Chesapeake Island

If you’ve ever wanted to time travel, it would behoove you to take a day trip to one or all of the Chesapeake Islands.

Smith Island

Dest you cahre bout me.

Nothing? Well, besides the too-many-layered cake with homemade icing that makes you want to lick the spoon even if you don’t know the cook and/or where the spoon came from, Smith Island is known for its distinct dialect and ever-changing landscape.

At only nine miles all around, this little island of about 250 (maybe less now) is listed on every “things to do on the Eastern Shore” site ever. But like why? It’s small, it’s hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and there’s nothing to do.

Even so, there’s just something about the rusty boats, the accents, the food, the smiling residents, that makes battling the monstrous mosquitoes worth a visit. Not to mention, it’s history, and unlike a lot of places on this site, it’s history may soon be destroyed as the island slowly sinks into the Chesapeake like it’s neighboring islands have already done.

Holland Island

Holland Island may not have been a megacenter of activity, but it was settled in the 1600s and was one of the most populated islands in the bay. There were up to 350 people by 1910 (more than is on Smith Island today). There was a whole civilization, and then poof, gone. Well, not really in a poof, but as far as sinking islands go, it was somewhat fast. By 1918, the last local families left the island. When it became clear that the island was sinking, in about 1914 or so, locals tried to create stone and shell barriers in order to slow the erosion. The official “closing” of the island was in 1922 when the church finally called it quits.

One cool thing about this sinking island is that when the tides rose and it became clear the island would be swallowed by the bay, some of the buildings and homes were deconstructed and brought to the mainland to be reassembled. The church is now in Fairmont, and some of the homes in Crisfield are from the island. One in particular is on Main Street and in several Haunted Eastern Shore books, is aptly called the Holland Island House.

So why mention Holland Island if you can’t actually go there? That house in the photo was all that was left, and as of 2012, all remnants of the island were gone. Being out on the waters near Smith Island and Tangier just makes you realize that under the water, not too far below, is our own version of Atlantis. A whole town, sunk with some buildings, homes, and even graves, drug to the bottom with it.

Deal Island

Devil’s Island and the Damned Quarter as Mathew Lake so lovingly referred to it in Weird Maryland (aff link). He claims that folklorist came across this title because they believed that the devil did live on Deal Island (p 61). If you’ve been there in mid August you might get why. “They used to see him and his minions in the water around the island, and in the boggy marshland, and gave cursed names to the area to warn people off.” P 61

In another account by Robert Smith, Damn Quarter was a nickname given to the island because of it’s difficulty to get to. It was named by the pirates who were trying to raid colonists but they were somewhat protected by the natural formation of the land.

Another explanation is that watermen have a good sense of humor. Colonies more north with strong religious foundations were being named things like Paradise and Bethlehem, so what better than Devil’s Island?

How did Deal Island become Deal Island and what is the tale to tell of this end of the world land? The main land is called Chance and after passing Chance and Rock Creek cemetery you come to a bridge that takes you to Deal Island and Wenona. Chance is home to the Skipjack Museum while the Skipjack Inn is located on Deal Island. The Inn may actually be closed, as is the restaurant in Wenona but that may be temporary, there isn’t much on the onlines about it. There’s a park in Chance, the John Cage Memorial Park, and a retreat for artists. Mostly there’s swamp, sand, the bay, and old homes that make a pleasant drive to Wenona. Other than that, there’s not much to do unless you have a boat of some kind or want to try your hand at crabbing.

Graveyard tourists would get a nice walk through the St. John’s cemetery and the Chance cemeteries.