The Board of Directors of the Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium (also known as Destination Southern Maryland) and the National Heritage Area Steering Committee are pleased to release this draft Feasibility Study for public review. This document represents the culmination of three years of outreach, research, and discussions throughout Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s and Southern Prince George’s Counties. The journey to recognize the profound national significance of Southern Maryland began with conversations, persevered through a pandemic, and has resulted in vital partnerships throughout the region.

We are proud to share this collective effort drawn from the input and shared experiences of so many. We would like to thank all who attended our in-person and virtual Community Conversations, the subject matter experts who double and triple checked the information, the museums and historic sites who opened their doors to us, and the consultant group for going above and beyond during this process.

We are so thankful for the support of leadership, from the towns and Commissions to the Maryland Legislature and Governor Larry Hogan. And this could not have been accomplished without the crucial input and backing from our federal partners: Congressman Steny Hoyer, Senator Ben Cardin, and Senator Chris Van Hollen.

The Board of Director and the Steering Committee are also grateful for the financial support of this process from the Rural Maryland Council and the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland.

And, finally, we dedicate this Feasibility Study to the people and communities of Southern Maryland. We are honored to share your voices and your heritage with the nation.

We invite the public to comment on the study using the reply box below. We look forward to hearing your input and insight.