Shore History invites the public to an Opening Reception on March 20 at 6:00 p.m. celebrating the debut of its newest exhibit, Mapping the Past: The Ker Place Plantation and Onancock Towne. The evening will feature the unveiling of a striking 4-foot by 6-foot interpretive mural created by researcher and museum exhibit developer Miriam Riggs.

Step into the vivid landscape of 18th- and 19th-century “Onancock Towne.” Mapping the Past explores how the Ker Place Plantation and the surrounding town evolved along the Chesapeake Bay estuary, where commerce and community were shaped during the Early Republic. Through careful research and compelling visual storytelling, the exhibit reveals how geography, enterprise, and family networks influenced the development of this historic Eastern Shore community.

Riggs has dedicated more than 15 years to researching and interpreting Eastern Shore history. Since 2009, she has made regional history accessible to the public through exhibit design at the Barrier Islands Center Museum. She also contributed extensive research to inform The Almshouse documentary film and performed long-term interior restoration work at a local historic landmark home.

This current research project and mural draw from primary documents in state and county records, building upon the foundational work of respected local historians to present a layered and dynamic view of Onancock’s past.

This exhibit will become a permanent exhibit in the Ker Place Museum.