Editor, Gazette-Journal:

On behalf of the Mathews Historical Museum, we thank you Mathews—our citizens, employees, officials, their families and friends—for your support for “Celebrating Mathews Watermen,” at May Faire 2022 on Saturday.

We are fortunate to be living in Mathews County with generations of brave watermen and women as our forebears. We celebrate them. At the podium, our U.S. Coast Guard was recognized by Delegate Keith Hodges, who on behalf of Congressman Rob Wittman, presented a proclamation to Chief Petty Officer Joshua Menges, Officer in Charge of U.S. Coast Guard Station, for service from an appreciative community.

The Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary are an integral part of our Mathews family, and we thank them for their service. The county administrative staff, school officials, VDOT, the sheriff’s department, our community service organizations and the Gazette-Journal were generous with their support, and for that we are most grateful.

Saturday was a splendid opportunity to stop by our vendors, see old friends and visit the new displays at the museum. We are proud to introduce a new exhibit on loan from the Yorktown Watermen’s Museum, “Bay to Belly.” Through the efforts of one MHM Board member, Tom Robinson and his wife Dale, who obtained this display for two months. We are proud to share that 19 classes of over 350 Mathews students and their teachers have already visited this educational exhibit.

Also at the museum this weekend we unveiled the Mariners’ Wall, featuring photographs of our watermen and women who work the water, and have done so throughout the history of our community. We urge you to visit our website to learn more and encourage you to consider sharing photographs to add to our collection. Originals will be returned to you.

Highlights of the day included the model boat show, with models on loan from a cross section of the community. The pound cake contest, Maypole dance, music by the Flat Tones, and the mermaid who greeted everyone at the Information Desk all added to the festivities. A great time was had by all. Thank you, Mathews County.

See you again on May 6, 2023 with a hope for better weather!

May Faire 2022 Co-Chairs
Barbara Bass, Cindy Roman and Sandy Warhol
Mathews, Va.