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.