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"The voyage of John Smith is not just about looking at the Bay's past,
it's about our vision for the future."
Will Baker, President, CBF
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New Buoys to be Added to the Trail System Three new 'smart buoys' will be deployed on the Capt. John Smith Chesapeak National Historic Trail this year: at Stingray Point on July 19, Havre de Grace on September 13, and Norfolk (date TBD).
visit NOAA's 'smart buoy' website >>
Join the Adventure
Help Plan the
New Water Trail!
You can help forge America's first national water trail.
A work in progress, the Trail is the result of the diligent work of many public and private partners. The Trail was designated by an act of Congress in December, 2006, which set in motion what will surely be a rewarding process that will involve citizens across the watershed.
To learn more about how you can participate in planning the National Historic Trail, please send an email to the Trail’s project manager at the National Park Service:
CAJO_Project_Manager@nps.gov |
AMERICA'S FIRST ALL-WATER NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL
Between 1607-1609, Capt. John Smith led an exploration of the Chesapeake Bay and many of its tributary rivers. The amazingly accurate map he published in 1612 guided European settlers for almost a century.
To commemorate Smith's expedition—and in time to mark the 400th anniversary of Smith's journey— President Bush signed legislation on December 19, 2006 establishing the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail as the first all-water National Historic Trail in the United States. The new trail will follow the route of Smith's explorations, 2,300 miles covering Jamestown, Virginia to the Pennsylvania-Maryland border and from Delaware’s Broad Creek to the Potomac River. It will offer tremendous opportunities for conservation, education, recreation, and economic development.
How the Trail Will Be Developed
Trail efforts will be coordinated by Trail Superintendent John Maounis (Director of the National Park Service (NPS) Chesapeake Bay Program Office as well as of NPS Northeast Region Heritage Area Programs), the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network and the Chesapeake Bay Program.
 NPS has started the process of preparing a Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) for the National Historic Trail. The release of the CMP will include a public scoping process to solicit comments and encourage public participation associated with implementation of the trail (see sidebar).
The trail follows the route of Smith’s explorations, from Jamestown, Virginia to the Pennsylvania-Maryland border and from Delaware’s Broad Creek to the Potomac River.
Trail Opportunities
This new National Historic Trail will provide an excellent opportunity for the public to learn about
- the importance of and dangers to the Chesapeake Bay’s rich natural resources,
- the living culture of the Bay's watermen and their communities,
- the significant role the estuary and its communities have played in our nation's history,
- the maritime history of our ports and landings,
- the establishment of early English settlements, and
- the rich heritage of the Chesapeake's native American communities.
It also offers tremendous economic opportunities through heritage tourism, such as: trail outfitting and guide services, motor coach tours, food, lodging, and maritime commerce.
Several Trail partners are already developing vehicles to promote public education, including:
- The official NPS Web site, which will continue to grow as the management plan is implemented.
- Unique interpretive buoys, created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Verizon Wireless. These "guideposts" will be placed along the Trail and will relay historical, seasonal, geographic, and real-time water quality, wave, current, and meteorological data. Boaters and kayakers can access buoy information from cell phones (1-877-BUOYBAY). The data is also available at http://www.buoybay.org/.
- Educational expeditions by canoe and kayak.
- Innovative, Web-based content for all age groups, conveying important lessons ranging from colonial history to modern environmental concerns.
- New maps and books will also be developed to guide modern day explorers along the Trail.
While we work toward returning the Bay to the healthy, abundant estuary it was in Smith's day, establishing the Capt. John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail is something that will allow all of us to celebrate our "wide and goodly Bay." As the Captain said—and we strongly agree—"no place is more convenient for pleasure, profit and man's sustenance" than our Chesapeake Bay. |
