Chestertown in Kent County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Gilbert Byron
1903 - 1991
| | Echo Hill Outdoor School | |
Born and raised in Chestertown, Maryland, Gilbert Byron was an author and teacher. His work includes hundreds of poems, novels, short stories and newspaper columns, inspired by the Chester River and its mother, Chesapeake Bay.
The son of a waterman's family, Byron's writing was shaped by the culture, people and tidal landscapes of Delmarva Peninsula. Byron, a graduate of local schools and Washington College, used the vernacular of his world to colorfully communicate his observations and reflections for more than eight decades.
In collections of poetry like These Chesapeake Men (1942) and novels like The Lord's Oysters (1957), Byron's artistry and authenticity established him as one of the region's foremost authors.
Did you know?
He built his cabin for $133.17. It had no electricity, heat, or running water.
These Chesapeake Men
From Chesapeake men I come,
These men a sun-tanned, quiet breed,
With eyes of English blue and faces
Lines with many a watch of sunlit waters;
These men with cautious mouths and lazy stride,
Grizzled-chinned, hip-booted, oil-skinned men;
These men, they fear the Chesapeake,
And they would not leave her.
Down to the bay they go,
Top-sailed schooner,one-masted skipjack,
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Canoe-sterned bugeye, sails full;
Rowing a garvey, sculling a skiff,
Poling a scow, and, if they must
Pounding along in a bateau powered
With a one cylinder engine.
They seek the imperial shad and the lowly crab,
The oyster, the weakfish, the turtle, the rockfish,
The muskrat, the eel, the terrapin, diamondbacked,
The clam, the blue fish, the wild duck
And food for their souls
Which they sometimes find.
In the calling of the wild duck,
In the mating of the kingfisher,
In the sloughing of the soft crab,
In the softness of the water's touch,
In the flight of the great blue heron,
In the sculling of the oar,
In the passing schools of fish,
In the belly of the sail,
In the hauling of the seine,
In the taste of oysters raw,
In the soaring fish-hawk's wings,
In the touch of southwest wind,
In the little waves that break,
In the surge against the prow,
In the cliffs of yellow clay
In the setting of the sun,
In the quest of quiet harbor
In the Chesapeake.
Fun Facts with the Captain
Forsaking traditional comforts and family life, Byron personified the starving artist. He spent 45 years living in a small cabin he built himself on San Domingo Creek, near St. Michaels.
Today,
Erected by Echo Hill Outdoor School.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Communications • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 39° 12.361′ N, 76° 3.79′ W. Marker is in Chestertown, Maryland, in Kent County. It is on Cannon Street east of High Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 98 Cannon St, Chestertown MD 21620, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Eastern Shore. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic, on the Delmarva Peninsula, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Spirit & Twilight (here, next to this marker); Elsworth (a few steps from this marker); Scott's Point (a few steps from this marker); Tomorrow's Chesapeake Bay (a few steps from this marker); Annie D (a few steps from this marker); Steamboats on the Chester River (a few steps from this marker); Stanley Vansant (within shouting distance of this marker); Bateau Ric (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chestertown.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 173 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 26, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
