Historical marker unveiled in Cambridge honoring Choptank Indian Reservation
CAMBRIDGE, Md. – A new historical marker in Cambridge is helping to highlight some lost Indigenous history.
Tuesday in Cambridge, descendants and community members came together for the unveiling of the Choptank Indian Reservation Historical marker. “There was a broad, extensive past before us and that there’s a broad, extensive future in front of us. The sign helps to contextualize the land that we live in and remember the people that live there, their experience, and their journey,” said Mike Detmer, with the Dorchester County Council.
The Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians organization working with the state of Maryland to get history recognized. “They lived on this land during the summer months and harvested from the water and the river. And then in the winter, they moved inland. When they came back, the land had been taken from them. So we feel like that this sign is regaining something back in honor of our ancestors,” said Chief Donna Abbott, of the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians Incorporated.
Chief Donna Abbott called the marker unveiling a great day in history saying that it will extend education about her people the right way. “It is very emotional for us. As I said earlier, it represents our ancestors. It represents what they went through and what they lost. A lot of the public isn’t aware of the history or it wasn’t told correctly,” said Chief Abbott.
The historical marker is next to the Cambridge Elks Lodge and making the sign was a part of the Maryland Department of Transportation’s historical trust to increase the number of markers across the state highlighting untold stories. “It’s another celebration of the tremendous history of the state of Maryland. It takes a lot of research. It isn’t just a sign being produced, it’s the end result of a lot of research working with the community. So that’s the beauty of it,” said Paul Wiedefeld, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation.
The non-profit is currently renovating two historic buildings that tie back to their history.
