Not Bad for a Dead Guy

So over the last couple of years, I’ve heard about this organization in Maryland which has been recreating John Smith’s exploration of the Chesapeake Bay. A group of volunteers spent a lot of time recreating Captain Smith’s shallop, (using 17^th century-era tools no less), and then sailing it around on the route that Smith would have traveled on his expedition.

The shallop was on display at the State Capital and the Maryland Science Center. Every place that it came ashore once it embarked on its journey because a historical site, and it got lots of press…I think the Queen (not me! I mean the real queen) even stopped to see it on her visit to the US.

John Smith is probably more newsworthy now than ever. (Or at least he will be, once his “people” find out he’s featured on this blog.)

All kidding aside, Captain Smith’s map of Virginia, from 1612 is going to be in the Walters Art Museum’s map exhibit opening in March. On the map, he noted his ascent with tiny crosses and located over 200 Indian villages, symbolized with tiny huts. A vignette in the corner shows Pocahontas pleading for Smith’s life.

You can check out more about the John Smith project here: http://www.johnsmith400.org/intro.htm

And check out more about John Smith the man, here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Smith_of_Jamestown