Embedded Files
history
history
native americans
native americans
Before the English came in 1607 the Native Americans lived, traded, and navigated the GDS as an isolated community
Archaeologists have found evidence of Native American communities 5,000 years ago, that were soon joined by fugitive slaves in the 1660's
Links to underground railroad
Links to underground railroad
In the early 1660's escaped slaves and travelers of the Underground Railroad lived in communities in seclusion in the Great Dismal Swamp. These people were called the Great Dismal Swamp Maroons and they lived in the dry mesic islands of the swamp. Some people stayed in these communities permanently and some people kept moving North along the Underground Railroad.
In the 1700s colonists and pirates frequented the Great Dismal Swamp to collect water to store on their ships
pirates and colonists circa 1730
pirates and colonists circa 1730
"The amber-colored water is preserved by tannic acids from the bark of juniper, gum, and cypress trees, prohibiting growth of bacteria. Before the days of refrigeration, water from the Swamp was a highly prized commodity on sailing ships. It was put in kegs and would stay fresh a long time."
-Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center Website
The well-known pirate 'Blackbeard' was recorded retrieving water from the Great Dismal Swamp to keep his crew hydrated in 1724
Disturbance and Early Management:
Humans have logged the entire swamp at least once. There was a tornado in 2020 a large amount of damage, and fires are another common non-human disturbance. In the 1700s the swamp was mapped, and from the late 1700s- mid 1900s investors attempted to drain the swamp to turn the area into agricultural land. They failed to drain said swamp but realized there was lots of lumber to be sold, the swamp was developed and changed over the years from there. They stopped logging in the 1950s to allow the swamp to become a refuge after about 49,000 acres were donated to the land conservancy.
National natural landmark program
National natural landmark program
"The Great Dismal Swamp site is a remnant of the original Great Dismal Swamp containing geological and ecological elements unique in the nation. The variety of flora and fauna makes it a superb outdoor laboratory for the study of ecological processes." - National Park Service
Page updated
Report abuse