The Skipjack Heritage Museum is nestled in Chance, MD just before the bridge to Deal Island. While it’s off the beaten path, it’s well worth the drive with its rich history of the greater Deal Island area which includes little towns like Oriole, Chance, and Dames Quarter. 
“This museum was established in 2007 to demonstrate and preserve the waterman’s way of life,” said Bob Shores, Treasurer of the Skipjack Heritage Museum board. “From 1800’s until modern day, it tells the story of how people made a living off crabs, oysters, and fishing. Everything that makes the Eastern Shore what it is today.” 
On display are many artifacts donated by locals over the years. “We have been blessed with many good gifts,” said Shores. Their largest donation to date seems to be one of their newest editions, a skipjack named the “City of Crisfield” in need of restoration.  
This skipjack was donated to the museum by Bob Daniels, the only remaining son of Capt. Art Daniels who was a well-known Captain in the Chesapeake Bay area. This is their very first restoration project at the museum and they are excited to complete this project. 
“They don’t build skipjacks anymore, and most of these boats were built back in the late 1800s, early 1900s. This particular boat was made in 1949 which is fairly young. With only 25 or so remaining in the world, the skipjack is a precious piece of history that we must save,” Shores said. Shores also mentioned that only 10-12 are still used to dredge oysters. The others are either in museums or privately owned for personal use.   Skipjacks, originally known as bateaus, were almost exclusively built on the Delmarva peninsula. These boats typically were 40-60 feet long with a single mast, a main sail and a jib (a small sail attached to the front) and had a captain with a four-to-five-person crew. The skipjack is the last sail powered vessel used commercially to harvest oysters in the United States, which makes saving this boat vital.
The “City of Crisfield” restoration project began over a year ago with hopes it will be completed by September 2022. “We would love for it to be mostly complete by Labor Day weekend which is when the Annual Skipjack race is held,” said Shores. “Once it’s complete, we would either like to get Coast Guard approval and give tours of the Tangier Sound and Island or allow it to be used commercially to dredge oysters so that we can maintain the boat and the costs it will incur.” 
While the costs to maintain it are being worked out, funds are needed to complete the restoration process. The Board of Directors for the museum were happy about the possibility of receiving a grant from the Choptank Electric Trust.  “The restoration of an historical artifact as rare as a skipjack is the type of worthy cause we want to support,” said Debbie Barnes, representative for Somerset County and the Vice Chairman on the Choptank Electric Trust Board. “The Trust is centered around supporting the local life here on the Eastern Shore. Helping to save part of the past so that the future generations can understand it and enjoy it seems like a win-win for the community.”
“We are so thankful for the Trust and their support of our project,” said Shores. “Without their funds, we would never be able to finish this project on time. While it doesn’t cover all of the costs, it’s a huge benefit to have their support to help pay for materials the boat needs.” 

Shores spoke of the educational aspects of the museum. “We are planning to add educational tours for elementary school kids and educate them on the history of the area, artifacts, and boats. We don’t want the kids to forget the history of this area.”
Admission to the Skipjack Heritage Museum is free, but they do allow for donations to be made during the visit. If members want to learn more about the Skipjack Heritage Museum you can visit their website at www.skipjackheritage.com. If members would like to donate to their historical conservation, they can send donations to Skipjack Heritage, Inc., 23529 Deal Island Road, Chance, MD  21821.  
To learn more about the Choptank Electric Trust and how you can apply for your community efforts, visit the website at www.choptankelectric.coop under Member Benefits, Operation Round Up.