The Oyster Wars of Chesapeake Bay

by John R. Wennersten

Eastern Branch Press is pleased to announce the new paperback edition of John R. Wennersten's The Oyster Wars of Chesapeake Bay. In the decades following the Civil War, Chesapeake Bay became the scene... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0870332635
• ISBN13: 9780870332630
• Release Date: January 1981
• Publisher: Tidewater Publishers
• Length: 159 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

The Oyster Wars of Chesapeake Bay

Really interesting all the violence and especially the slavery that went on up until the early 1900's. I never realized oystering was such a money making trade.

Documents Hard Feelings between VA & MD for 200 Yrs

Currently much of Northern Virginia gets their drinking water from the Potomac River. For several years they've been trying to extend the intake pipe into the middle of the River where the water is less muddy and requires less treatment. The State of Maryland has fought them in court every step of the way because Maryland owns to the high-water mark on the Virginia side. The hard feelings between these two States goes back to the time they were Colonies and this book traces the history all the way through. This book is about the oyster wars which began in the late 1800s and extended up until the 1960s. You may find it hard to believe but as late as 1959 Maryland Oyster Patrol Boats fired on an unarmed boat near the Virginia shore which was dredging oysters and murdered one of the crewman. And I don't mean one bullet but a storm of bullets because they didn't have a Maryland license. The author, John Wennersten, did a nice job of research on a subject that wasn't heavily documented. He points out how rugged and plain mean a number of these early watermen were. Before the time of engines they would Shanghai vagrants in New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Once they got them on the boats on the Chesapeake Bay that's where they stayed until the end of the season. In a number of cases the end of the season would find them getting knocked into the water by the sail rigging...it was called "paid at the boom" because the skipper wouldn't have to pay them if they drowned. The book is only about 130 pages of easy reading with some nice photos and sketches of the early oyster and patrol boats. It's a must of anyone wanting to acquire a thorough knowledge of life on the Chesapeake Bay.

Interesting naration

An interesting naration of a part of Maryland and Virginia's history few people know about. The book comes across as a little sensationalist when read. However, given the topic, and many of the turn of the century newspaper sources, this would be hard for any author to avoid. (I had the same thoughts when reading Michener's fictional accounts in "Chesapeake", yet these events really did happen.) If you are interested in the culture and history of the Chesapeake this is quite an enjoyable read that will add context to other readings.