Women of Wallville Exhibit at Calvert Marine Museum
The Calvert Marine Museum (CMM) is thrilled to announce the opening of its newest exhibit, Women of Wallville. This exhibit is inspired by the award-winning Witnesses of Wallville project, a descendant community initiative dedicated to preserving the history of the rural Southern Maryland community of Wallville.
Through oral histories, historical records, and archaeology, Women of Wallville brings to life the stories of the Black women who shaped this community during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These women built thriving homesteads, preserved their own food, and navigated the challenges of economic hardship with remarkable resilience.
The Witnesses of Wallville project, led by the Wallville Steering Committee, descendants of Wallville, and experts from Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum and the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab), was recently honored with the Mark E. Mack Community Engagement Award at the 2025 Society for Historical Archaeology conference. Their work has been instrumental in bringing this history to light.
During the Great Depression, families in Wallville and beyond relied on food preservation to sustain themselves. Archaeological excavations at Wallville farmsteads uncovered artifacts such as canning jars, jar-lid liners, and stoneware storage crocks, offering tangible evidence of these survival strategies. A striking 1940 Library of Congress photograph from Dameron, St. Mary’s County, captures young Delores Harris proudly displaying her family’s home-canned food—an image that reflects the legacy of self-sufficiency celebrated in the exhibit.
Created in collaboration with Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum, Women of Wallville will be on display at CMM through September 2026. Join us in honoring these remarkable women and their contributions to Southern Maryland’s history.
Explore how the prehistoric past, natural environments, and maritime heritage come to life and tell a unique story of the Chesapeake Bay. The Calvert Marine Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $11 for adults; $9 for seniors, military, and veterans with valid I.D, AAA and AARP members; $6 for children ages 5 – 12; children under 5 and museum members are admitted free. Proud participant in Museums for ALL. For more information about the museum, upcoming events, or membership, visit the website at www.calvertmarinemuseum.com
