The Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium is in the middle of several projects that will support heritage tourism in Charles County. The Charles County Office of Tourism is assisting the Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium (SMHAC) to develop the Piscataway Indian Heritage Trail Master Plan. Working with a steering committee comprised of those lending technical support and members of the recognized Piscataway Tribes, SMAHC hired a team of professional planners and are developing the basis of this plan. Charles County has many sites that are of great value to the Piscataway tribe living here today, as well as archaeological evidence of Native occupation from as long as 10,000 years ago. Once completed, the Master Plan will offer a platform for creating authentic visitor experiences across the region.
The land along the Potomac River is certainly a place of many overlapping historic stories. Not only did the Piscataway and colonists use it for sustenance and as a “highway” for transportation, but also it marks the corridor where the new world first attempted to separate church and state. The Religious Freedom National Scenic Byway will present opportunities to interpret this history at a couple of locations as the first phase of telling this important story.
The SMHAC expects to offer Mini-Grants later this summer or early Fall, as it has done every year. Stay tuned for more detailed information which will include application materials for this program. As always, the three Southern Maryland counties and SMHAC help build the heritage tourism resources for both visitors and residents to enjoy!
