The replacement of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) bulkhead on St. Michaels Harbor is well underway with heavy equipment and workers in hardhats covering the waterfront. About 600 feet of rotted, 40-year-old pilings are being pulled and replace as part of the six-month process that started in November.
The work is being performed by Hi-Tide Marine Construction of Snow Hill, Md., who was awarded the work through a competitive bid process. The bulkhead restoration project is funded through a $30,000 Maryland Bond Bill and a $255,000 Maryland Department of Natural Resources matching grant, with additional funding raised through philanthropic support. During construction, the museum’s exhibit and waterfront campus will remain open, with access to the Hooper Straight Lighthouse and Navy Point restricted.
The old wood pilings and planks are being replaced with vinyl sheathing that is expected to last 40 years. This new bulkhead work begins at the museum’s marine railway, and proceeds around the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse, whose deck will be replaced. The new bulkhead will continue around Navy Point to the Fogg’s Cove side of the At Play on the Bay exhibit building.
CBMM remains open to visitors throughout the winter from 10am-4 p.m., seven days a week, with admission now running through the museum store. For more information about the Navy Point bulkhead restoration project and how your support can make a difference, contact René Stevenson at 410-745-4950 or [email protected].
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