NEWS FROM FOUR RIVERS
October 19, 2021
The Great Annapolis Pumpkins Have Arrived!
If pumpkins weighing more than 1,000 pounds sound like the perfect backdrop for fall shots with your family, friends, and pets, head to Annapolis this month to experience the city’s Great Annapolis Pumpkins!
 
Visitors strolling through downtown Annapolis and the Annapolis Arts District will find gigantic pumpkins at four locations: in front of Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County’s 26 West Street Visitors Center; the Graduate Hotel at 126 West Street; on the front lawn of St. Anne’s Church on Church Circle; and next to Market House at City Dock.

To provide fun exposure for the many Great Annapolis Pumpkin selfies that will be generated, the Downtown Annapolis Partnership is hosting a photo contest through October 31. Individuals who take a picture or shoot a video of themselves with any of the giant pumpkins and post it on social media along with the hashtag, #GreatAnnapolisPumpkins, will be entered for a chance to win gift cards to favorite Annapolis-area restaurants, shops, attractions, and accommodations via random drawings throughout the month
Founding Freedoms Walking Tour
Starting this week! Check the Historic Annapolis events webpage for additional and future dates.

Saturday, October 23
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
William Paca House and Garden
186 Prince George Street, Annapolis

Take advantage of the special opportunity to combine a tour of the home of a signer of the Declaration of Independence with a viewing of special printings of the very document he signed! Your experience begins with a 45-minute tour of the William Paca House and Garden. As you walk through the restored home and elegant garden of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, your guide will share information of Paca’s contributions to the revolutionary cause and share the stories of all the people who lived and labored here. 

Your tour continues with a short stroll to the Maryland State House as your guide points out highlights of Annapolis history and architecture. At the Maryland State House, your guide will lead your visit to the Founding Freedoms: The Essential American Documents exhibition which tells the story of the formation of the United States from the patriotic ideals fought for in the Revolutionary War to the democratic principles of the Founding Generation in their creation of our government.

Cost to participate is $20 General Admission; $10 for Children (3-17); $10 for HA Members. Register for a Founding Freedoms Walking Tour.
Tonight! Wil Talk with Artist Christine Zmuda
Tuesday, October 19
5:00 pm
Organization: Maryland Federation of Art

Join art historian, Dr. Wil Scott as he sits down with abstract painter Christine Zmuda. Christine is a passionate painter who uses her craft to explore the intersection of art and music. On top of her art, Christine is also a technology executive at Microsoft. Her fast pace, diverse life adds to the strong emotions of her art.

Tonight! From Global Change to Local Action with Katharine Hayhoe
Tuesday, October 19
7:00-8:30 pm
Organization: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Climate change isn’t just a problem for polar bears or future generations anymore – it’s affecting us here and now. In today’s politically charged environment, are we still able to act on climate? SERC’s series finale lecture, join Katharine Hayhoe as she untangles the complex science connecting our choices to future impacts and highlights actions underway right now to combat this critical issue. This webinar is free to attend.

“All My Coat of Arms China”: Armorial Ceramics in the Chesapeake
Wednesday, October 20
2:00-3:30 pm
Organization: Hammond-Harwood House

Join an online presentation by Ron Fuchs, Senior Curator of Ceramics, Washington & Lee University. Coats of arms, cyphers, monograms, and other insignia have long been used on ceramics to show ownership, status, identity, and pride. From the very beginning of permanent English settlement in 1607, armorial items were present on the tables of wealthy families of the Chesapeake.
This talk will provide an overview of the history of coats of arms, a quick primer on how to decipher a coat of arms, and a survey of armorial ceramics in the seventeenth and eighteenth century Chesapeake region. This event is free to attend. The Zoom link will be sent out upon registration.

A View from the Shore: Winslow Homer’s Impressions of the Coast
Exclusively in the online gallery at the Mitchell Gallery until December 17, 2021!

October 20, 12:15–12:45 p.m. join an Art Express Lunchtime tour with Art Educator Lucinda Edinberg.

Winslow Homer (1836–1910) is regarded by many as the preeminent American painter of the 19th century, well known for his dynamic renditions of scenes from the coast. His rise to prominence was greatly due to his work as an illustrator for the then-booming pictorial press—an outlet that brought Homer’s imagery into hundreds of thousands of homes on a nearly weekly basis. During his tenure with such publications as Ballou’s Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion, Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, and Harper’s Weekly, Homer created more than 200 illustrations. His career as an illustrator began in 1857 and ended in 1875, at which point he dedicated himself solely to painting. Homer’s images were admired early for their engaging style and dynamic composition.

