Governor Hogan recently announced $4.8 million in funding to preserve the legacy of the historic Carr’s Beach.
Today Governor Larry Hogan announced that the state would be providing $4.8 million in funding to purchase a historically significant waterfront property. Officials plan to develop the area into Annapolis’s newest public park. The land has been identified as part of the property once owned by the Carr Family and is close to Carr’s Beach and Sparrow’s Beach, popular resorts on the Chesapeake Bay that served the Black community at a time when they were prohibited from using other beaches. Known as “the Beach,” Carr’s Beach hosted many prominent Black performing artists during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, including Chuck Berry, The Temptations, Ike and Tina Turner, The Shirelles, Little Richard, and Billie Holiday.
According to the press release:
“We are proud to partner with the City of Annapolis to reclaim part of this beautiful waterfront area that is of such great historic and cultural significance,” said Governor Hogan. “As a major music venue and beloved gathering place for generations of Black Marylanders, Carr’s Beach left an incredible legacy that we will now be able to preserve for posterity.”
The state contribution will fund the majority of the land acquisition. DNR is committing $3.68 million in grant funding from Program Open Space (POS) Stateside, which will supplement POS Local funds from the City of Annapolis and Anne Anne Arundel County. Governor Hogan also committed $1.2 million in Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure funding to the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation for the Carr property acquisition.
In addition, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin recently secured $2 million in congressionally directed spending to support the project. The advocacy of Maryland Sen. Sarah Elfreth and the Chesapeake Conservancy has also been critical in these efforts.
