Travel Back in Time While Kayaking & Biking with Blackwater Adventures

Send us Fan MailWhen I was a kid I did not like history class, or as we called it, social studies.  For me, it felt like the classes were about memorizing textbook material and dates.  I was not lucky enough to have teachers that made it more exciting to learn about history and its importance, relevance, and connection to the now.  However, as an adult, I have a whole new appreciation for history, learning about history and even teaching history.  I am on the Board of my local historical society, have developed classes for our 1850 one room schoolhouse and actually teach some of those classes.  I love watching kids experience history vs. just reading about it and memorizing facts.  Well what is better than tourism coupled with learning about history.  To me, it creates an amazing experience for any age!  And that is what Susan Meredith from Blackwater Adventures has created in Dorchester County, Maryland.In 2002, husband and wife team, Jay and Susan Meredith, decided to start Blackwater Paddle and Pedal Adventures. The Hyatt Chesapeake Bay Resort had just been built and Blackwater Refuge was becoming a frequent destination for people searching for a weekend nature fix. And, as you will learn, the properties that Susan and Jay own, hold some significant history around the Underground Railroad. One of the sites is where abolitionist Harriet Tubman was hit in the head with a counter weight as a young girl which altered the course of her life.Jay and Susan used entrepreneurial vision and strong work ethic to help develop Blackwater Adventures into a successful tourism enterprise.  And, although they are focused on delivering extraordinary  kayaking, biking, fishing and other outdoor adventures, their adventures are coupled with a passion for teaching the stories about the past…and this certainly differentiates their outdoor adventures, and helps them stand out from the rest.Enjoy my conversation with adventurer and history story teller Susan Meredith. Blackwater AdventuresFreedom Harriet Tubman Underground RailroadBlackwater National Wildlife RefugeDelmarvaAnna Ella CarrollThank you for taking the time to listen to The Agri-Tourist Podcast, for supporting our inspirational guests, and for sharing my personal journey back to agriculture.  Agri-Tourist.comHeartBeet FarmsInstagramAbout Jen Ross, The Agri-Tourist Podcast HostGlobal Agritourism Network