Projects
Every Mathews Land Conservancy initiative is driven by preservation, education, and conservation. Find out how you can help support us.
Bayside Landing
Bayside Wharf, located in New Point (Mathews, VA), was established by the New Point Development Corporation (WC Handy, JE Davis, and WA Snow) in 1912 as a trading port for goods to/from Norfolk and Baltimore. The Wharf consisted of a pier jetting out into the Chesapeake Bay, an ice/fish-packing plant run by Lionel Haywood in the mid 1900’s, a small store and even a dance hall where locals would come for entertainment.
B. Williams Store
Located along the shore of the East River contiguous with historic Williams Wharf Landing, is the B. Williams and Co. Store, a local landmark since its construction in 1869. It served as a general merchandise store, ships chandlery, specialty ladies hat shop and post office during the late nineteenth century and into the twentieth.
More about Williams Wharf
Established by Samuel Williams as a trading port and warehouse near the time of the Revolutionary War, Williams Wharf became one of the country’s centers of maritime activity in the early 1800s. From 1802 to 1844, more than 10,000 vessels called at the East River port. The Wharf also served as a major port for steamboats running from Baltimore to Norfolk earlier this century.
Boathouse
The Williams Wharf Landing project was established to revitalize a historic maritime destination and hub of commercial activity thereby offering the community and its visitors a public outlet for all waterfront environmentally friendly activities. Phase I of this project is complete and the adjacent property has been purchased for the construction of the most visible phase of this project: The Williams Wharf Boathouse Center.
Help Build the New Boathouse
with the purchase of conservation art by local artist Dorothy Fagan and photographer Bruce Nelson. Proceeds go directly to new construction at Williams Wharf.