Beaches, Bays, Water Ways - Beach to Bay Heritage Area

11/01/2026

For generations, the women of Crisfield's crab houses quietly powered Maryland's seafood industry. Their skilled hands picked millions of pounds of blue crab, their songs echoed through the packing houses, and their determination helped shape labor history through the historic Crab Pickers Union and the landmark 1938 strike. Today, only a handful of these women remain to share their firsthand experiences.

Through oral history interviews, historical research, and archival collections, the Beach to Bay Heritage Area, in partnership with Unscene Productions, will document the memories, traditions, music, labor history, and cultural legacy of Crisfield's crab pickers.

You can help us complete this amazing project by donating today! Any amount helps us preserve our precious maritime history. Plus, starting November 1st, every donation made through shoregives365.org earns one point. The nonprofit with the most points during this year's Giving Season will receive a bonus!

Donate through https://mtyc.co/v0f6sf or by going to beachesbayswaterways.org

10/29/2026

We've been working on a great project alongside Unscene Productions! Crisfield has been known as the "Crab Capital of the World" for many years, but did you ever wonder how it got that name? The city's economy was built upon the blue crab. Watermen brought the crabs to shore, but someone had to cook, pick, and can them.

At one point, over 20 packing houses were operating in this waterfront community and it was within these packing houses that hundreds of pickers, mostly African American women, worked quickly to pluck the meat from these iconic crustaceans. Many elements led to the decline of the industry in Crisfield, including lower harvests, which led to most packing houses shutting down by the 1990s. Today, only a handful of these women remain with us to share what it was like behind those long closed doors. We want to preserve their voices in a documentary that honors their legacies and the impact they had in Crisfield's economy.

You can help us create this exciting new short film by donating to the Beach to Bay Heritage Area. Also, if you have any photos from Crisfield's packing houses, share them with us! Donate today at beachesbayswaterways.org

10/29/2026

Last week, the Museum of Eastern Shore Culture at Salisbury University unveiled their new exhibit, Local Lore! This juried group exhibit explores the Eastern Shore's cultural heritage through the artistic lens of those who know it well. The reception was a great event and brought the community together to appreciate the place we call home through the arts. Stop by and take a look! Also, while you're there, get your BBHA passport stamped and start working towards getting a free baseball cap from us!

Learn more about local museums, exhibits, and the passport program at beachesbayswaterways.org

10/26/2026

One more day!!! Until our open house and ribbon cutting ceremony co-hosted by the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce! We hope to see you there between 2 and 7pm!

10/26/2026

Another great oral history project taking shape on the Lower Shore!

10/26/2026

Revolutionary Maryland: Freedom of the Press Then and Now is also on display at the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum! Come check out this traveling exhibit which explores the evolution of one of our most important American freedoms from its earliest incarnation in the Maryland Colony to its role in contemporary society. The Taylor House has also created an excellent companion exhibit, so you don't wanna miss taking a peek while its on the Shore!

Presented by the MD Two-Fifty Commission.

10/26/2026

Free Presentation Oct 27 - Littleton Dennis Teackle and his Mansion - https://mailchi.mp/d4e634994605/oct27presentation