Discover Delmarva: Skipjack Heritage Museum

CHANCE, Md. — Step into the Skipjack Heritage Museum and it’s like going back in time. Located just outside of Deal Island, the museum houses a large collection of local artifacts, historical photographs, vintage gear and models that showcase the lives of watermen from the past and present, and the families of Deal Island and the surrounding area.

“We try to highlight things that were in this area. We’ve got pictures galore,” Board Member and Treasurer of Skipjack Heritage Inc. Bob Shores said.

Shores says that it’s all about keeping Maryland’s skipjack legacy alive, giving visitors an inside look into the life of a waterman, and revealing maritime history.

“We try to localize it. Here, everything you see was either built around here or worked by captains around here. Everything you see; the churches, the sail loft, the boats that you see, our local people had them,” Shores said.

“There’s very few skipjacks left. There’s quite few workboats left but not many people do this kind of stuff anymore,” Board Member Hannah Whitelock said.

From photographs to skipjack models– everything in the museum is a reminder of the Eastern Shore’s rich history.

“All the old running boards from the old skipjacks are really cool. You can look through a lot of photo albums. There’s just so much history in here. There’s a lot of artifacts, models, there’s so much stuff to look through,” Whitelock said.

“It’s important because if we don’t do it who’s going to do it,” Shores said.

To learn more and plan your trip, visit https://www.skipjackheritage.com/