Chimes from the Chesapeake is May Evergreen’s vivid, first‑hand account of life on Gwynn’s Island, Virginia, in the years before the American Civil War. 

Written from her own experiences during her visit to the island, the book captures the rhythms, traditions, and tensions of a community on the edge of profound national change. Evergreen’s observations offer an intimate window into daily life along the Chesapeake Bay, preserving the voices, landscapes, and stories of a place shaped by its people and its history.

This book is free to download and enjoy, but a donation to the museum would be welcome:

Cheques should be made payable to

"Gwynn's Island Museum" 

and mailed care of: Tom Edwards (Director of the museum), 107 Millstone Lane, Hudgins VA23076, USA

Thank you in advance