I wanted to share this letter I received by email from Mary Jo Harris regarding the “Clam House”.Captain Mark EinstienChairman Waterfront – Watermen CommitteeHi Mark,This is Mary Jo from CIRCE over on the fuel dock at Sailing Emporium. I’m not a voter, of course, but my two cents go like this:Whatever change may be deemed necessary, I personally would regret the loss of that slightly run-down looking landmark building, and I would really regret the loss of the work boats that I see every day from across the water. I would miss the headlights of the working watermen coming down to the boats in the wee early hours, and the sound of engines starting up and the slight rocking on the water as the men go to work. This aspect of Rock Hall is certainly not glamorous or “yachty”, but it is a genuine reminder of Rock Hall’s essential connection with its past and with the bounty of the water. And, best of all, it’s not hidden away out of sight. This wonderful reminder of what Rock Hall is about is right there in plain sight, and on valuable shoreline.
Rock Hall is charming and attractive to tourists (which I guess outnumber the working watermen by some huge factor), mainly because of the nature of its working past and because authentic working people, farmers, business folks, and watermen still form the backbone of the community. They are nice to us yachties, of course, but we never lose sight of the fact that the town was there before we got there, and it goes right along without us when we bail out for the cold months.Rock Hall doesn’t act like it’s counting on wealthy outsiders to come buy up all the real estate and take over, like St. Michaels. A town can stand just so many art galleries, gift shops, expensive B&B’s, and realty offices before it begins to look St. Michaelized. Sure, I go to St. Michaels and I expect high priced food served by college-educated waiters and prepared by professionally trained chefs. I expect endless shops with exorbitantly priced curios owned and staffed by newcomers. I expect to spy expensively renovated cottages that sell for a million or more, and I expect to see expensive art and crafts just waiting to be snapped up by well-dressed rich folks down from D.C. But in St. Michaels I definitely do not expect to see real people who have lived their whole lives in the community. I don’t imagine, even for a minute, that any of the houses even resemble the homesteads of the working people who occupied them 60 years ago.I expect luxurious phoniness in St. Michaels, but I brag about Rock Hall because it’s the real thing! The new gentry in Rock Hall doesn’t outnumber the families who have deep roots there - yet. The day that happens, Rock Hall will become just another tourist trap.And here’s the bad thing about tourist traps: the essential qualities that attracted the tourists in the first place are all gone – displaced entirely by phony things that tourists are supposed to like.I like the slightly dilapidated Clam House. I would like it even better if the building could be used for some water-industry related industrial purpose. That not being possible at this time, I would still hope that any ‘improvements” might not alter the exterior beyond recognition.And I particularly like the watermen’s vessels proudly tied up right around the corner from us “yachties”. It reminds us how pathetic most of us are compared to really skillful boatmen who have bay water in their DNA, and it reminds us that there is a lot more to boating on the Chesapeake Bay than air conditioned cabins, enclosed cockpits, and layers of gleaming varnish. The watermen of Rock Hall have endured this long. I surely hope that whatever solution is reached for the clam house, the iconic structure and Rock Hall’s intrepid watermen endure and keep doing their thing right out in the middle of the town harbor, in our faces, for a long, long time to come.Mary Jo HarrisClam House Slideshow Courtesy of Rock Hall Wave
Dear Capt Mark, From Mary Jo At Sailing Emporium
February 17, 2012 By 5 Comments
I don’t know if I know Mary Jo Harris, but I certainly would like to meet her. I just want to say thank you for writing from your heart and feeling the way you do… I completely agree with you… We do count on you folks all summer to keep our businesses thriving… but we also count on our locals to get us through the winter…a nd they always do….. I only wish more people had the understanding of Rock Hall as you do… Thank You…. If you come to the Harbor Shack , please introduce yourself to me…. Thanks again.. Donna Walls
I am happy to say that I do know Mary Jo as I am a fellow “yachty” with her at SE. I believe that everything she wrote in this letter expresses the feelings of a great many of us non-residents and I thank her for taking the time out of her sunny Florida winter to write in!
My husband and I “discovered” Rock Hall 3 years ago and have subsequently purchased land for a “someday” home down on the neck. We absolutely love the spirit of this town. Every weekend, when I see the “Rock Hall” mileage sign just outside of Chestertown, I breath a sigh of relief. Without the watermen and their families, and all they bring to the tiny hamlet, we would not have have even given “the Rock” a second glance. I realize that it’s difficult for the current owners of the Clam House to let sit idle a property upon which they pay taxes and possibly a mortgage. I hope though, like Mary Jo, that something wonderful can be done with the building to not only bring jobs to the people of Rock Hall, but also embody the charm of this beautiful little town.
I have never met Mary Jo Harris, but I sure would love to be able to give her a big “HUG”. She is my kind of person.
I have many good friends that now have their boats and some have homes here that feel the same way.
As former Mayor and 4th generation Rock Haller, from a family where my great grandfather, grandfather and father all raised their families by working the Bay, I am so happy to hear from someone that really knows how we feel about ” Our Rock Hall”. She has hit almost every point, including us not wanting to be like St. Michaels. I like to visit St. Michaels, but would not like to live there.
As far as the clam house, it would be just wonderful if we could get it back to a seafood operation. The local watermen just do not have the funds to start-up a new business, but if some of the others that want to put other things there would work with the right locals, it might happen. We have some good business men in our
Waterman’s Association, they could start there.
Mary Jo your 2 cent’s are worth million’s to the people that are born and bred in Rock Hall. Guess we choose this way of life because it’s in our blood, bones and history. It is nice to know that some people respect our town and really enjoy their time spent there.
Could it be a possibility that the town could enter into a partnership with Washington College to develop the Clam House, with the goal to preserve the heritage of Rock Hall? With it’s many programs, it’s easy to see a Science and Biology department aspect that focuses on water quality, species preservation, and aquaculture. Local waterman could easily become part of the process. The History department could focus on the history of the local waterman and the town itself, marine archaeology, and the pre-colonial past of the area. Business and Marketing could help the town and seafood industry promote itself, maybe with new markets or with seafood that might not find buyers in this country.
Side benefits would include increased tourism in a good way, increased occupancy rates at Rock Hall lodging establishments, and more people at the restaurants.
This could be a Win/Win for the town and College, and sure beats seeing the property turn into another condo.