LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Four individuals and organizations have been recognized with the 2026 Historic Preservation Awards for their contributions to protecting and interpreting St. Mary’s County history.
The awards, established in 1999, were presented during the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County business meeting on May 12, 2026, as part of Historic Preservation Month.
Karen Stone, Museum Division Manager for the St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation and Parks, received the Preservation Service Award. Stone researched and authored the first book on the Black Diamond Disaster, titled Shipwreck on the Potomac: Disaster in Pursuit of Lincoln’s Killer. The book brings attention to a previously overlooked chapter of local history.
Historic Sotterley received a Preservation Project Award for relocating and restoring a small tenant farmhouse from an adjacent property onto its grounds. The structure helps interpret the post-slavery transition period, when hired tenant labor became common on farms throughout the region.
Jocelyn Copeland also received a Preservation Project Award for creating an educational pop-up museum exhibit at the 59th Annual U.S. Oyster Festival. The exhibit highlighted the history of the region’s oyster industry and watermen culture. Artifacts were loaned through partnerships with the Calvert Marine Museum, the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab, and local watermen.
KT Harris received a Preservation Project Award for producing an immersive video experience on “The Dancing Molly” and the Oyster Wars in Maryland and Virginia. The exhibit engaged more than 8,000 visitors at the festival and provided a hands-on connection to the area’s maritime heritage.
A recording of the awards presentation is available on the St. Mary’s County government website and YouTube channel.
These awards highlight ongoing efforts to preserve and share St. Mary’s County’s rich history through research, restoration, and public education.
