Last updated: July 3, 2025
Place
Nause-Waiwash Longhouse
Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians, Inc.
Quick Facts
Location:
4201 Maple Dam Rd, Cambridge, MD 21613
Significance:
The Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians preserves Indigenous Chesapeake Bay heritage through a National Register-listed Longhouse, cultural programs, and an annual Native American Festival.
Designation:
National Register of Historic Places; Chesapeake Gateways Network Site
MANAGED BY:
Amenities
2 listed
Cellular Signal, Parking - Auto
The Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians preserves and celebrates the history, culture, and traditions of the Eastern Shore’s original peoples. As a Chesapeake Gateways Place, the Longhouse and annual Native American Festival share the enduring legacy of the Nanticoke and Choptank communities within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The Nause-Waiwash Longhouse, housed in a historic building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, serves as a ceremonial and cultural center. Originally constructed in 1897 with timber donated by Nause-Waiwash ancestors, the building has deep community ties. When renovations are completed, it will host meetings, ceremonies, and educational gatherings that honor generations of resilience and cultural survival.
Visitors can learn about the region’s Indigenous heritage during the annual Native American Festival, which features storytelling, dancing, crafts, and contributions from other Native groups across the region. The festival and ongoing community efforts share the rich and complex history of Maryland’s first peoples and their continuing presence today.
The Nause-Waiwash Longhouse is open to the public by appointment, offering visitors an opportunity to engage respectfully with the living traditions of the Chesapeake’s Indigenous peoples. Learn more or schedule a visit by contacting the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians.
The Nause-Waiwash Longhouse, housed in a historic building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, serves as a ceremonial and cultural center. Originally constructed in 1897 with timber donated by Nause-Waiwash ancestors, the building has deep community ties. When renovations are completed, it will host meetings, ceremonies, and educational gatherings that honor generations of resilience and cultural survival.
Visitors can learn about the region’s Indigenous heritage during the annual Native American Festival, which features storytelling, dancing, crafts, and contributions from other Native groups across the region. The festival and ongoing community efforts share the rich and complex history of Maryland’s first peoples and their continuing presence today.
The Nause-Waiwash Longhouse is open to the public by appointment, offering visitors an opportunity to engage respectfully with the living traditions of the Chesapeake’s Indigenous peoples. Learn more or schedule a visit by contacting the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians.