About Us
The Sportsman's Chapter was chartered on October 21, 1929 in Baltimore, Maryland only a few short years after the national organization was founded in Chicago in 1922. The chapter property is affectionately named "Dovedale" in honor of Izaak Walton and the beautiful limestone valleys where he spent most of his time fishing!
Our chapter takes great pride in our chapter house and the beautiful woods, streams and pond that surround it. When the Sportsman's Chapter originated, meetings were held at the Towson Library. The membership consisted of sportsmen and women living in and around Baltimore who shared a common love of the outdoors. At some point the members purchased land in the Hereford area of northern Baltimore County. Members constructed trap ranges and although there was no chapter house, the shooting competitions became the hub of weekend life. Ultimately this property became part of a tract of land that the State of Maryland wanted to preserve and protect because of its proximity to the cold water Gunpowder River fishery. The property was acquired by the Maryland state park system. It now lies within the boundaries of Gunpowder State Park.
The search for a new property led members to 44 acres that was offered for sale on Onion Road in the Pylesville area of northern Harford County. The property, which had been a small family farm, was purchased by the Sportsman's Chapter and construction of a chapter house began in 1970. Much of the construction work was completed by members who were also tradesmen. A pond was dug because fishing was a favorite past time! The Sportsman's Chapter became a social gathering place for the membership during the 1970's and 80's, with corn roasts, fishing tournaments, and summer get-togethers. This was all prior to the existence of social media, when folks actually got together to spend some time, talk, swap stories, jokes and enjoy lots of good food. It was a great time to be a member of the Sportsman's Chapter. The membership was actually a much larger group back then!
Today we strive to carry on the good stewardship initiated by those who have come before us. Although our smaller membership is diverse, we are all passionate about teaching the next generation to care for, appreciate and most importantly enjoy the great outdoors. We aim to create a family atmosphere where the children in our community can enjoy coming to the Dovedale property to hike, fish, hunt or just hang out! We understand the need for today's kids to stay in touch with the outdoors, especially so that they learn to love the wonder and peace that can be found in nature.
Our chapter house has a large hall that is available for rental with tables and seating for approximately one hundred. More information can be found on the Chapter House Rentals page.
History of Izaak Walton
Born in 1593 in Stafford, England, Izaak Walton is famous throughout the world for his fishing book "The Complete Angler". It has since become one of the most loved and reprinted books in the English language. The river Dove is the principal river of the southwestern Peak District, in the East Midlands and is around 40 miles in length. For most of its course it forms the boundary between the counties of Staffordshire (to the west) and Derbyshire (to the east.) The river is a famous trout stream! Charles Cotton’s fishing house, which was the inspiration for Izaak Walton’s The Complete Angler stands in the woods by the river near Hartington.
From Hartington to its confluence with the river Manifold at Ilam, the river flows through a series of scenic limestone valleys, known collectively as Dovedale. The Dovedale gorge is considered so scenic that it attracts a million visitors each year. Dovedale was declared a National Nature Reserve in 2006.
The IWLA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization and all donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. A copy of our 501(c)(3) status letter is shown to the right. Donations are appreciated!
Checks should be made payable to the "Sportsman's Chapter IWLA" and can be mailed to:
Ken Goedeke, Treasurer
Sportsman's Chapter IWLA
5018 Onion Rd., Pylesville, MD 21132
