An artist’s rendering of the Three Cultures Center beside the land where it will sit.
In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, the Nanticoke Historic Preservation Alliance (NHPA) welcomed visitors to the Handsell Historic Site in Vienna for its annual Autumn Open House on November 8, a day dedicated to exploring the intertwined stories of Native American, African American, and Colonial heritage on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The centerpiece of the event was the groundbreaking for the long-planned Three Cultures Center on a plot of land just a few feet from the Handsell house.
A project five years in the making, the new barn-like building will provide much-needed office and meeting space for the entirely volunteer-run NHPA, along with storage and restrooms—amenities that will expand the organization’s capacity for hosting workshops, lectures, and other educational programs.
Plans for the Three Cultures Center.
Every step of this project has been a labor of love. The alliance, which oversees the preservation of the 18th-century Handsell House, operates entirely through grants, donations, and the dedication of its 11-member volunteer board. With no paid staff or director, NHPA has relied on annual fundraising and community support to make the new center possible.
The name “Three Cultures Center” reflects the triad of heritages central to Handsell’s story: Native, African, and European. Representatives from each cultural community joined NHPA board members, supporters, and local dignitaries for the ceremony, marking a milestone in the ongoing effort to preserve and interpret the region’s complex past.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new barn began soon after 11:00 am. Speakers included NHPA President George Barnett and Vice President Midge Ingersoll as well as County Commissioner Mike Detmer, Former State Senator Addie Eckardt, and Nanny Trippe representing the Trippe Family.
NHPA VP Midge Ingersoll speaks next to the sign announcing the Three Cultures Center.
Hermann “Turtle Owl” Jackson of the Nanticoke Indian Nation represented one of the three cultures in the groundbreaking.
“I get to do the blessing, and that’s an honor to be on my ancestral grounds from way back,” he told The Spy before the ceremony. “So, of course, I gotta start out and get permission from them, so I’ll slip off and do that.”
Elizabeth Pinder Pinkett, who grew up in the area around Handsell, also participated in the groundbreaking, which she was excited about. “This is a dream come true. It’s long overdue, and we’re just thankful that we were able to see this day.”
The final member of the trio breaking ground was Cambridge Crier David Rose, who dressed as a Colonial landowner.
“I’ve been here for a number of the events that they had here prior, and I’ve just been amazed at the work that’s been done by Midge in getting this thing together,” he said to The Spy. “And the idea of it is just absolutely fantastic to bring the three cultures together.”
David Rose, Elizabeth Pinder Pinkett, and Hermann Jackson break ground.
The Three Cultures Center represents not only a physical expansion for Handsell, but also a renewed commitment to telling the full story of Dorchester County’s diverse heritage—a story rooted in the land, the people, and the enduring spirit of collaboration that continues to shape the Eastern Shore.
Would you like to show your love of maritime history with others? The Richardson Maritime Museum (103 Hayward St., Cambridge) is looking for docents to spend a few hours a week, or even a month, to allow visitors to explore its many maritime artifacts.
