Maryland Public Television (MPT) will premiere its original documentary Discovering the Dove on Tuesday, April 18 at 8 p.m. during its 19th annual Chesapeake Bay Week®. The half-hour film will debut on MPT-HD and will be available to view live and on-demand using MPT’s livestream, online video player, and the PBS App.
In Discovering the Dove, the centuries-old story of Maryland’s founding enters a new chapter as a team of shipbuilders endeavor to recreate a 17th century British colonial ship by following a trail of historical clues.
In November 1633, two ships – the Ark and the Dove – set sail from the Isle of Wight in England, embarking on a
grueling 3000-mile journey across the Atlantic. Aboard, some 140 passengers awaited a new life in an unknown world.
Their destination was a stretch of land near the mouth of the great Potomac River, on the ancestral homeland of the
Piscataway and Yaocomico people. But the colonists would christen the land St. Mary’s City, the first capital of the new British colony of Maryland.
Viewers will join historians and craftspeople in unraveling the mystery of what the 17th century ship might have looked like, discovering clues in passenger diaries, period artwork, and sunken ships. The audience will visit the shipyard at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and watch as this new Maryland Dove takes shape using local materials such as white oak from the Callahan family farm in Talbot County and authentic shipbuilding processes such as 17th century joinery techniques. Finally, viewers will accompany the crew of the new vessel for her maiden voyage across the Bay to Historic St. Mary’s City – a journey that highlights just how much we can discover about the past through recreating it.
“We’ve been following construction on the new Maryland Dove since the very first timber was laid in
2019 and it’s been amazing to watch the ship come together over the years,” says MPT producer Stefanie
Robey. “I think what I find most fascinating about this project is that it’s essentially a historical mystery.
What did the Dove of 1634 actually look like? How did it sail? In Discovering the Dove, viewers will see
clues from the past come together in order to answer some of those questions.”
An encore presentation of Discovering the Dove will air on MPT-HD at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 22, the final day of MPT’s 2023 Chesapeake Bay Week observance. For more information, visit mpt.org/bayweek.
About Maryland Public Television – Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service member offering entertaining, educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission.
MPT creates and distributes local, regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional Emmy® awards. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through instructional events and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with
resources on a wide range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org.
About Chesapeake Bay Week® – Maryland Public Television (MPT) celebrates the Chesapeake Bay region once again in April with its 19th annual Chesapeake Bay Week®, a slate of more than 30 documentaries and public affairs programs highlighting the beauty, importance, and fragility of the nation’s largest estuary. During the week of April 16-22, MPT will offer more than 22 hours of content celebrating the Chesapeake Bay’s history, heritage, and resources as well as efforts to protect its diverse ecosystem.
Chesapeake Bay Week is a unique programming initiative and part of the statewide public TV network’s ongoing commitment to celebrating the bay and examining critical issues faced by communities throughout the Chesapeake region. Content will be available to view live and on-demand on MPT-HD, the station’s livestream at mpt.org/livestream, MPT’s online video player, and the PBS App. More information is available at mpt.org/bayweek.
