Pocomoke Mural Planning
The Beach to Bay Heritage Area was awarded a public art planning grant by the Maryland State Arts Council to plan a Native American mural in the City of Pocomoke! This mural is intended to honor the area's indigenous heritage and the Pocomoke people for which the town is named after. Two public planning meetings were held featuring members of the Pocomoke Indian Nation at the Delmarva Discovery Museum to discuss potential themes and content for the mural. Mural artists and the public were encouraged to attend these meetings to take part in the creation of this public art.
To expand community involvement, this survey will summarize the discussions of previous meetings and encourage respondents to join in on the discussion by commenting on proposed ideas or suggesting their own. Come together as a community and make your voice heard in this effort to beautify Pocomoke City and honor our indigenous and cultural heritage!
To expand community involvement, this survey will summarize the discussions of previous meetings and encourage respondents to join in on the discussion by commenting on proposed ideas or suggesting their own. Come together as a community and make your voice heard in this effort to beautify Pocomoke City and honor our indigenous and cultural heritage!
Deadlines & Guidelines
Deadlines:
- Call to artists is open now through August 22nd
- August 25th - September 25th: Artwork proposals
- Artist will be selected by November 3rd
- Community engagement (meetings, surveys, announcements) will be arranged as needed and posted here
Criteria:
The design of the mural is left open ended and no strict guidelines have been put in place, allowing for the artists and community to get creative with their ideas. We, along with the Pocomoke Indian Nation, have only set basic criteria.
The design of the mural is left open ended and no strict guidelines have been put in place, allowing for the artists and community to get creative with their ideas. We, along with the Pocomoke Indian Nation, have only set basic criteria.
- The central theme and focus of the design should be Native American heritage
- Can include other groups and themes (ex. European contact and settlement, the Pocomoke River, Pocomoke City), but the central theme is Native American
- Not limited to Native Americans before European contact. The new mural at the Delmarva Discovery Museum focuses on pre-contact communities, so exploration of post-contact themes leading up to and including the present day are encouraged (descendants are still here after all).
- Avoid stereotypes of Native Americans (ex. feather headdresses, warmongering, etc.)
- Portray an authentic and accurate narrative of Native Americans, Europeans, African Americans, and the interactions between these groups of people on the Lower Eastern Shore in order to honor the namesake of Pocomoke City
Mural location:
The mural is being planned for the east face of the Lusby Building (120 Market St, Pocomoke City, MD 21851). The whole building surface is available, but we suggest to focus on the right half to avoid obstruction by the trees (an area roughly 30 feet wide). The side of the building is roughly 70 feet wide and height is around 30 feet.
The mural is being planned for the east face of the Lusby Building (120 Market St, Pocomoke City, MD 21851). The whole building surface is available, but we suggest to focus on the right half to avoid obstruction by the trees (an area roughly 30 feet wide). The side of the building is roughly 70 feet wide and height is around 30 feet.
Budget:
The budget for mural prep and painting is $30,000
The budget for mural prep and painting is $30,000
Symbols of importance to the Pocomoke Indian Nation:
- Turtles: important to not only the Pocomoke people, but other Native American groups as well
- Pocomoke River: villages and towns were formed along rivers, creeks, and bays which provided food and transportation
- Cattails
- Oysters
- Deer
- Cyprus tress: used to make dugout canoes. After European settlement, became a major export and transported on the Pocomoke River
- Dyes: limited to what the Native Americans could obtain or grow naturally. Colors like red, were more difficult to produce and thus sought after. Trade with Europeans gave them access to these colors through beads and cloth
- Trade: beads, cloth, pelts, copper, tools and other goods were traded between Europeans and other Native American groups
For clarification on what might be considered stereotypical or offensive, don't be afraid to reach out to the Pocomoke Indian Nation and other indigenous groups in the area. The goal of this mural and process is not only to beautify the area with public art, but educate people on our Native American heritage. Part of that is getting people to interact with it and embrace it. More people asking questions means more people learning about the authentic Native American story, so feel free to reach out! The best way to learn about the Pocomoke Indian Nation is by attending their events and coming to these meetings. We also have some information and resources available to learn more about our local Native American heritage. Several museums in the area like the Allen Historical Society, Delmarva Discovery Museum, Rackliffe House, and the Smith Island Cultural Center have exhibits on Native American history.
Check out the Pocomoke Indian Nation website to learn their history and learn about upcoming events.
Check out the Pocomoke Indian Nation website to learn their history and learn about upcoming events.
Summaries of Past Meetings
Below are summaries of the past public meetings held between muralists, community members, and the Pocomoke Indian Nation.
