The very words, Chesapeake Bay, evoke a kaleidoscope of images, place names, and folklore. It is the nation's largest estuary, a place where salt water from the ocean meets fresh water from rivers, and its impressive stature is reflected in the early names that paid the Bay tribute: "Great Waters," "Mother of Waters" and "Great Shellfish Bay." Throughout history, the Chesapeake has played an integral role in the lives of its people. If you were a Susquehannock Indian living in the early 1600s, the Bay was a mystery-both a source of edible delights and a pathway for your adversary, the Piscataways. If you were a soldier in the War of 1812, you might have fought some bloody battles on its waters And if you were a coffee merchant in Baltimore in the early 1900s, you very likely depended on the arrival of "The Josephine" for your livelihood.
The Many Faces of the Chesapeake Bay
Indeed, the Chesapeake Bay and its complex ecosystem defy easy description and understanding. From its origins at Cooperstown, New York to its mouth in southern Virginia, one can witness geographical and biological diversity to match the wide spectrum of cultures that exist here: Amish farmers, government workers in the Nation's Capitol, sailors on a weekend excursion in Norfolk, sixth-generation watermen whose trace of Elizabethan accent confirms their Cornish heritage. This fact sheet can only give you a taste of the Bay's history, ecology and challenges. Consider it an invitation to learn more and as you learn, to take an active role in Bay restoration.
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
717-236-8825 - Pennsylvania
301-377-6270 - Maryland
804-775-0951 - Virginia
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