This Friday, May 30th, The Crisfield Heritage Museum Foundation (CHF) honors the Ward Brothers and welcomes visitors to revisit a time in history when the American art form of wooden decoy carving was in its infancy. CHF will be celebrating the legacy of Lem and Steve Ward, considered the fathers of decorative decoy carving. The highlight of the event will be the premier of a fifteen-minute film, which tells the story of the Ward Brothers. This film was a joint project between CHF and The Ward Museum.
In addition to the opening of the Museum and premier of the Ward Brothers film from 5-7pm, another CHF property, the original Ward Brothers Workshop on Sackertown Road will be open for tours. Through the diligent efforts of many lower eastern shore decoy carvers, the Ward Workshop has been painstakingly restored and subsequently turned over to The Crisfield Heritage Foundation. The workshop will be open to visitors May 30th, from 3pm -5pm where Rich Smoker, a world-renowned wildlife carver, will be your host.
This is an event open and free to the public.
If you need additional information please contact Chris Tyler or Tim Howard at The Crisfield Heritage Foundation 3 Ninth Street Crisfield, Maryland 410-968-2501
Detailed article below & attached photos.
CRISFIELD, MD: The Crisfield Heritage Foundation Honors the Ward Brothers- the fathers of decorative decoy carving.
Crisfield, Maryland, the southernmost corner of Somerset County is known for many things. The pristine views of Tangier Sound, a history that dates back to the 1600’s, great crabbing, fishing and beautiful sunsets, to name a few. For those who may not know, this historic working waterman’s community is also home to the wonderful Crisfield Heritage Foundation (CHF). CHF has an illustrious heritage of preserving the history of this southernmost community and its surrounds.
If you need additional information please contact Chris Tyler or Tim Howard at The Crisfield Heritage Foundation 3 Ninth Street Crisfield, Maryland 410-968-2501
Detailed article below & attached photos.
CRISFIELD, MD: The Crisfield Heritage Foundation Honors the Ward Brothers- the fathers of decorative decoy carving.
Crisfield, Maryland, the southernmost corner of Somerset County is known for many things. The pristine views of Tangier Sound, a history that dates back to the 1600’s, great crabbing, fishing and beautiful sunsets, to name a few. For those who may not know, this historic working waterman’s community is also home to the wonderful Crisfield Heritage Foundation (CHF). CHF has an illustrious heritage of preserving the history of this southernmost community and its surrounds.
CHF in turn, along with The Ward Museum of Waterfowl Art in Salisbury Maryland, are the curators of the legacy of Lem and Steve Ward, the original “Counterfeiters in Wildfowl Art”. You see what Lem and Steve were able to “reproduce” was something that looked just like the ducks that landed on the marshes outside their windows… but were actually only wood!
Well why the big hoopla? Crisfield is the birthplace of Lem and Steve Ward. The brothers were lifelong residents of the solitary marshes that border the area. Born into a life where you made your living from the land and the waters around them, both brothers were trained as barbers by their father to help supplement the family income. However around 1918 they started carving decoys for the duck hunters that frequented the bay area. You see hard times just got a little more difficult that year; Lem and Steve lost their father to a boating accident. Now it was essential they work a little harder to put food on the table. Though the brothers knew the way of the marsh and how to survive in it, they were more taken to dreaming than taking the hunting of waterfowl seriously for anything more than providing food for their table. They were born artists and from this inborn gift has come a major American art form.
On May 30th, The Crisfield Heritage Museum Foundation honors the Ward Brothers and welcomes visitors to revisit a time in history when the American art form of wooden decoy carving was in its infancy. CHF will be celebrating the legacy of Lem and Steve Ward, considered the fathers of decorative decoy carving. The highlight of the event will be the premier of a fifteen-minute film, which tells the story of the Ward Brothers. This film was a joint project between CHF and The Ward Museum.The film and exhibit are co-produced by the Crisfield Heritage Foundation and the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, supported by grants from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore and Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council and the generosity of an anonymous supporter.
In addition to the opening of the Museum and premier of the Ward Brothers film from 5-7pm, another CHF property, the original Ward Brothers Workshop on Sackertown Road will be open for tours.
Through the diligent efforts of many lower eastern shore decoy carvers, the Ward Workshop has been painstakingly restored and subsequently turned over to The Crisfield Heritage Foundation. The workshop will be open to visitors May 30th, from 3pm -5pm where Rich Smoker, a world-renowned wildlife carver, will be your host.
This is an event open and free to the public.
This is an event open and free to the public.
If you need additional information please contact Tim Howard at The Crisfield Heritage Foundation 3 Ninth Street Crisfield, Maryland 410-968-2501
Quote: CRISFIELD, MD: The Crisfield Heritage Foundation Honors the Ward Brothers- the fathers of decorative decoy carving.
ReplyDeleteComment: The first Ward decorative decoy ever carved by Lem is pictured in Ida Linton, Lem's daughter's, heart warming book on their combined lives. She comments that Steve had it sitting on the kitchen table that morning and wanted her to try to convince her father to paint it. I think I remember that she quoted Steve as saying that her father Lem, didn't believe there was any market for decorative decoys. It was a mallard jewelry box where the hinged back flips up to open. Anyway, Lem painted it and the rest is history. The Ward brothers intended to carve and paint a limited amount of 25 of these jewelry boxes but due to health problems and death only a few were completed. I just talked to Mr. Howard on the phone and he said that several of these jewelry boxes will be on display tomorrow in the Ward brothers workshop before the film. After they completed that first decorative decoy, it was gifted to Jack Loreman a high ranking Lion's Club member who promoted the Ward brothers endlessly. That decoy sits in my living room! Think I'll go.
Correction should read: The first Ward decorative decoy ever carved by "Steve" (not Lem) The book that I spoke of regarding my pictured unpainted decoy is titled: "The Story of Lem Ward" as told by Ida Ward Linton. Any person that loves the eastern shore and the people who've been raised here, will definately be touched by Ida's humble, loving presentation of their lives. She also talks about Howard Schroder and all the kind, unselfish things that he did for Lem and for Ida (Steve had passed at that point in time). Wonderful book, even more wonderful people. And I agree with 3:59pm, In my opinion the Ward Brothers museum should be in the city of Crisfield, not Salisbury.
Deletethanks for sharing. love learning about our history...
ReplyDeletePolicians screwed Crisfield and Somerset County outta the Ward Museum . Placed it in Wicomico County. Locals were really screwed. The only thing left are the Homestead and their work shop.
ReplyDelete11:00-My father had one of the jewelry boxes.He knew the Ward brothers.I hadn't thought of it for years until reading your comment.
ReplyDeleteI have several 8mm films of the Ward brothers working in their shop and signing a copy of their book for a fan and his son. I think it was shot in the late 60's. What a treasure to see those two working and welcoming visitors.
ReplyDeleteJack Schroeder, 5:53, not Howard. Tim Howard is curator of the Tawes Museum.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the Ward homneplace was demolished last year. So much for preserving history.
Thank you 7:57pm, for the correction. You're right of course. It's been a long time since I read Ida's book, can't find my copy (too many books). I'll read it again just as soon as I do.
DeleteWe have a Mallard Drake Ward Bros. jewelry box dated 1971 signed by Lem & Steve that says 1 of 24. Would this be one that 11:00am is speaking of? If so, I didn't realize it was one of the first decorative decoys the Ward Bros. painted!
ReplyDelete