St. Michaels in Talbot County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
What is a waterman?
Watermen and their families have worked on the Bay for hundreds of years. To succeed, they must be flexible. Their living depends on their ability to adapt to variations in the weather, seasonal migration of the catch, and the marketplace.
[Additional plaque below:]
A waterman's shanty
This building is a replica of a Chesapeake Bay crabber's shanty. Tool shed, work room, and gathering place, it is where he plans the season, prepares gear, tends the catch, tells tales with friends, and, on occasion, just hides out.
"When a man's worked the water all his life, he'll just keep coming back, even if it's to sit around the dock."
Waterman quoted by John Whitehead in Watermen of the Chesapeake.
Erected by Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 38° 47.307′ N, 76° 13.242′ W. Marker is in St. Michaels, Maryland, in Talbot County. Marker can be reached from
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Pot Pie Skiff (a few steps from this marker); Martha (a few steps from this marker); Tools of the Oystermen (a few steps from this marker); Old Point (within shouting distance of this marker); Katie G., Deadrise Workboat (within shouting distance of this marker); Winnie Estelle (within shouting distance of this marker); Fishing Shanty / Ark (within shouting distance of this marker); Kennedy M. Fitzgerald (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Michaels.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 24, 2019
3. What is a waterman? and A waterman's shanty
Credits. This page was last revised on July 6, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 26, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 138 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 26, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
