Until recently, Southern Maryland's economy was fueled by tobacco and watermen. Both activities are now in steep decline. Oyster and fish stocks in the Chesapeake Bay have suffered dramatic declines over the last several decades, partly due to overfishing but largely caused by reduced water quality and introduced diseases and parasites. Efforts to improve the water quality of the Bay are ongoing but because the Bay watershed covers four states they are difficult to coordinate. The economy of the area is now largely governed by the heavy military presence, as the area is home to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, the Navy's primary air-test facility, and Andrews Air Force Base, the home of Air Force One. Many residents commute to Washington DC or Annapolis.
Southern Maryland was the first area in Maryland settled by Europeans. Much of the area was explored by John Smith from Jamestown in the late 1500's. Originally a Catholic colony, many lovely 17th and 18th century Catholic and Episcopal churches can be found here. The area was the hiding place of John Wilkes Booth during much of the manhunt to find him after President Lincoln's assassination, and the home of Doctor Samuel Mudd, who treated him during his escape.
Supreme Court Justice Roger Taney, infamously known as the Chief Justice who presided over the Dredd Scott decision, was from Calvert County. Other famous (or infamous) residents include author Tom Clancy (Huntingtown), and Socks, the First Cat during the Clinton Presidency (now, sadly, deceased) who lived with her owner, Clinton Secretary Bettie Curry, in Saint Mary's County.
Geologically, southern Maryland has been shaped by the Chesapeake Bay which borders it on the east and by the two major rivers which pass through it: the Patuxent, and the Potomac, which forms its western boundary. The area is characterized by low, rolling hills (most of the area is less than fifty feet above sea level); flat fields; and very steep, narrow ravines due to the easily erodable nature of its sandy soil. Most of southern Maryland was underwater many times as sea levels rose and fell over the millennia. Consequently, fossils can be found in many places, especially along the banks of the Bay and the major rivers passing through the area, the Patuxent and the Potomac. The Calvert Cliffs are geologically unique. Occurring along the Calvert County portion of the Chesapeake Bay, these are clay cliffs that range in height from just a few feet to over thirty feet. In many spots, several layers of fossil strata are clearly visible, testament to the sea life that thrived here during periods of increased sea levels. The D-Day invasions were practiced here due to the cliff's similarity to those on the French coast. Southern Maryland is particularly known for its many different kind of fossilized shark's teeth, especially those of Megalodon, an extinct relative of the Great White Shark that grew up to 60 feet long and which was probably the largest shark that ever lived. Megalodon teeth can be up to six inches long.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Southern Maryland
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Southern Maryland - updated May 2024
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Southern Maryland Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