May 6th, 2025:
This was the first public planning meeting for the Pocomoke mural. At this meeting we laid out a basic timeline for future meetings and deadlines. We also discussed possible buildings, however, no building was definitively selected. Several mural types were brought up such as painting directly on to the building's surface or on removable panels.
The rest of the meeting was dedicated to sharing concepts for the mural such as trade between Europeans and Native Americans, first contact with Europeans, ways to convey the Pocomoke identity through art, and using the Pocomoke river as a "timeline" showing the passage of time from pre-contact to today.
The concept of trade between Europeans and Native Americans was briefly touched on. Goods like pelts were exchanged between Native Americans and Europeans. This concept was expanded upon at the next meeting.
First contact was another idea that came up in discussion and naturally Captain John Smith was named. Captain John Smith was an early English explorer who explored the early Lower Eastern Shore. His contact with the indigenous people is one of the earliest to be documented. His map, however, is not completely accurate when it came to the names of groups and town names, due to the language barrier. The interpreter that Smith brought with him did not speak the same language, leading to some naming errors that have carried into today.
The third idea that was proposed was a way to convey the Pocomoke identity through art. Participants had questions on the spirituality, art, trade, and symbols of the Pocomoke people, however, it is difficult to assess these accurately due to much history being lost due to European encroachment. Archaeological material may provide some clues as would modern recreations of materials like arrowheads, duck decoys, and dugout canoes. Modern reenactments of Pocomoke traditions can be seen during Tradition Bearers of the Pocomoke Indian Nation live demonstration events held periodically throughout the year. The Nabb Center also has some archival material pertaining to Native American history in the area and from throughout the United States. Documentation from post-European contact such as treaties and court records may also prove useful.
The final concept that was talked about was using the Pocomoke River as a sort of timeline to show the passage of time and different stages of Native American history along the Pocomoke River. While ambitious, it could be a good way to bridge the gap between the past and present.
This was the first public planning meeting for the Pocomoke mural. At this meeting we laid out a basic timeline for future meetings and deadlines. We also discussed possible buildings, however, no building was definitively selected. Several mural types were brought up such as painting directly on to the building's surface or on removable panels.
The rest of the meeting was dedicated to sharing concepts for the mural such as trade between Europeans and Native Americans, first contact with Europeans, ways to convey the Pocomoke identity through art, and using the Pocomoke river as a "timeline" showing the passage of time from pre-contact to today.
The concept of trade between Europeans and Native Americans was briefly touched on. Goods like pelts were exchanged between Native Americans and Europeans. This concept was expanded upon at the next meeting.
First contact was another idea that came up in discussion and naturally Captain John Smith was named. Captain John Smith was an early English explorer who explored the early Lower Eastern Shore. His contact with the indigenous people is one of the earliest to be documented. His map, however, is not completely accurate when it came to the names of groups and town names, due to the language barrier. The interpreter that Smith brought with him did not speak the same language, leading to some naming errors that have carried into today.
The third idea that was proposed was a way to convey the Pocomoke identity through art. Participants had questions on the spirituality, art, trade, and symbols of the Pocomoke people, however, it is difficult to assess these accurately due to much history being lost due to European encroachment. Archaeological material may provide some clues as would modern recreations of materials like arrowheads, duck decoys, and dugout canoes. Modern reenactments of Pocomoke traditions can be seen during Tradition Bearers of the Pocomoke Indian Nation live demonstration events held periodically throughout the year. The Nabb Center also has some archival material pertaining to Native American history in the area and from throughout the United States. Documentation from post-European contact such as treaties and court records may also prove useful.
The final concept that was talked about was using the Pocomoke River as a sort of timeline to show the passage of time and different stages of Native American history along the Pocomoke River. While ambitious, it could be a good way to bridge the gap between the past and present.
July 8th, 2025:
This meeting was more centralized on discussing the Pocomoke identity and history of the Pocomoke Indian Nation. Dispelling any misconceptions about Native Americans on the Lower Eastern Shore. We started with a brief recap of the last meeting before moving on to locations. Some buildings that had been previously talked about may not be possible anymore due to developments in town and condition of the buildings. However, new buildings were proposed and locations are still being scouted in town. Mural artists at the meeting pointed out that it will be difficult to begin designing a mural before knowing the size and shape of the area that will be painted. Afterwards, we allowed the Pocomoke Indian Nation to lead a discussion about themselves, their history, and their identity.
Chief Norris Howard began with a brief overview of Captain John Smith's exploration of the Eastern Shore, noting that language barriers prevented accurate naming of the towns and places. He then discussed the Pocomoke people, explaining how it was a paramountcy composed of other groups. Chief Howard then went on to describe early settlers, many of them being English and Scottish, and how the main motivator for settling was the money to be made from trade.
