After being canceled for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mathews Historical Museum is planning its annual May Faire celebration for 2022 on May 7 with the theme of “Celebrating Mathews Watermen.”
John Caramia, president of the museum’s board of directors, said that the goal of May Faire is not only to raise funds for the museum, but also to highlight historic events and celebrate people in the community. The first May Faire, held in 2017, commemorated the end of the 17th century when Mathews first became a county. The next May Faire in 2018 focused on Mathews County in the 1950s and ’60s. The last May Faire honored local veterans, beginning with the War of 1812 and ending with the War in Afghanistan. The museum honored almost 900 veterans on its “Wall of Remembrance” in 2019.
In 2022, the Mathews Historical Museum is going to honor the local watermen at May Faire. The museum has already started on the exhibit with a special feature on Capt. Robert Roland Hudgins of Mathews who was a commercial fisherman, captain of a menhaden steamer.
Also included in the exhibit is information and photos on the Chesapeake Bay, New Point Comfort Lighthouse and menhaden boats and fishing practices.
Caramia said that menhaden fishing began with the Native Americans and continued into the 19th century in New England as an alternative to whaling. Menhaden could be used to make soap, paints and lubricants, instead of whales.
During May Faire, there will be activities related to the water, the annual Maypole dance, and possibly a lecture at the Historic Courthouse on the Court Green from local watermen. More about the festival will be announced at a later date.
Seeking photographs
Just like the “Wall of Remembrance” in 2019, the museum wishes to honor local watermen in a similar fashion.
The museum is currently seeking photographs and information about county residents, past and present, who have been commercial fishermen. These photos will be on display in the museum as part of the May Faire program as well as be compiled into an electronic database for use in the museum when renovations are complete.
The types of information that the museum is seeking include the names of watermen, biographical information, types of commercial fishing practiced, when they fished, boats served on, companies worked for, unusual experiences or stories, any newspaper and/or magazine articles written about them, pictures, and the source of all this information, as well as contact information by the person submitting the information.
Photographs and materials may be submitted in an envelope with return instructions clearly labeled and dropped off at the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center or may be mailed to MHM, P.O. Box 634, Mathews, Va. 23109. Materials can also be submitted electronically to mathewsvamuseum@gmail.com.
The deadline for submitting photos and information to be included in the display is April 7 of next year. Any photos or materials received after that date will be included in the museum’s database but will not be included in the museum display during May Faire.