NEWS

June 17, 2022 - The Arts Council of Calvert County's Calvert Barn Quilt Trail installed the 22nd square on the Trail on June 15, 2022 at Christ Church, 3100 Broomes Island Rd., Port Republic, MD 20676.

Christ Church celebrated its 350th Anniversary on June 5, 2022 as the oldest continually worshipping congregation in Calvert County. The Church was one of the original 30 Anglican Parishes in the Province of Maryland, and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975.

Father Christopher Garcia and members of the Vestry chose "Job's Tears," a traditional Biblical quilt pattern for their square. It sits beside the Jousting Field, where Ring Jousting, Maryland's Individual Official State Sport, is celebrated annually at their Jousting Tournament and Bazaar.
Many thanks to Patti Wahl, Traci and Jamie King, and Bill Sells for your help with the installation.

Maryland Public Television (MPT) to host a Calvert County Barn Quilt Bus Tour on November 5, 2021

MPT is hosting a second Barn Quilt Bus Tour. This time we head to Calvert County, MD.  Join us as we tour the sites of more than a dozen barn quilt squares in Calvert County, Maryland. On this tour, guests will have the opportunity to leave the motor coach to photograph a number of squares, enjoy a Chesapeake-style lunch overlooking Fishing Creek and the Chesapeake Bay, participate in museum tours, and explore the sites in North Beach.  Friday, November 5, 2021 from 7:30am-5:30pm.  REGISTER HERE (leaving site).

BLANKET COVERAGE - Following the barn quilt trails (Chesapeake Bay Magazine, January 21, 2021)

The Arts Council of Calvert County launches Southern Maryland's first Barn Quilt Trail

Calvert Barn Quilt Brochure

On June 9, 2019, the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum proudly joins the Calvert Barn Quilt Trail. The square's design was inspired by a turn of the century style wrought iron railing, and the railway elements were added by the team of Mel Gallipeau, Graphic/Media Designer, Calvert Marine Museum, James C. Crane, Curator of Exhibits, Calvert Marine Museum, and Correine Moore, Administrative Assistant, Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum. The square is sponsored by the Friends of the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum.

The square resides at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum, 4155 Mears Avenue, Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732, adjacent to the Chesapeake Beach Resort and Spa. The building was erected in 1898 to serve as the Chesapeake Beach Station on the "Honeysuckle Route" of the Washington and Chesapeake Railway Company that carried travelers from Washington, DC to the Bayfront resort built by Otto Mears. The Arts Council of Calvert County and the Calvert Barn Quilt Trail Committee are happy to mark this historic destination with the lovely "Chesapeake Beach Railway Square."

For more information on the Museum, please visit their website .

May 19, 2019 - The Arts Council of Calvert County and the Calvert Barn Quilt Trail Committee are happy to announce the installation of the "Circle of Love" quilt square at Raymond-Wood Funeral Home, 10684 Southern Maryland Blvd., Dunkirk, MD 20754. To view the square enter the back parking lot and go to the side of the building.

The Building that houses Raymond-Wood Funeral Home P.A. was first home to a commercial heating and air conditioning company. The large garage doors still represent the initial business. The funeral home began as Raymond Funeral Home, established by Michael Raymond in 1995. He sold the company to Terry Wood in 1999. Ms. Wood is especially proud that the installation of the "Circle of Love" quilt square commemorates the 20th anniversary of their service to the community. Ms. Wood chose the design "it demonstrates the attention and care that is given to all visitors who come through our doors...The bright yellow center surrounded by hearts is symbolic of gathering together to focus on the passing of one special person to share in the celebration of life and to support each other through the grief journey. The never-ending circle gently reminds us that we are joined together by this experience. People have historically marked death by doing something special. The quilt square hangs on our building to impart hope and to offer a peaceful tribute to all the families that we have been blessed to have known."

For more information about purchasing a square for your property, click here .

February 14, 2019 - The Arts Council of Calvert County is pleased to announce the ninth installation on the Calvert Barn Quilt Trail. The Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum have chosen Maryland's State flower, the Black Eyed Susan, as the design to adorn the Visitor Center Barn.  In 1893, Mary Marvin Breckinridge Patterson donated one of the most important archaeological properties in the the Chesapeake Bay region. At the time, it was the largest private donation of a historical property ever made to the state of Maryland. Her gift created Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. Today, it is a 560-acre working farm devoted to telling the story of the archaeology and history of the Chesapeake region, and to protecting the fast-disappearing rural environment of Southern Maryland.