Cheryl Doughty carried forward the discussion, saying that there was already a vibrant and thriving community living in the region before Europeans arrived. They survived off of the land, were self sufficient, and had their own forms of government complete with politics and divisions. She continued, addressing some stereotypes such as headdresses and the four treaties signed between the Pocomoke and Maryland colonial government.
Michael Rosato made a few comments suggesting we break down this history, picking important moments from each century if we are to try crafting a narrative spanning from European contact to today. He also mentioned that he would like to examine all the people who make up the Pocomoke today including African Americans, Europeans, and Americans. While these three groups have interacted, coexisted, intermarried, and more, it is difficult to pinpoint specific examples within the Pocomoke people due to history being lost.
Chief Howard took the lead once more, this time focusing on Pocomoke River. He notes that the steamboat was an important part of its history and that many stops along the river are now boat ramps today. He also brought up Cypress trees, describing how they were nearly all cut down to be used for shingles and lumber. The river was used to transport these trees and its products.
Lisa Challenger asked the Pocomoke Indian Nation to explain the importance of color. Cheryl Doughty explained that dyes were limited to what Native Americans could find or grow naturally. Colors, like red, were difficult to produce and thus sought after. Trade opened up greater access to these hard to get colors. Beads were one example of colorful trade goods as was cloth. Doughty then changed moved on to say that records of Native Americans after 1700 in the area are difficult to find. She elaborated, saying that this has caused a gap of information that was made worse by discrimination. Stories were lost in this process.
After this, the mural artists present at the meeting asked for any criteria or guidelines. We and the Pocomoke Indian Nation did not have any hard guidelines except that the mural must be about Native Americans, should avoid spreading misconceptions, and should be as authentic to Native American history and heritage as possible. Cheryl gave some symbols and elements important to the Pocomoke Indian Nation including turtles, cattails, deer, and oysters.
This meeting was more centralized on discussing the Pocomoke identity and history of the Pocomoke Indian Nation. Dispelling any misconceptions about Native Americans on the Lower Eastern Shore. We started with a brief recap of the last meeting before moving on to locations. Some buildings that had been previously talked about may not be possible anymore due to developments in town and condition of the buildings. However, new buildings were proposed and locations are still being scouted in town. Mural artists at the meeting pointed out that it will be difficult to begin designing a mural before knowing the size and shape of the area that will be painted. Afterwards, we allowed the Pocomoke Indian Nation to lead a discussion about themselves, their history, and their identity.
Chief Norris Howard began with a brief overview of Captain John Smith's exploration of the Eastern Shore, noting that language barriers prevented accurate naming of the towns and places. He then discussed the Pocomoke people, explaining how it was a paramountcy composed of other groups. Chief Howard then went on to describe early settlers, many of them being English and Scottish, and how the main motivator for settling was the money to be made from trade.
Cheryl Doughty carried forward the discussion, saying that there was already a vibrant and thriving community living in the region before Europeans arrived. They survived off of the land, were self sufficient, and had their own forms of government complete with politics and divisions. She continued, addressing some stereotypes such as headdresses and the four treaties signed between the Pocomoke and Maryland colonial government.
Michael Rosato made a few comments suggesting we break down this history, picking important moments from each century if we are to try crafting a narrative spanning from European contact to today. He also mentioned that he would like to examine all the people who make up the Pocomoke today including African Americans, Europeans, and Americans. While these three groups have interacted, coexisted, intermarried, and more, it is difficult to pinpoint specific examples within the Pocomoke people due to history being lost.
Chief Howard took the lead once more, this time focusing on Pocomoke River. He notes that the steamboat was an important part of its history and that many stops along the river are now boat ramps today. He also brought up Cypress trees, describing how they were nearly all cut down to be used for shingles and lumber. The river was used to transport these trees and its products.
Lisa Challenger asked the Pocomoke Indian Nation to explain the importance of color. Cheryl Doughty explained that dyes were limited to what Native Americans could find or grow naturally. Colors, like red, were difficult to produce and thus sought after. Trade opened up greater access to these hard to get colors. Beads were one example of colorful trade goods as was cloth. Doughty then changed moved on to say that records of Native Americans after 1700 in the area are difficult to find. She elaborated, saying that this has caused a gap of information that was made worse by discrimination. Stories were lost in this process.
After this, the mural artists present at the meeting asked for any criteria or guidelines. We and the Pocomoke Indian Nation did not have any hard guidelines except that the mural must be about Native Americans, should avoid spreading misconceptions, and should be as authentic to Native American history and heritage as possible. Cheryl gave some symbols and elements important to the Pocomoke Indian Nation including turtles, cattails, deer, and oysters.
