Trapping: Delmarva’s Oldest Tradition Subject of Upcoming Event

The first program in Westside Historical Society’s Saving Our Traditions series will explore the Eastern Shore’s oldest tradition since settlement began – trapping our marshes.

On March 8, at 2:00 on Sunday afternoon, expert trapper Morgan Bennett will talk about this bit of the area’s cultural history. Trapping was the business of this area’s very first European settlers, who made deals with the Native Americans living here to buy all the pelts they could harvest from the marshes and creeks. Those pelts became the area’s first “cash crop,” but trapping has continued to be a source of income, recreation, food, and appreciation of our very special environment for the 350+ years since those first settlers arrived.

Morgan Bennett is not only an expert trapper, but a passionate advocate of preserving our marshes and wetlands, and of the wildlife that lives there. He is well known to local preservationists and has appeared at many local events. He will bring a collection of a variety of fur pelts, traps and other objects and share his insights and experience with the audience. In addition, this series of programs focusing on Saving Our Traditions also invites the audience to bring in items they might have, related to the topic being discussed, and ask for more insights or evaluations of their objects. This is a good chance to find out more about that stuffed albion muskrat, or the pelt drying boards, or weird traps you might have in your collection! There is no admission charged to attend the program, but a $10 fee is charged per item for an evaluation.

This program will be held in the historic Barren Creek Springs Church building at 110 Main Street in Mardela Springs MD. And will begin at 2:00 pm on March 8. Parking is available in the church yard and across the street. For more information, email us at westsidehistorical@gmail.com , or phone 410-742-8047.