Built in 1955 as a show barn for Jefferson Patterson's prize Aberdeen Angus cattle, this building was transformed into a museum in the 1960s. The museum showcased the Patterson's collections of art and memorabilia amassed during a lifetime of public service and travel. Today, the building serves as the Visitor Center including exhibits, interactive play areas and a gift shop. The Visitor Center is the ideal place to begin your journey at the park. After viewing the Black Eyed Susan square, learn about the history of the property, the science of archaeology, and browse the "Made in Maryland" gift shop, Past and Presents. All proceeds from the gift shop support the Friends of JPPM, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports educational programming at the Park.

August 10, 2018 - Arts Council's Barn Quilt Trail adds three new pieces (by MICHAEL REID mreid@somdnews.com )

April 20, 2018 - Three new squares were installed in North Beach. 

The first square is the Maple Leaf, which will reside at Chesapeake's Bounty, 9124 Bay Avenue, North Beach, MD.  The classic Maple Leaf quilt design is a perfect fit for Chesapeake's Bounty. Chosen and painted by Veronica Cristo of Chesapeake's Bounty, the Maple Leaf reminds us that trees help sustain life as we know it. Veronica and Will Kreamer, founder of Chesapeake's Bounty and a third generation farmer, believe in the health and economic benefits of local food, supporting local farmers, watermen, and other producers and paying fair market prices for their products. The new North Beach Market is an ideal complement to their local food system vision in that it brings local food from throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed right to the doorstep of the community.

 The second square is Trip Around the World, which will reside at The Wheel Store, 4109 7th St., North Beach, MD.  The Trip Around the World quilt block hanging on the back fence at The Wheel Store was first designed by Marilou Winkler, age 87, as a quilt to be raffled off at a fundraiser at The Wheel for the National Parkinson's Foundation, to honor Marilou's school principal who was diagnosed with the disease. The Wheel, established in 2011 by Celia Molofsky, is a "Boutique-Gallery-Tavern" whose goal is to support the community through the Arts. Hosting the fundraiser for Parkinson's research is one of the ways she is doing just that.

The third square is Sister's Choice, which will reside at Sisters' Corner, 8905 Chesapeake Ave., North Beach, MD. With a multitude of quilt block patterns available, the decision was an easy one for sisters Kathy Brookes and Carol Koenig, owners of Sisters' Corner since 2007. Their research led them to the naming of the Sister's Choice block by the Ladies' Art Company in St. Louis about 1890, in honor of British novelist Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra. They were devoted sisters and lived as single women in their family home their entire lives. Cassandra lost her fiancee early in her life and never married. Jane died while Cassandra was in her forties. Kathy and Carol knew that the Sister's Choice block was an ideal reflection of their lifelong love of reading, needlework and floral design.

September 22, 2017

The Solomon's Island Visitor Center is hosting a display of six of the Calvert Barn Quilt Trail's mini squares to raise awareness of the Trail among visitors to the Center.

September 9, 2017

The second square of the Calvert Barn Quilt Trail was unveiled Saturday, September 9, at the first "Taste The Beaches" festival in Chesapeake Beach. The "Oyster Square," which was placed beside the Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail, was designed by Janet Jones of North Beach, MD, and is sponsored by the Town Council of Chesapeake Beach. The square's stripes reflect the sea and sky and the 9 patch corner blocks include the Chesapeake Beach logo colors. The oyster in the center honors the work of John Bacon, President of the Chesapeake Beach Oyster Cultivation Society, CBOCS.

Since 2011, CBOCS has been dedicated to improving the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay. The volunteer members of CBOCS grow oysters in cages along the Railway Trail which are then placed on local reefs where they will continue to grow and sustain oyster populations. CBOCS offers guided Railway Trail walks along beautiful Fishing Creek to point out the wonderful diversity of plants and animals that call the Creek home. The history of the Trail can be viewed on the Town's website .

September 8, 2017

The Arts Council of Calvert County is pleased to announce the installation of the first square of the Calvert Barn Quilt Trail on Friday, September 8, 2017 at 4:00 PM. The square, designed by Karla Sisson, is hosted by the Cox family at Mulberry Hill Farm, at 50 Mulberry Lane on Rt. 4 in Huntingtown, MD.

Mrs. Sisson's square was inspired by one of her favorite designs, "Hole in the Barn Door," and her childhood on a farm. For her friends, Wilfred (Fred) Cox, Jr., and his wife, Esther, she incorporated a tobacco leaf and colors of the Calvert County flag to reflect the Cox family's long history of farming.

Mulberry Hill has been farmed by five generations, starting with Ernest Cox, Wilfred Cox, Sr., Fred Cox, Jr., his son Mark Cox, Sr. and now Mark Cox, Jr. The barn hosting the square was constructed in several stages, beginning in the early 1900's, and was used as a tobacco barn. Since the tobacco buyout, the family has farmed produce and mums, and added wine grapes in 2013.

If you would be interested in learning more about the Calvert Barn Quilt Trail and hosting and / or sponsoring a square, please contact us at info@calvertbarnquilttrail.org .