Author Eric Cheezum and his book.
Celebrate the spooky season with the Dorchester County Historical Society and hear the origin story of Chessie the sea monster. Eric Cheezum, author of the 2024 book Chessie: A Cultural History of the Chesapeake Bay Sea Monster, will give a talk at the DCHS campus on October 25 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. A signing will follow.
The book explores the legend of the sea serpent, arguing it became a symbol for the region’s cultural and environmental changes in the late 20th century. It connects the creature’s rise in popularity to the bay’s transition from a labor-based economy to a recreational one. Cheezum examines how the “monster” was a metaphor for the community’s hopes, fears, and evolving identity.
The Dorchester County Historical Society is located at 1003 Greenway Drive in Cambridge.
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