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John England, the Deltaville Maritime Museum's boat shop director, has seen the Family Boatbuilding Week program grow for as long as it’s been around.
Photo courtesy of Corey Miller Photo
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Over 8,500 hours of volunteer labor have gone into restoring the F.D. Crockett, a log-bottom buyboat built in 1924, donated to the museum in 2005.
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The Chesapeake workboat model exhibit.
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A collection of antique outboard motors.
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John England has built everything from crab skiffs to Chesapeake Bay deadrises.
Photo courtesy Corey Miller Photo
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The Family Boatbuilding Week display includes a sample boat.
John England, the Deltaville Maritime Museum's boat shop director, has seen the Family Boatbuilding Week program grow for as long as it’s been around.
For him, it's about seeing people embrace Deltaville’s boatbuilding tradition. England has built 25-30 boats in his 50-year career.
Dubbed “The Boating Capital of the Chesapeake Bay,” Deltaville, a small community on the eastern edge of Middlesex County, sits at the confluence of the Piankatank and Rappahannock rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.
Along the waters of Mill Creek, a small tributary of the Piankatank River—feeding Jackson Creek, sits the Deltaville Maritime Museum, a living museum preserving the history and legacy of the Chesapeake Bay watermen and their crafts.
The museum, set on 36 wooded acres, houses exhibits, archives and hands-on learning activities. Kristin DeGraw, its administrative director, manages the day-to-day activities and oversees planning and coordination of events. Her key role is helping guests of the museum and park get in touch with and appreciate its unique history—one event involved a meteor.
About 35 million years ago, a 1- to 3-mile-wide meteor slammed into the Chesapeake Bay region, ploughing through 3,000 feet of unconsolidated sediment within the Continental Shelf. To this day, water in Deltaville and Hampton Roads is still affected.
“I don’t think people realize how much history affects them until they see it,” she said.
While there are no remnants of the prehistoric meteor, museum visitors still get a taste of other fascinating science phenomena.
“We have a sample of dirt that was struck by lightning to show kids what lightning does to dirt,” she said. “And there was sand at the base of a tree and you can see [where lightning formed] glass.”
Beyond its history and science exhibits, Deltaville Maritime Museum hosts concerts, festivals, weddings, and an annual Family Boatbuilding Week that draws people from across the country.
Its May through September lawn concert series Groovin’ in the Park features reggae, gospel, rock, country, and other genres. Patrons are welcome to enjoy the sounds and make themselves at home.
“You bring your own food, drinks, chairs, and alcohol. It’s $10 and children under 12 are free,” said DeGraw.
During markets, which occur the fourth Saturday of each month from May through November, guests can take a 30-minute creek cruise around the creeks on the Jennie May.
In October, its popular annual Art & Seafood Festival takes center stage.
“It’s a bunch of vendors with crafts, food, clothes and seafood. We have a bar and live music outdoors on the waterfront. There are children’s activities and free admission to the museum,” she said.
For those looking to exchange nuptials, hold parties, or host family reunions, the property has a large indoor pavilion complete with a commercial kitchen, indoor stage and view of the waterfront.
“The grounds are always well manicured and beautiful, and our pricing is very good,” said DeGraw.
Go to deltavillemuseum.com or follow them on social media for up-to-date information about events or visiting the museum. 804-776-7200