About
the Friends
The Friends of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail is a group whose founders include Gilbert Grosvenor, Chairman of the National Geographic Society; William Baker, President of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; and Patrick Noonan, Chairman Emeritus of The Conservation Fund.
The mission of this group is to celebrate the unique history and environment of the Chesapeake Bay while highlighting current efforts to restore the Chesapeake's health and creating a lasting legacy for future generations through the establishment of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail.
More than 60 organizations have joined the effort to create the John Smith trail. They include government agencies and elected officials at the federal, state and local level, municipalities, business and tourist groups, and non-profit organizations. They support the opportunity for new business in heritage tourism and recreation. They also see the opportunity for rich educational experiences along the trail.
In particular, the Friends are especially grateful to the Chesapeake Bay Commission and its Executive Director Ann Swanson for their on-going effective leadership in advancing the Trail. At critical moments the Commission intervened to secure funding and political support for the Trail. In Swanson’s words: “The Commission’s reach and influence spans Congressional, State Executive and Legislative levels—allowing its members to effectively champion what’s good for the Bay. Federal designation of the Trail will ultimately bring a new audience to and awareness of the Bay—amplifying the scope of beneficial stewardship actions.”
Additionally, the Trail would not enjoy the widespread level of support
it has today without the assistance of the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council.
Early in the process, the Council stepped forward to endorse the proposed
Trail.
PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS
The following entities have expressed support for H.R. 5466 specifically and/or the expedited completion of the National Park Service’s feasibility study for the trail, the establishment of the proposed trail as a National Historic Trail as well as the general concept of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. (Updated 10/2/06)
Commonwealth of Virginia
Governor Tim Kaine
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Virginia Department of Natural Resources
Virginia Senate
Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia Council on Indians
Chickahominy Indian Tribe
Arlington County
County of Accomack
County of Albemarle
County of Charles City
County of Henrico
County of Stafford
Isle of Wright County
James City County
King William County
Nelson County
Northampton County
Prince William County
Stafford County
Surry County
City of Fredericksburg
City of Norfolk
City of Richmond
City of Virginia Beach
Town of Colonial Beach
Town of Occoquan
APVA Preservation Virginia
Arlington County, Committee on Jamestown 2007
BikeWalk Virginia
Cape Charles Historical Society
Clean Virginia Waterways
Colonial Beach Yacht Center, Inc.
County of Charles City, 2007 Planning Committee
Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism Commission
Elizabeth River Project
Friends of the Rappahannock
Friends of the Rivers of Virginia
George Washington's Fredericksburg Foundation
James River Association
Jamestown 2007
Lynnhaven River 2007
Monticello, Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc.
New Kent Chamber of Commerce
New Market Corporation
Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau
Richmond Region 2007
Schooner Virginia
The Edna Mills Restoration Project
Tidewater Marine Trade Association of Virginia
Virginia Association for Parks
Virginia Beach 2007
Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Virginia Foundation for the Humanities
Virginia Tourism Corporation
State of Maryland
Governor Martin O'Malley
Maryland Department of Environment
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Maryland Department of Transportation
Maryland Department of Planning: Maryland Historical Trust
Anne Arundel County
Baltimore County
Calvert County
Cecil County
Dorchester County
Harford County
Mid-Shore Regional Council (Caroline, Dorchester & Talbot Counties)
Upper Shore Regional Council (Cecil, Kent & Queen Anne's Counties)
Talbot County
Wicomico County
Worchester County
City of Annapolis
City of Salisbury
Queenstown
Town of Bel Air
Town of Cecilton
Town of Elkton
Town of Federalsburg
Town of North East
Town of Perryville
Town of Port Deposit
Town of Rising Sun
Town of Vienna
Chesapeake County Cycling
Chester River Association
DelvMarva Low Impact Tourism Experiences
Dorchester County Tourism Department, Heart of Chesapeake County Heritage
Area Management
Dorchester Soil Conservation District
Eastern Shore Land Conservancy
Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council
Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway, Inc.
Marine Trades Association of Maryland
Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus
Maryland’s Pride
Maryland Tourism Council
Maryland Tributary Strategy Program
Maryland’s Tributary Teams
Maryland Watermen’s Association
Nanticoke Watershed Alliance
National Aquarium in Baltimore
Paw Paw Museum of Port Deposit
Potomac Conservancy
Rural Maryland Council
Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce
Sassafras River Association
Somerset County Tourism
The Abell Foundation
The New Forest Society
The Salisbury Zoological Park
The Webster Group
Washington College
Waterkeeper Alliance
State of Delaware
Governor Ruth Ann Minner
Delaware Council on Greenways and Trails
Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control
Delaware Economic Development Office
Delaware Heritage Commission
Delaware Historical and Cultural Affairs
Delaware Public Archives
Delaware State Senate
Delaware House of Representatives
Nanticoke Indian Tribe
New Castle County
City of Seaford
Town of Laurel
Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce
Delaware Wild Lands
Greater Seaford Chamber of Commerce
Laurel Chamber of Commerce
Kalmar Nyckel, The Tall Ship of Delaware
Nanticoke Indian Association, Inc.
Preservation Delaware, Inc.
Southern Delaware Tourism, Sussex County
University of Delaware
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Governor Ed Rendell
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Quality
Pennsylvania State Senate
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (continued)
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
York County
City of Harrisburg
Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg
Codorus Creek Improvement Partnership
Dauphin County Conservation District
Friends of the Nescopeck
Harcum College
Lancaster County Planning Commission
Lehigh Valley Canoe Club
Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Club
Schuylkill River National & State Heritage Area
Susquehanna River Trail Association
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Western Pennsylvania Watershed Program
Wiconisco Creek Restoration association
Wildlands Conservancy
Greater Chesapeake Bay
American Farmland Trust
American Rivers
Anacostia Watershed Society
Boone & Crockett Club
Chesapeake Bay Commission
Chesapeake Executive Council
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Daughters of the American Revolution
Discovery Creek, Children's Museum
DuPont Corporation
Garden Club of America
Izaak Walton League of America
National Geographic Society
Sultana Projects, Inc.
Sustainable Land Fund
The Campbell Foundation for the Environment
The Conservation Fund
United States Land Alliance
Urban Land Institute
Verizon Wireless
Wallace Genetic Foundation, Inc.
Washington DC Department of the Environment