During 1607 and 1608, Captain John Smith and a crew of just more than a dozen men charted nearly 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) along the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Smith’s 1612 map was the first detailed, relatively accurate, map of the bay, and many of the native settlements in the region.

On December 19, 2006, President George Bush signed a law authorizing the establishment of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. This marks the country's first entirely water-based national historic trail and recognizes the importance of John Smith's explorations.

Visit the Conservation Fund Web site to learn more about the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail.