Capturing the History of a Chesapeake Bay Catastrophe: A Chat with CBMM’s Pete Lesher

[youtube id=”ZP9Fnt3pWxY”/]

Shortly after he heard the news of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s chief historian, Pete Lesher, immediately sent out a message to his colleagues informing them of one of the Bay’s most catastrophic events in centuries. That early morning email was the first indication that the CBMM should be part of collecting and documenting the Key Bridge’s demiss.

This kind of instinct is characteristic of Pete Lesher as a long-term scholar of the Chesapeake Bay and its culture. Over the years, Pete and the CBMM have led the way for the St. Michaels institution to not only record the past but to capture the present.

In his latest interview with the Spy, Pete talks about the significance of the Key Bridge disaster and the road ahead.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum please go here.

AI Disclosure: The Spy and its writers may use artificial intelligence tools to support accuracy and clarity in our reporting.

Francoise Sullivan is the new Associate Editor of The Chestertown Spy and a community advocate based in Worton, Maryland. She previously served a term on the Kent County Board of Education, where she focused on transparency, fiscal responsibility, and student-centered policy. Sullivan also serves as Chair of the Kent County Chapter of the Delmarva Pride Center. Her work centers on local government, education, and civic engagement, providing clear, accessible coverage of issues affecting Kent County.