[CLOSED] RFP: Documenting and Exploring the Interpretive Potential of St. George Island: Maryland’s Largest Revolutionary War Battlefield

07/03/2020
By Preservation Maryland

Preservation Maryland is seeking Proposals from a consulting firm with demonstrated expertise in the preparation of historic preservation and planning reports as applied to land protection, historic preservation and battlefield sites.

Update: Out of many interested respondents to Preservation Maryland’s RFP, Kennon Williams Landscape Studio was selected as the lead consultant to be supported in the project by two sub-consultants: the Washington College Center for Environment and Society and Barton Ross & Partners, LLC Architects.
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS P20AP00201
Documenting and Exploring the Interpretive Potential of St. George Island: Maryland’s Largest Revolutionary War Battlefield

1.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Preservation Maryland is seeking Proposals from a consulting firm with demonstrated expertise in the preparation of historic preservation and planning reports as applied to land protection, historic preservation and battlefield sites.

Historic Background

On July 17, 1776, St. George Island, Maryland (St. Mary’s County) was the site of arguably the largest clash in Maryland during the Revolutionary War. British forces under the command of John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore had recently escaped by ship from Williamsburg, Virginia and attempted to land on the mainland of Maryland.

Maryland’s Flying Camp militia under the command of Captain Rezin Beall, who was wounded in action in this battle, repulsed the invading British which prevented the invasion of the mainland.

To date, very little professional study has been dedicated to this battle. The exact site has not been located and extant documentation, context and mapping has not been compiled. This planning grant would mark the first step towards documentation, engaging and building consensus with the public and perhaps eventually interpreting this little known but important site.

Historic marker on St. George's Island Maryland. Image from Maryland Historical Trust.

Historic marker on St. George’s Island Maryland. Image from Maryland Historical Trust.

Project Need & Opportunity

St. George Island is located in southern St. Mary’s County on the Potomac River which separates Maryland and Virginia. The island, which may have been disconnected from the mainland in the 1700s, has been linked via a two-lane road over a narrow causeway. The island’s low elevation and susceptibility to flooding makes the construction of permanent buildings problematic. While the island is inhabited year-round, much of the development has been limited to relatively large lots which avoid natural wetlands and a tidal estuary which bisects the island. Waterfront property on the south and west of the island face the Potomac River, and on the north and east face the St. Mary’s River. The waterfront property that can accommodate the deepest draft vessels is located along the Potomac River side of the island.

These physical features suggest that the British fleet that escaped Williamsburg would most likely have landed near the southwest point of the island and the battle could have taken place along the western (Potomac River) side of the island. These physical features make the potential for recovering archeological artifacts a distinct possibility. The advent of sea-level rise makes the documentation urgent.

Details of the project are shown in the scope of work. The project will be developed and deliverables produced during the period of September 2020 through September 2021.

2.0   SERVICES AND SCOPE OF WORK

The contractor, who must document their ability to meet the Secretary of the Interior Professional Qualification Standards (36 CFR Part 61), shall provide the following services:

3.0  PROPOSAL FORMAT

All submitted proposals shall be complete and prepared in a straightforward and concise manner, including:

4.0   REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS SUBMISSION DATE

DOWNLOAD FULL RFP (PDF)

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Preservation Maryland is Maryland’s first and largest organization dedicated to preserving the state’s historic buildings, neighborhoods, landscapes, and archaeological sites.

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