Shady Side Rural Heritage Society, Inc.

"Our Place"/Fishing Club Project

Please join us for the grand opening of our new exhibit

Sunday, April 27
1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

The exhibit For Fishing, Family and Fun: Seven Decades of Communal Living by the Chesapeake Bay features the occupancy of the building from 1924 to 1989 by the National Masonic Fishing and Country Club, later known as “Our Place.”

This little known story spans the time between Captain Avery and the purchase of the building by the Shady Side Rural Heritage Society. In 1924 a group of Washington, D.C. area masons, most of whom were Jewish, purchased the Avery home to establish its own unique communal waterfront summer home in Shady Side. At that time discrimination was widespread and American Jews were denied access to many beaches.

This professionally mounted exhibit, two years in the making, features interpretive panels with photographs and quotes depicting various aspects of the Club’s activities and oral histories.

An accompanying catalog with complete exhibit text and essays will be available at the opening.

Schedule of events

12 Noon Fishing Club families preview of the exhibit and reunion

1:00 PM Open to the Public

2:00 PM Dedication Ceremony, Honorary Chairperson, Delegate Virginia Clagett

Food and soft drinks available for purchase


The "Our Place"/Fishing Club project is made possible by support from:

  1. National Endowment for the Humanities,www.neh.gov
  2. Institute of Museum and Library Services,www.imls.gov
  3. Maryland Historical Trust, www.MDP.state.md.us
  4. Maryland Humanities Council, www.mdhc.org
  5. Maryland Traditions, a cooperative program of the Maryland State Arts Council and the Maryland Historical Trust, www.msac.org



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