Legislation signed by the President on December 19, 2006, established the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail as the first national water trail in the United States . Designated through an amendment to the National Trails System Act, the new trail will trace nearly 3000 miles of historic routes taken by John Smith from 1607-1609 to chart the land and waterways of the Chesapeake Bay . The legislation specifies that the Secretary of the Interior will administer the trail in coordination with the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network and the Chesapeake Bay Program , and in consultation with federal, state, tribal, regional, and local agencies and the private sector.
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John Smith Water Trail with
Gateways sites (1.5
MB .pdf) |
Why the Trail
The trail will provide new opportunities for education, recreation, and heritage tourism on and around the Chesapeake Bay. Ultimately, by providing more opportunities for people to interact with the Chesapeake's diverse histories, cultures, and ecosystems, the trail will help faciliate protection of these resources and generate stronger stewardship of this national treasure. This potential to foster citizen stewardship garnered support for the trail from many partners in Bay restoration efforts, including the Chesapeake Bay Program; private entities, such as The Conservation Fund, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and The National Geographic Society; and the more than 150 sites that make up the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network .
What the Trail Will Include
The route of the new water trail traces John Smith's several voyages on the York and James rivers in 1607 and his two major voyages around the Chesapeake Bay during the summer of 1608, both of which started from Jamestown and headed out the James River into the Bay. It will go north along the Eastern Shore, across the Bay to present-day Baltimore and the Patapsco River and southward along the Western Shore and up the Potomac River to present-day Washington, D.C., before returning to Jamestown . The second leg of the Smith trail travels straight up the Bay to the mouth of the Susquehanna River and present-day Havre de Grace, then returns southward with stops along the Patuxent and Rappahannock rivers.
As the nation's first national water trail, the Captain John Smith Chesapeake NHT will be most fully experienced by watercraft and at water access sites. However, visitors will also be able to view the trail setting and learn the stories from land. Numerous existing land sites along the voyage routes will interpret Smith's explorations, native settlements and cultures, and the environment of the early 17th century.
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John Smith Water Trail with
Gateways sites, marinas and
public access sites (1.9
MB .pdf) |
Many of these sites are part of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network and already offer opportunities to learn about the significance of Smith's Chesapeake voyages. The trail will identify the approximate location of the many native Indian villages that existed in the 17th century and encourage projects that highlight the vibrant native cultures.
Innovative Markers for the John Smith Water Trail
Traditional methods of trail marking don’t work well on water, so a new method
will be used to mark parts of the first national water trail. The Chesapeake
Bay Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is developing
an innovative system of buoys to mark several locations on the Captain John
Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.
These “talking buoys” will serve as interpretive guideposts, linking trail
visitors—whether in a kayak next to the buoy or at home on their computer—with
information via cell phone or internet-accessible devices. Information will
include interpretation of the area’s cultural and natural history as well as
the national historic trail. The Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System
(CBIBS) will also collect and transmit real-time meteorological and
water-quality data via the internet for multiple scientific and educational
uses. Data will be relayed from the buoys and onto the internet using
cutting-edge wireless technology.
Three of the buoys will launch in 2007: off Jamestown in time for the America’s
400th Anniversary celebration; at Point Lookout where the Potomac River meets
the Bay; and where the Patapsco River intersects the Bay at Baltimore. NOAA is
working with educational partners to develop interpretive components and
classroom curricula utilizing the CBIBS technology.
After the official launch of the first buoy at Jamestown on May 12, you can find
real-time observations and historical and cultural information for CBIBS at
www.buoybay.org and by calling 1-877-BUOY-BAY.
Who Is Responsible
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Many opportunities exist
now to get out
on the Bay
including existing water
trails such as the Eastern
Neck Island
Water Trail.
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A year-long feasibility study recommended that the National Park Service have the federal role in administering the trail. Trail planning and development will be a broad community-based effort coordinated by the National Park Service working closely with other federal agencies—in particular the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; with state and local agencies in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia; with businesses; Native American communities; non-governmental organizations, such as The Conservation Fund, National Geographic, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; and with water trail and river steward organizations and other local stakeholders. These many partners will provide the vibrancy of the trail's stewardship, interpretation, and visitor experience.
What Happens Next
The National Park Service has begun the process to develop a comprehensive plan for managing and interpreting the trail. Recognizing that the trail would not have become reality without the efforts of private sector partners, NPS will involve these organizations and many other stakeholders throughout the planning process. Efforts are already under way to identify individuals, businesses, water trail and river steward organizations, Native American communities, and other non-governmental entities which, along with federal, state, and local entities in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, will have interests in planning the trail. A formal advisory council will be named by the Secretary of the Interior to assist in the planning process.
Through a collaborative process involving trail partners, agencies, Gateways, tribes, community organizations, and others, the National Park Service is developing the Interpretive Plan for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (CAJO). The Interpretive Plan will provide a vision for the future of interpretation and education for the trail and define long-term goals for meaningful connections between visitors and Bay resources.
Interpretive Planning
The planning process identifies trail audiences, interpretive themes, and strategies for achieving desired visitor experiences. The plan will be a guiding document with reference information that Gateways and other providers can use to develop visitor experiences along the trail.
A series of nine interpretive planning workshops begins September 7, 2007. The day-long workshops will take place regionally into November. The Interpretive Plan is one part of the Comprehensive Management Plan, which will develop out of additional workshops and public involvement around the Bay.
Interpretive Planning Workshop Schedule:
Friday, September 7: Jamestown, Virginia
Historic Jamestowne
Wednesday, September 26: Baltimore, Maryland
Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park
Thursday, September 27: Havre de Grace, Maryland
Havre de Grace Decoy Museum
Tuesday, October 2: Scotland, Maryland (Postponed: to be rescheduled)
Point Lookout State Park
Wednesday, October 3: Fredericksburg, Virginia (Postponed: to be rescheduled)
George Washington Ferry Farm
Thursday, October 4: Accokeek, Maryland (Postponed: to be rescheduled)
Piscataway Park/National Colonial Farm
Additional workshops will be announced as details become available. For information, call 410-267-9857 or 410-267-5748
Become Involved
For information on activities related to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail and the planning process, and on how to participate, see the official National Park Service website for the trail www.nps.gov/cajo. In addition, these partners in the creation and development of the trail provide trail-related information on their websites:
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