OYSTER CANS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC SHOWCASES THE HISTORY OF A BYGONE ERA.
Bold, bright colors, fanciful images, clever names and strong graphic design dominate the look of historical oyster cans. This exhibit features a variety of these unconventional art pieces from around the region and country.
Art of the Industry: Oyster Cans of the Mid-Atlantic
Sept. 20 through Feb. 16, 2020 — Welcome Gallery
War Over The Waves
THE WARD MUSEUM PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE OYSTER WARS OF THE CHESAPEAKE
After the Civil War, oyster harvesting exploded in the Chesapeake Bay, with watermen attempting to meet the demand of restaurants in major East Coast cities, such as New York and Philadelphia. Many men from Virginia to New England set their eyes on the Chesapeake and tried to claim a piece of it as their own. But as states put restrictions on harvesting, access to oysters became scarce. In the end, these tenacious mollusks created fortunes for some and were the downfall for others. The exhibit features art and artifacts from — and provides historical perspective on — the time of “the oyster wars” — when watermen, oyster pirates and authorities clashed in an attempt to control the oyster industry and access to the Bay.
War Over The Waves: Oyster Wars of the Chesapeake
Oct. 4 through Jan. 20, 2020 —LaMay Gallery
EXTRA! EXTRA!Frank Leslie’s Illustrated’s front page from January 1888 read: “Maryland—The Oyster War—A State Police Steamer Overhauling a pirate boat on Chesapeake Bay, off Swan Point.”