Sid Dixon plans to sail out of historic St. Michael’s with his boat piled high with watermelons. He’ll point the bow north into the calm shallows of the Miles River, pray for a stiff breeze, and hope it will push him up the Chesapeake and into Fells Point. Dixon, a colorful Eastern Shore entrepreneur and self-proclaimed Renaissance man, is eager to set sail for the port of Baltimore in the latest hand-crafted boat to emerge from his well-worn work shed. It’s a Bugeye, the Chesapeake Bay’s water-borne workhorse that plied this region’s waters for more than a century. As the precursor to the Skipjack, Maryland Public Television followed the story of Dixon and his Bugeye, visiting his St. Michael’s boatworks shed regularly to capture the tradition of hand-built boatmaking first-hand. The finished product is Bugeye: A Chesapeake Legacy, a fun-loving look at Dixon’s labor of love from keel-laying to launch to time under sail on the open Chesapeake Bay.
A century of modern highways. In honor of the Maryland State Roads Commission/State Highway Administration centennial (1908-2008), MPT partnered with SHA to produce Maryland Highway Centennial, a documentary on 100 years of modern roads in the state, to air late this fall. Progressing from simple mud roads in 1908 to the 17,000 lane miles of paved roads and 2,400 bridges of today, this is a major celebration of a milestone in transportation history. 87:44
A sentimental look at the history of an iconic Maryland fishing vessel, the Skipjack, through the eyes of Deal Island locals who have sailed these "Mack Trucks of the Chesapeake" for decades in search of the once-ubiquitous Maryland oyster.
Our Town Hagerstown is the second installment in MPT’s Our Town series, a collection of films showcasing selected communities across Maryland. Unlike many historical documentaries, the Our Town series explores Maryland through the eyes – and camera lenses -- of the residents of the featured towns and cities.
Anthem tells the story behind Francis Scott Key's creation of "The Star-Spangled Banner" and explores the role of music and patriotism during The War of 1812. The audience will learn about the songs and events that influenced Key to write what would become the national anthem of the United States.
This MPT documentary explores the long-term environmental effects posed by hydraulic fracturing (fracking)as a means of extracting natural gas within the Marcellus Shale Deposit in New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. Are the profits to be made worth the risks? (35:00)
The Heart of the Civil War tells stories from some of the most fought-over U.S. territory during the War Between the States. During the war, Confederate and Union forces clashed again and again for control of strategic points throughout three counties in west-central Maryland – Washington, Frederick, and Carroll Counties – as the war marched north-to-south from the confederacy to the union, and back again. The American Civil War, its causes, and the aftermath have shaped our country's cultural landscape in countless ways. The significance of the Civil War in north-central Maryland is indisputable; this region is where major battles took place, important decisions were made, and notable personalities made their presence known. The Heart of the Civil War area, adjacent to the Mason-Dixon Line, was generally viewed as the dividing line between North and South. Slavery could be found throughout this region, but took on a new meaning after Pennsylvania abolished the institution in 1781. The western part of the Mason-Dixon Line and the Ohio River became a border between free and slave states, although Delaware remained a slave state. By the 1850's, the Mason-Dixon Line symbolically became the cultural boundary between the Northern United States and the Southern United States. The Heart of the Civil War recounts the war's far-reaching impact on the lives of ordinary but battle-weary Marylanders caught up in now-famous local battles, the conflicted struggles of believers in the confederate cause living on Union soil, and the turbulent, unpredictable politics of war that ultimately helped to preserve the Union. At the film's end, a brief travelogue takes viewers on a tour of The Heart of the Civil War area, highlighting places of interest to see and discover as visitors tour the region.
The lure of waterfront living still remains irresistible to many, with some enjoying a home of their dreams on the Chesapeake Bay year 'round. Distinctive Homes of the Chesapeake opens the door to Maryland's unique, historic and magnificent homes surrounding the Chesapeake Bay for intimate tours. Explore a colonial-era manor hand-crafted in the 1700s, an unusual houseboat with different waterfront views each day, and modern architectural marvels that blend the best of Bay living with gorgeous settings. OCEAN HALL – From historical records and tree-ring dating - Ocean Hall in St. Mary's County is Maryland's oldest brick home, and Dr. James Boyd and his wife Jennifer have painstakingly restored it to its 1703 glory. LOBLOLLY HOUSE – Steve Kieran is an architect whose passion for environmental responsibility and green design resulted in his remarkable home nestled among the Loblolly pines on the water in Dorchester County, which you have to see to believe. ASHBY – This former bed and breakfast on a tranquil Miles River setting has rooms named after family members laid to rest in the back yard cemetery – and was also the site of a Hollywood murder. WHITEHALL – In 1760, Maryland's then-Provincial Governor Horatio Sharpe decided to build his colonial dream home on Chesapeake Bay, and he did -- including a front lawn with nearly 2 miles of private coastline. SCIENTISTS' CLIFFS - Once an exclusive retreat for scientists and educators in the 1940s, some of the cabins on Calvert County's famed cliffs are either frozen in time or have evolved into full time residences - depending on which road you take. BALTIMORE LIGHT – Few homes can claim a 360-degree unobstructed view of the Chesapeake, but this unique structure near the Bay Bridge is the only weekend getaway that's been an operating lighthouse for over 100 years. THE FRIARY ON THE SEVERN - This Georgian style mansion was once used as a Catholic Friary complete with a chapel and dormitory. It was renova
Kiplin Hall: Birthplace of Maryland looks at the 400 year old estate of Lord Baltimore in Northern England, its history involving the founding of Maryland, and how some college kids helped with its preservation.
