The exhibition shares the stories of Maryland’s Kent County carvers and hunting clubs through a collection of decoys, oral histories, historic photographs, and other artifacts.

Cradled by the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay, Kent County’s rich environment has fostered a long tradition of waterfowl guiding, gunning clubs, and decoy carving. Carvers like John Glenn, the Uries, and Charlie Joiner created unique rigs that were commissioned and gunned over on secluded Kent County coves teeming with waterfowl. Since the late 1800’s, the superior shooting of the county’s waterfront estates attracted well-heeled sportsmen to exclusive gunning clubs, where skilled local guides provided a great day’s take. Through objects, images, and selected decoys, Guides, Gunning Clubs and Co-Ops explores Kent County’s enduring waterfowling culture—one that continues to flourish in the fields, necks and islands of the deeply-rural region.