Bay has been truly a vital and integral part of our lives. We want to preserve and protect that for the next generation(s). We owe it to history, our many ancestors who spent their life time toiling over a friendship and love for the water that speaks greatly to their character and for future generations.

It has been one of our greatest honors to take ownership of the iconic  "Skipjack, City of Crisfield" ............(also see this link from the Chesapeake Bay Magazine) built for Gus Forbush of Crisfield by C. H. Rice and his son Ed in Reedville, Virginia in 1949. She was Captained by "Daddy Art Daniels" for many years. His sons Stan, Bob and Terry Daniels also captained her dredging oysters, etc. Captain Art Daniel........., who has passed away, went home with the Lord in 2017 and saw his family donate her to Skipjack Heritage, Inc. who has secured many donations, grants where she is once again getting rebuilt to sail the Chesapeake Bay waters. Taking on the responsibilty of getting her seaworthy again has been a great testimony not only for Skipjack Heritage, but those from the local community, working and retired Skipjack captains, enthusiasts

Captain Art, sons and grandson gittin'r done on the City of Crisfield

who have personally sacrificed and volunteered their time and sweat. It is our hope to complete this task will happen by the end of 2026.

As of this writing she has been totally fiber-glassed! We have anew mast, boom, sails and the rigging to install. It has been a long process that will be completed in the coming months. What a great day of Celebration that will be. If you have a desire to see this majestic Skipjack back in the water you can help with her completion by sending a donation to....... 

To anyone and everyone who has contributed past, present and are considering to offer a selfless financial donation or have provided hours of restoration work to make our goal come true ..... we say "THANK YOU" from the bottom of our hearts!

Development of such a museum and heritage center was originally proposed by area resident and community activist, Mr. Ben Evans as far back as the 1960's. Due to his
and many other local residents, civic organizations and local authorites, the planning, construction we finally have our home located within the community to "preserve the heritage.

Video- Just Passin’ Through - Eps 6: Skipjack Heritage President Harold "Captain Stoney" Whitelock and Saving Skipjacks

Capt. Stoney Whitelock

The Skipjack Heritage Museum is operated and staffed by Board Members and local volunteers of the Heritage. We focus particularly on the maritime traditions of the Island, its adjoining townships, people, culture-traditions and the Chesapeake Bay that are local to the area and its residents. The museum staff can answer any question you might have when visiting. Below are a few facts as it relates to our mission. Please contribute any pictures, documents or artifacts to enrich the Heritage.

• Preserving the Skipjack legacy: The museum's primary mission is to preserve the history of the skipjack, America's oldest working sailing vessel, including its restoration and keeping the history of the greater Deal Island relavent. 
• Educating future generations: We use model boats, photos, and artifacts that we house to the credit of our local community to educate both current and future generations about the life of a waterman.
• Showcasing maritime heritage: Our museum exhibits highlight the island's commercial fishing industry, its captains, and the broader maritime heritage of the upper Tangier Sound. To illustrate the special heritage of the communities of the greater Deal Island municipalities has a deep meaning to our communities and those who have unselfisly contributed to our cause. See our media page for pictures of items on display in the Museum.
• Focus on local history: We document and preserve the stories and history of the local communities, going beyond just the maritime aspects to showcase the broader way of life in the area. The Skipjack being indicative to Deal Isand and its local communities  was a hub for the thriving oyster trade. The boats were central to the economy, providing a livelihood for generations of local watermen and their families.
• Community involvement: We rely on items and oral histories donated by local residents to build their collections, ensuring the community's direct involvement in preserving its own story.

Since 1959, Deal Island has hosted an annual Labor Day weekend Skipjack Race . The race features the last of the skipjacks (working and non-working). These vessels were operated extensively between the 1880s to the 1960s. Deal Island was once the "home port" for a large fleet of skipjacks and today has most of the few remaining skipjacks operating commercially for oysteringon the Chesapeake Bay. The Captains being all from the local areas of Deal Island, Wenoma, Rock Creek-Chance, Dames Quarter Oriole and so on.

For centuries, the economy of greater Deal Island has been defined by working the water, primarily through crabbing and oystering. The education of the Skipjacks, their owners, captains, crews and families, the watermans way of life you will see through this site. 

Here you will find histories of of not just Skipjacks and other working vessels, but Deal Island and its local communities where it is our priviledge to preserve local culture by documenting, educating about and celebrating the communities history, especially its deep rooted connection to the Chesapeake Bay's maritime traditions. As personable as it is to the people we also want to safeguard their memory, accomplishments, skills and talents as well.

Deal Island Map
(Click to zoom for larger, more detailed image)

Feel free to leave us a comment and/or come by and visit us at the Museum. Any and all donations go straight to the preservation of the Heritage. Please donate to help our efforts, continued planning of the Heritage. We welcome you to join Skipjack Heritage, Inc. and become part of the family.

This website is still "under construction" where it will be a continuous work in process and will be indefinitely updated.  Any pictures, stories, names (including family members-ancestors), documents, places, etc. you might want to contribute are welcomed where credits will be given. Please help us preserve the "Heritage" of the area, it's people, culture, traditions and faith where it can be seen and shared to all. Skipjack Heritage, Inc. and the Museum are an extension of the greater Deal Island area and its surrounding townships, waters, people and ancestors.

It should be noted that the Skipjack is the official State Boat of Maryland. Student school, misc. group trips are more than welcome, so please if you are in the area please stop by and see us. There is a map under the "Contact Us" tab in the menu. Our museum staff is well versed and can answer any questions you might have? Do you have ancestors from the area? Let us help you connect the dots!

	Vince Leggett is the founder of the Blacks of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and author of "The Chesapeake Bay Through Ebony Eyes." Credit Blacks of the Chesapeake who work to share the legacy of African-American achievement in the Bay's seafood and maritme industries, support the economic success of those industries and foster environmental preservation and conservation
Outstanding video-  Water's Edge: Black Watermen of the Chesapeake

There were many of our African-American residents who worked the area waters, dredged oysters, crabbed, fished and some still do. (The Star Democrat has a good newspaper article called, "Black waterman were backbone of oystering;" 2/12/1997).

Gone are the days when there were over 400 dredge boats on the Tangier Sound (close to one thousand in the 1880's). In Deal Island especially the sound of the captains barking at his crew, the ice house, skate rink, merry go round, the wharf with its steamboats, its whistles, dogs barking in the yards and church on Sunday's was mostly an all day event.

In those days Sunday's were for church and dozens of boats would be tied up from all around for the annual Camp Meetings (no cell phones)- oh how times change. What a proud heritage........... lets make sure we preserve it!

Deal Island "August Storm" of         '33 damage	First Skipjack Races at Deal Island in 1929	Captain Webster on the Skipjack  Maime Mister

Excellent video about our beloved Deal Island

Skipjack Heritage Facebook Page

- These colors don't run -

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