Join Cumberland native William H. Macy for a tour of his hometown nestled in the mountains of Western Maryland, through interviews and video from the people living there. Includes over 40 minutes of BONUS MATERIAL not seen in broadcast featuring an extended interview with William H. Macy.
Get ready for an exciting and educational experience to share with your younger viewers! The students of South Town Middle School are ready for the coolest class field trip of the year to the National Aquarium. But this time there's a catch – Science Teacher Mr. Hedgeman has turned it into a Treasure Hunt! What amazing things can they find and learn before time is up? Classmates Dewey and Trevor love a challenge, but will they figure out their clues and stay ahead of the other students – especially Sloane - to win the grand prize? Join Dewey and Trevor on a wild exploration of the National Aquarium, home to thousands of species of marine life! In this fast paced adventure, meet the experts all throughout this aquatic world located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Find out what marine life is in the Chesapeake Bay, go "down under" to visit the crocodiles of Australia, discover the frogs of an indoor rainforest, and submerge yourself into the Atlantic and Pacific oceans for an up close look at the astounding array of deep sea life from sharks to rays to dolphins! In the end, Dewey and Trevor will explore the entire aquarium, but can they be the first team to have all the answers before it's too late? Find out in the exciting adventure of The Great Aquarium Treasure Hunt!
F.S.Key and the Song that Built America is a one-hour documentary to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Francis Scott Key's writing of the Star-Spangled Banner following the Battle of Baltimore in September 1814. This one hour documentary is a portrait of a well-recognized, yet somewhat obscure individual who became famous through a single defining moment of his life - the writing of our national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. Francis Scott Key was a lawyer who practiced before the U.S. Supreme Court. His cases and interests were instrumental in the development of America and particularly in the issues of slavery however, he treated his penchant for poetic and artistic endeavors as folly. Key and others vehemently opposed the War of 1812 up to a few months before the British attack and burning of Washington, DC. Key enlisted in the militia to help protect his family and country and also participated in the ill-fated defense of Washington, DC. Key offered his services to negotiate the release of his cousin by marriage, Dr. William Beans, who was captured by the invading British. Key successfully convinced the British to release Dr. Beans, but they were to be held until the British completed their military campaign. Witnessing the twelve-hour bombardment of Baltimore city in September 1814 inspired Key to write his song. The Star Spangled Banner become our national anthem in 1931.
Our favorite bivalve is so commonly misunderstood, and the folks involved in harvesting them are so often misrepresented. A gorgeous new film takes a look at the history and future of the oyster industry on the Bay from the eyes of the people working it. Good stuff, and absolutely worth your time.
Experts call it modern day slavery, a growing problem in MD & around the nation, human trafficking.
Our Town Rockville, the fourth installment in MPT's Our Town series, follows on the heels of those created with the residents of Chestertown, Hagerstown and Cumberland. Find out what makes Rockville, Maryland a special place in which to live and work through original footage and commentary from area residents.
A historical retrospective that explores the impact of the building of Maryland's Conowingo Dam that began construction in 1926 on the lower Susquehanna River. The medium-height, masonry gravity dam opened in 1928 and is second in size only to the massive hydroelectric works at Niagara Falls, New York. When it was opened, the Conowingo was celebrated worldwide as a miraculous engineering feat. Now, the dam's unique story and place in history is relived in a one-hour documentary that recalls the drama and controversy that has swirled around the structure since its opening. From the drowning of an historic village and rich valley farmland… to stories focusing on town life downriver... and to the fate of Chesapeake Bay and its marine life, the Conowingo Dam's story is rich in history and irony – a tale that has waited nearly 90 years to be told.
Is the Chesapeake Bay really getting better? Despite decades of attention and billions of dollars spent, why does the health of North America’s largest and most important estuary continue to suffer? Experts on the Chesapeake Bay come together in this one-hour public forum, moderated by Frank Sesno, to discuss how obstacles to Bay restoration can be overcome & how to make clean-up more effective.
In a provocative forum moderated by Frank Sesno, The Chesapeake Bay Summit 2017 explores how far Chesapeake Bay cleanup has progressed since ground-breaking regulations were introduced in 2009. A panel of world-renowned Bay experts discuss what work must still be done to meet federal clean water goals set for 2025 as well as the potential impacts posed by federal budget cuts.
"Columbia's Promise" is a historical documentary that examines how this planned city was inspired a genius known as James Rouse and his team. It was an 'open city' that permitted racial integration during a segregated period in U.S. history.