Beginning June 29, 15 pairs of three feet tall Watermen’s Boots will begin appearing outside area businesses and organizations.
Designed by local and national artists, these boots will attract customers and visitors to Chesapeake Bank; Kilmarnock Inn; Objects, Art and More; Front Porch Coffee House; Rappahannock Art League Studio Gallery; Steamboat Era Museum; Town of Kilmarnock; Bank of Lancaster; Tides Inn; J & W Seafood; Noblett Appliances & Propane; Burke’s Fine Jewelers; Town of Urbanna; Deltaville Maritime Museum; Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce; and Lancaster Community Library.
As a boost to tourism, a map will serve as a guide to the locations of the boots so residents and visitors can see and photograph all the decorated boots, reported Steamboat Era Museum executive director Barbara Brecher. Each pair of boots is attached to a “pier” base with a plaque including the boot’s sponsor, artist and title.
Wende Szyperski, Mary Jo Beswick, Agnes Carter, Nadine Flood. Kay Vincent, Jan Dobrowolski, Patty Richards, Diana Jamison, Tommy Fox, Jean Offutt Lewis, Angela Dawson, Wanda Hollberg, Sukey Starkey, David Witbeck,Terri Wesselman and Lancaster Middle School art students decorated the boots.
Sponsorship of the boots helps support the Virginia Watermen’s Association, Steamboat Era Museum and Rappahannock Art League.
Virginia’s River Realm, Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce, Steamboat Era Museum, Rappahannock Art League and the Virginia’s Watermen’s Association are responsible for creating and managing the project.
Virginia’s River Realm is a tourism partnership among the Town of Kilmarnock, Town of Urbanna, Lancaster and Middlesex counties and Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce. Go to virginiasriverrealm.com/boots to learn more.