The prints on display are selected from the original newspaper editions. The pictorial press enlisted an army of artists, engravers, platemakers, and printers to publish these works. While it is the draftsmen we focus on, the unnamed craftsmen who engraved and printed these images deserve recognition for bringing these mass-produced publications into the homes of 19th-century families.
Historic Hauntings Ghost Tours Continue
Thursday, October 21, Friday, October 22, & Saturday, October 23
Meet at the Market House Park, 25 Market Space

On this walking tour, you will be led by a spirited guide through the dark alleys, spooky side streets, and lesser-known haunted sites of the old and creaky town of Annapolis. Hear of real diary entries and newspaper articles of what frightened early 18th century folks and how they utilized the moon and candles. Listen to tales of spirits that linger in the mist, and explore one of Annapolis’ best-known cemeteries. Special Historic Hauntings takes you back to a time of superstition and legend. And who knows, after a trip inside Hogshead, your own story may be added to the history of Annapolis.

Cost to participate is Adults, $25; Children (11 and under), $14. Historic Hauntings is presented in partnership between Historic Annapolis and Watermark.

Online Symposium on Researching African Americans in Newspapers
The University of Maryland Libraries invites you to attend an online symposium on Researching African Americans in Newspapers on Thursday, October 21, 2021, from 2-4:30pm EST.

All are welcome to attend. Please register at: https://go.umd.edu/Tbw

Guest speakers will include:
Maya Davis, Director of the Riversdale House Museum in PG County
Tim Pinnick, Independent Scholar, Lecturer, Author, and Entrepreneur

This program is sponsored by The Endowment for the Humanities as part of
the Historic Maryland Newspapers Project.
Coming Soon! Pumpkin Walk Reimagined at Hammond-Harwood House
Thursday, October 28 and Friday, October 29
3:30 - 5:00 p.m
Hammond-Harwood House
19 Maryland Ave, Annapolis

Are you looking for something fun and different to do with the whole family this Halloween season? Families are invited to make some memories at the historic Hammond-Harwood House Museum at their annual Pumpkin Walk, which has been a staple in Annapolis for over twenty years!

Families will begin by enjoying a superstitions tour of the mansion to learn about curious customs of the 18th century. The fun will continue with a parade and end with activity stations in our fenced-in garden: witch storytelling, pumpkin toss, and a take-home craft. Costumes encouraged!

Limited capacity (20 children) to ensure covid safety. Masks required for indoor activities. $10 Per child. $5 Members. Buy your tickets to Pumpkin Walk Reimagined.
Last Chance to Register for Free Oct. 20th "Regional Conservation Partnerships" Webinar
Wednesday, October 20
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Organization: Forever Maryland

With David Lillard, Catoctin Land Trust and Greg Bowen, American Chestnut Land Trust.

Greg Bowen has served as Executive Director of the American Chestnut Land Trust for six years. For the 32 years prior, he worked for the Calvert County Planning and Zoning Dept. where he oversaw the county land preservation program, which featured the first transferable development rights program in Maryland, along with two county PDR programs and three state easement programs.

David Lillard is Executive Director of Catoctin Land Trust, and has done an excellent job of coordinating the Heart of Maryland Conservation Alliance since early 2020.

Announcing the Aesthetic Perspective Salon Series
Join the Maryland State Arts Council in a virtual journey to Maryland’s six regions as they continue the Fall Regional Arts Summit over the course of 6 weeks! The Aesthetic Perspectives framework enhances understanding and evaluation of creative work at the intersection of arts and civic engagement, community development, and justice.

Schedule:

Wednesday, October 20, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 3, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 10, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Monday, November 15, 2021 from 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Monday, November 22, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday, December 7, 2021 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Join Our Team!
Four Rivers is looking for a dynamic self-starter to join our team! Excellent potential for advancement.


Four Rivers Heritage Area (one of Maryland’s thirteen certified heritage areas), a nonprofit organization with its office in Annapolis, seeks a part-time Heritage Programs Coordinator. Excellent interpersonal, writing, and communications skills are essential. Grants, tourism, museum, nonprofit management, and preservation experience helpful. The Heritage Programs Coordinator works under the supervision of the Executive Director. This is a part-time position with flexibility in schedule and numerous networking and educational opportunities.
Four Rivers Heritage Area | 410-222-1805 | heritage_area@aacounty.org | fourriversheritage.org