Welcome: Mathews Maritime Heritage Trail

The Mathews Maritime Heritage Trail is a partnership project initiated in January 2009 to preserve the valued coastal landscape, and tell the colorful history of Mathews County’s nautical heritage.  Phase I of the project will focus on water routes, and will follow the 90 mile Blueways Water Trail, a component of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.  Later phases will include bicycle routes and scenic drives to allow local citizens and tourists a chance to explore and learn about the county’s natural and cultural assets.

Efforts are underway to map and document numerous cultural resources along the Mathews Maritime Heritage Trail.  A pilot project on the East River, coordinated by the Mathews Maritime Foundation and its numerous partners, will include historic wharves; fish and crab packing houses; historic shipyards; marinas; tide mills; plantations; environmental sites and public access areas. We invite you to join with us to document our county’s connections to the sea and help us tell the stories of our shared maritime heritage.

For access to map segments click on the index map below, then choose the box to view selected map and corresponding points of interest.

Mathews Maritime Heritage Trail Committee, its members and employees, The Virginia Institute of Marine Science and anyone else whether associated with this project or not, makes no representation and specifically disallows any reliance on any statement contained herein. The Mathews Maritime Heritage Trail Committee assumes no responsibility or liability for injury or loss resulting directly or indirectly from the use of this Guide or paddling in the area. Photo Credits: Project Partners Archeological Society of VA, Middle Peninsula Chapter Bay Trail Outfitters Federal Highway Administration Mathews Blueways Water Trail Mathews County Chamber of Commerce Mathews County Planning Department Mathews County Historical Society Mathews County Visitor and Information Center Mathews Memorial Library Mathews Sesquicentennial Committee Middle Peninsula Land Trust Middle Peninsula PDC/ Public Access Authority New Point Comfort Preservation Task Force U.S. Coast Guard Auxillary VA Cooperative Extension Service/4-H Youth Development Virginia Native Plant Society Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) National Park Service, Rivers and Trail Program