THE CHATHAM RABBITS 2025
click on each rabbit for more as available
what’s the deal with a chatham Rabbit?
Huge, wild rabbits were all over Chatham County for decades around the turn of the 20th century — so many that they became famous. People came from everywhere to harvest Chatham Rabbits for cheap food and they were even shipped to restaurants as far away as New York City and Boston. The entire scene was so odd that media coverage was everywhere. Jokes were told. Legends were born. Eventually, predators and overhunting ended this intriguing chapter of local history. But Chatham Rabbits are not forgotten; they’re remembered today by a touring musical group and a beloved coffee shop.
Click here for more on the history.
Click here for more on the band.
Click here for more on the coffee shop.
what inspired THE RABBIT PAINTINGS?
Each JM artist was inspired by a legendary artist they selected. These 5-1/2-by-12-inch paintings on wood panels reflect the styles of artists like Vincent van Gogh, Picasso and Sandro Botticelli. Click on any Chatham Rabbit in the gallery above — or scan the QR code on the back of any Chatham Rabbit — to learn more about that painting, JM artist and their inspiration.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS IDEA?
Actually, it was suggested by Jane Andrews, who donated the wood panels used as canvases for Chatham Rabbits. The “Chatham Rabbit Quest” idea was developed by JM art teacher Laura Newman.