Fall 2008 - Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

22
Mystery solved. It’s Kent Narrows.
See the new Mystery Photo on the back of WaterWays and submit your answer by e-mail to editor@cbmm.org.
The photograph of Kent Narrows was taken by Arthur A. Moorshead aboard the pungy yacht Kessie C. Price,
and it is part of the museum’s Frank A. Moorshead, Jr. collection of photographs.
The spring 2008 mystery photo was trickier than
some in the past. Only two members, Fred Hecklinger
and John Ferman, correctly identified the location
as Kent Narrows. Mr. Hecklinger’s response
deserves to be quoted in full:
1. “I believe that we are looking south through Kent
Island Narrows very likely during the 1930s. It is
before noon.
“The M. D. & V. Railway [swing] Bridge can
be seen in an open position. This railway used
to run from the steamboat wharf at Love Point
across the Shore to Lewes and Rehoboth, De. The
open bascule bridge is for the highway that ran
east from the ferry boat wharf at Matapeake. The
photo was taken from a schooner that is bound
north through the Narrows.
Of the three vessels seen, two are large bugeyes
and the third is a motorized sailing vessel, either a
bugeye or a schooner. All have recently been active
at carrying a heavy cargo to Baltimore, very likely
grain. You can see the scum line at the load waterline
left by the dirty Baltimore Harbor waters.”
2. George Steele additionally pointed out the skiff tied
outboard of the bugeyes, a double-ended skiff of
the type used to trotline for crabs in the summer.
3. John Ferman and Bob Lewis agreed on a date in
the 1930s, pointing to the car. In fact, the photographer
dated the negative 1939.
As it turns out, the two sailing vessels are the Little
Jennie and the Vaughn, both large bugeyes. The
name on the motor vessel is just a little too grainy to
make out, even from the original negative.