The 100-acre Battle Creek Cypress Swamp Nature Center harkens back  100 millennia when cypress swamps covered the region and ancient animals like mammoths roamed the landscape.

 

The site features the bald cypress tree that is native to the swamps and stream sides of the southeast United States. Battle Creek is one of the northernmost regions in the U.S. that is home to the species and includes examples that are more than 1,000 years old within the 100-foot canopy.

 

Acquired by The Nature Conservancy in 1957, the sanctuary is a protected home to wildlife. Within its primeval beauty, a quarter-mile boardwalk trail offers a chance to listen to nature's harmony of calling frogs and songbirds and to glimpse some of the abundant life supported by this wetland.

 

Inside the center, explore more closely the mysteries of the swamp through exhibits that focus on the natural and cultural heritage of the area. The Calvert County Natural Resources Division provides a variety of year-round educational programs and outdoor activities at the center. Programs can be planned to meet the needs of groups, though large groups require advance reservations. Visit online or call 410-535-5327 for more information.

 

The War of 1812 Story Told Through Images

 

Historian Sidney Hart

Get an exceptional perspective on the past at "The War of 1812 through the Lens of Portraiture and Images," a lecture on this fertile historical period set for Sunday, Feb. 23, 3-5 p.m. in the auditorium of the College of Southern Maryland, Prince Frederick campus.
 

The presentation, by Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Senior Historian Sidney Hart, is part of the War of 1812: A Legacy of Division Speaker Series. Hart recently curated the National Portrait Gallery exhibit "1812: A Nation Emerges" and co-authored the exhibit's catalog.
 

A facilitated discussion between the presenter and the audience follows the lecture. This event is made possible by the Maryland Humanities Council, Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park and the Calvert Marine Museum.

 

 

Throughout history, artists have been part of the storytelling process,   giving shape to stories of supernatural beings, great heroes and heroines and other mythical characters. Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center celebrates this rich tradition with "Myths & Legends: telling fantastical stories through art" Feb. 7 through May 4, 2014.

 

The show features works of art that bring to life myths, fables, fairy tales and more. Artists are also invited to submit works that tell fantastical stories. The goal is to assemble a diverse selection that speaks to the many ways artists can enhance myths and legends. For more information please call 410-326-4640 or visit online.