The waterfront village of Galesville, located on the beautiful West River just south of Annapolis, is rich in history and living heritage. Charming and nostalgic, it reminds you of summers gone by….sailing at the West River Sailing Club, eating crabs at a waterside restaurant, fishing for rockfish, participating in the town’s Fourth of July parade, worshiping with family, playing ball at Hot Sox Field. Its small town appeal is a step back in time.

The Galesville Heritage Society and Museum preserves that history and tells the stories of the generations of families who have lived – and still live – on its shores. Today, young families and retirees proudly display seasonal flags on Main Street and gather in the Galesville Hall to share homemade meals and conversation and learn about all the region has to offer.

Never far from mind are the days when the steamboat Emma Giles (pictured above) connected Galesville to other bayside communities and Baltimore. Or years later, when oysters were shucked and sold at oyster packing houses or when a local shipbuilder created an iconic sailboat called the Chesapeake 20. Learn more about this treasured Maryland town by visiting the Galesville Heritage Society Museum. Or come take a heritage tour of the town.