Chestertown in Kent County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Stanley Vansant

1909 - 1990

— Echo Hill Outdoor School —

Stanley Vansant Marker image. Click for full size.

By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), May 24, 2025

1. Stanley Vansant Marker

Inscription.

Stanley Vansant. , Stanley Vansant built boats and worked the waters of Kent County, Maryland. From his boatyard in Long Cove, off the lower Chester River's Piney Neck, he constructed hundreds of bateau and deadrises. Their rugged quality and beauty made for local legend., As a master shipwright, Vansant's eye understood how to design the pleasing, lengthwise curve of the vessel's hull, known as the "sheer." He knew how water subtly swelled bottom planks and spaced them accordingly. Amazingly, Vansant had no formal training in boatbuilding and never worked from a blueprint., Singing saws, pounding hammers, sea gulls overhead, and easy conversation in the spaces between, provided the soundtrack for Stanley's daily toil. Tar and oakum, turpentine and sawdust the smells., Today his boats live on as his legacy, still working the waters of the Chester River that Vansant called home., Stanley Vansant on Boatbuilding ,

"The watermen, when we used to build just a workboat, they would sit and watch and had to have the right shear, ya know. Back where they tong the oysters, they wanted it low you know, and the bow just turned up a little bit so the wind wouldn't blow it around.", "They all was fussy about that. That's all they had in them days, was the boat. That was their livin'. I don't know any retired watermen. They don't retire. Go right on workin'.", , Excerpted from Back Porch Talks: Conversations with Stanley Vansant, by Thomas F. McHugh

, Did you know? , A bronze statue of Stanley Vansant stands in Rock Hall, paying tribute not only to his legacy but also the tradition of tonging for oysters., Inspired by the Bay , Chesapeake workboats have inspired writers, artists, and poets for generations. This poem, by local poet Meredith Davies Hadaway, is one interpretation. How do these workboats inspire you?,

At the Narrows , Now, when even midday sun holds shadows, , and only the wooden boats are left, bless , scarred hulls and splintered pilings., Bless the hands that still twist eel into lines , of hard commerce. Bless the motor's stutter , declaring, yes, we will go out. Bless the foul, mud that peppers the gunnel, the ascent , of the bait, its twitch as it goes over the roller. , Bless the slow crab, too greedy for stink to see, the net coming and the basket, slats leaking , a scrabble of claws. Wanda J, Alice Rose, , Edna, grubby river angels, decks swollen, with rain, smelling of brine and rot, all divot , and slop, bless your deadrise, your hard , chine, your rudder. In the morning, all will, blur into mist. Crabs will begin their exodus , to deeper waters. We tell ourselves we will , be back. May this, too, be true.

Stanley Vansant built boats and worked the waters of Kent County, Maryland. From his boatyard in Long Cove, off the lower Chester River's Piney Neck, he constructed hundreds of bateau and deadrises. Their rugged quality and beauty made for local legend.

As a master shipwright, Vansant's eye understood how to design the pleasing, lengthwise curve of the vessel's hull, known as the "sheer." He knew how water subtly swelled bottom planks and spaced them accordingly. Amazingly, Vansant had no formal training in boatbuilding and never worked from a blueprint.

Singing saws, pounding hammers, sea gulls overhead, and easy conversation in the spaces between, provided the soundtrack for Stanley's daily toil. Tar and oakum, turpentine and sawdust the smells.

Today his boats live on as his legacy, still working the waters of the Chester River that Vansant called home.

Stanley Vansant on Boatbuilding

"The watermen, when we used to build just a workboat, they would sit and watch and had to have the right shear, ya know. Back where they tong the oysters, they wanted it low you know, and the bow just turned up a little bit so the wind wouldn't blow it around."

"They all was fussy about that. That's all they had in them days, was the boat. That was their livin'. I don't
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know any retired watermen. They don't retire. Go right on workin'."

— Excerpted from Back Porch Talks: Conversations with Stanley Vansant, by Thomas F. McHugh

Did you know?
A bronze statue of Stanley Vansant stands in Rock Hall, paying tribute not only to his legacy but also the tradition of tonging for oysters.

Inspired by the Bay
Chesapeake workboats have inspired writers, artists, and poets for generations. This poem, by local poet Meredith Davies Hadaway, is one interpretation. How do these workboats inspire you?

At the Narrows
Now, when even midday sun holds shadows,
and only the wooden boats are left, bless
scarred hulls and splintered pilings.

Bless the hands that still twist eel into lines
of hard commerce. Bless the motor's stutter
declaring, yes, we will go out. Bless the foul

mud that peppers the gunnel, the ascent
of the bait, its twitch as it goes over the roller.
Bless the slow crab, too greedy for stink to see

the net coming and the basket, slats leaking
a scrabble of claws. Wanda J, Alice Rose,
Edna—grubby river angels, decks swollen

with rain, smelling of brine and rot, all divot
and slop—bless your deadrise, your hard
chine, your rudder.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), May 24, 2025

2. Stanley Vansant Marker
In the morning, all will

blur into mist. Crabs will begin their exodus
to deeper waters. We tell ourselves we will
be back. May this, too, be true.

Erected by Echo Hill Outdoor School.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 39° 12.353′ N, 76° 3.804′ W. Marker is in Chestertown, Maryland, in Kent County. It is on Cannon Street east of High Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 98 Cannon St, Chestertown MD 21620, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Eastern Shore.

It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic,

on the Delmarva Peninsula,

in the Tidewater,

and in the Chesapeake Bay Region.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bateau Ric (here, next to this marker); About Us (here, next to this marker); Annie D (here, next to this marker); Steamboats on the Chester River (here, next to this marker); Tomorrow's Chesapeake Bay (a few steps from this marker); Scott's Point (a few steps from this marker); Elsworth (a few steps from this marker); Gilbert Byron (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chestertown.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 158 times since then and 39 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 26, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.