04/22/2026
We might have found a site!
Over the past four years we have been creating a 6’ x 32’ mural of the Kent Narrows Shantytowns with local residents.
Over 400 of our neighbors have worked on this project - many of them painting imagery of their childhood as they told stories about visiting family in the shantytowns, climbing oyster shell piles (and getting chased off) or teaching kids there in the 1960’s. Many of our artists (or family members) worked in one of the 18 or so packing houses which once lined the waterway. Their life stories made the creative process work.
This mural was painted at Crossroads Community & Corsica River Mental Health, Whitsitt Center Chestertown MD, Radcliffe Creek School, Henry Highland Garnet Elementary, Church Hill Elementary, Chestertown Farmers' Market and the Centreville Farmers' Market.
The project was sponsored by the Hedgelawn Foundation, and Queen Anne's County Centre for the Arts.
At this point we are working on finding a site along the Narrows to install the painting. The original site is apparently no longer available.
The hope is to find a spot in the heart of what was once a vibrant community of over 200 dwellings and 1000 inhabitants to display this community created work of art focused on a forgotten piece of our local history.
