Pride of Baltimore II off Fort McHenry, March 24, 2020, courtesy of Jeffrey G. Katz
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2020
Contact: Erica Denner, 410.539.1151
erica@pride2.org
BALTIMORE, MD – Pride of Baltimore, Inc. (Pride, Inc.) is proud to announce a partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) that will enhance the experience for visitors at select Chesapeake Bay ports along the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail (Trail). While Pride, Inc. has worked collaboratively with the NPS in the past — first as an officially designated Chesapeake Bay Gateway and then on interpretive programming at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine — a recently signed cooperative agreement with the Trail will expand that collaborative programming to sites throughout the Chesapeake.
“We are very much looking forward to working in partnership with the National Park Service and the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail in 2021. The free programming that will be available to underserved communities throughout the Chesapeake Bay along the Trail will strengthen our efforts to be more accessible to everyone,” said Jeffrey Buchheit, executive director of Pride, Inc. “We can think of no better partner than the National Park Service and we hope to work with them for years to come.”
“We are excited to launch this relationship and collaboration with Pride, Inc. to more meaningfully engage with families along the Trail,” said Shaun Eyring, acting superintendent of Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Hampton National Historic Site, and the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail. “Together we will develop new interpretive programs and a traveling exhibit to connect with underserved communities and expand recreational opportunities throughout the Bay.”
The tall ship Pride of Baltimore II (Pride II) will serve as a sailing Trail ambassador that will engage visitors in the history of the people and places in the Chesapeake during the War of 1812. The experience will assist in building a foundation for future stewards of the Trail, as well as of the natural and cultural resources of the Bay. Visitors will be able to tour Pride II dockside and enjoy the full experience of a free day sail on Maryland’s world-renowned tall ship.
Pride of Baltimore II is uniquely suited to serve as a Trail ambassador since it is the only historically evocative reproduction of a War of 1812-era privateer that homeports on the Bay. Capturing public imagination through unique worldwide voyages of discovery, Pride II honors Maryland seafarers of all eras and, wherever she sails, shares the innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and patriotism that forged and continues to define Maryland’s maritime identity.
A full schedule of port visits will be available in early 2021 at pride2.org.
About Pride of Baltimore II
Baltimore Clippers, sleek, fast, and maneuverable vessels, gained fame as privateers during the War of 1812. Their success in capturing British merchant ships provoked the Royal Navy to attack Baltimore in 1814. Francis Scott Key, seeing the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry after the 25-hour British bombardment, was inspired to pen the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
Pride of Baltimore II, like her predecessor, Pride of Baltimore, is a historically evocative reproduction of one of the most famous of these privateers, Chasseur. For more than four decades, these modern-day prides of Baltimore have promoted historical maritime education, fostered economic development and tourism, and represented the people of Maryland in ports throughout the world. Since her commissioning in 1988, Pride II has sailed over 275,000 nautical miles and visited more than 200 ports in 40 countries.
To learn more about Pride of Baltimore II, please visit pride2.org
About the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail
The Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail is a 560-mile land and water route that tells the story of the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake Bay region. The trail traces American and British troop movements, introduces visitors to communities affected by the war, and highlights the Chesapeake region’s distinctive landscapes and waterways. It connects historic sites in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia and commemorates the events leading up to the Battle for Baltimore, the aftermath of which inspired Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem. Congress established the Star-Spangled Banner Trail in 2008. The trail is one of 19 national historic trails administered by the National Park Service and one of 30 trails in the National Trails System. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/stsp.
Started in 1979, the A2B covers 753 miles, making it one of the longest ocean races on the east coast of the U.S. The challenging course combines inshore and offshore racing tactics down the Chesapeake Bay, across the Gulfstream, and on to Bermuda. The race is Maryland’s only international sailing race and allows sailors to fulfill a lifelong ambition of a blue water passage to an island well-known for its soft coral beaches and hospitality. The 2020 race is sponsored by Mustang Survival, a respected marine technical and apparel company that has been at the forefront of marine safety for more than 50 years.
