The new Maryland Dove currently under construction by shipwrights at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum will have a bit more of CBMM’s hometown in it thanks to a generous donation of wood from an Osage orange tree by St. Michaels, Md., resident Tracy Wagner.
“I am happy and pleased that the wood is going to CBMM and they will be able to work with it,” said Wagner, who needed to remove the tree for safety reasons. “Osage is a very hard, pliable wood that’s historically been used for boatbuilding, so this is wonderful use for it.”
According to CBMM’s lead shipwright Joe Connor, who serves as construction manager on the build, the wood will be used to make mast steps, knees, and stanchions for the new Maryland Dove, a reproduction of the vessel that accompanied the first European settlers to what is now Maryland in 1634. To learn more about the project, visit marylanddove.org.
“Osage orange is both a beautiful type of wood and one that is incredibly useful in traditional wooden shipbuilding,” Connor said. “We are very grateful for this donation and can’t wait to mill these pieces and put them to good use as we continue our work on Maryland Dove.”
CBMM has reopened, but its working Shipyard remains closed to the public. Visit welcome.cbmm.org and plan your visit today to learn about the Chesapeake Bay’s history, traditions, and culture in a park-like setting along the Miles River and St. Michaels Harbor.
Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Talbot Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.