Leonardtown, MD – The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County, along with the Museum Division of the Department of Recreation and Parks, will host the annual Maryland Day program at the St. Clement’s Island Museum. This year’s event takes place Monday, March 26 beginning at 2 p.m. The one-hour commemorative program honors the first brave settlers who founded the Maryland colony at St. Clement’s Island on March 25, 1634.  The event is free and open to the public.

Monsignor Edward Coyle will serve as the keynote speaker. He represents one of the early parishes in Pennsylvania founded by the Maryland Jesuits who came through St. Clement’s Island. St. Mary’s County Commissioners will also offer remarks at the ceremony and the St. Clement’s Island historical marker will be the site of a wreath-laying ceremony to wrap up the program.

Visitors attending the event will enjoy free admission to the museum, as well as free water taxi rides to the Island (weather permitting). Special exhibits by The Piscataway/Conoy Tribe, Newtown Manor and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will be available as well as children’s activities and the opening of our photographic exhibit “On the River.”  The site also hosts a 19th century one-room schoolhouse and an exterior dory boat exhibit. 

Maryland Day marks the beginning of the summer season at the St. Clement’s Island Museum, the Piney Point Lighthouse, Museum & Historic Park in Piney Point and the Drayden African-American Schoolhouse. Both museums will be open seven days a week, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. through September and the Drayden Schoolhouse will be open the first Saturday of every month from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

The St. Clement’s Island Museum is managed by the Museum Division of the St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation and Parks. It is located at 38370 Point Breeze Road in Colton’s Point at the end of route 242 south. The museum and grounds are handicap accessible.

For more information call the museum at 301-769-2222. You can also visit us on Facebook or log on to www.stmarysmd.com/recreate/museums.