Calvert Beach-Long Beach in Calvert County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
All About Net-Tarring
Since pound-nets remained in the water for months at a time, the fishermen coated the netting with a preservative to prevent rot and fouling. Flag Ponds fishermen used melted tar for this purpose, setting up several net-tarring stations in the woods.
Here they built huge wooden boxes with galvanized metal bottoms, under which a fire burned to melt tar.
1️⃣ Heating the tar to just the right temperatureso that it evenly coated the nets without burning themwas a crucial part of the process. While some fishermen could tell by touch, others tested the tar by throwing a potato into the box; if the potato floated, they judged the tar ready to use.
2️⃣ The fishermen put one section of netting into the tar box at a time.
3️⃣ When a section was thoroughly coated, they dragged the heavy, wet netting out of the tar box.
4️⃣ They then hauled the tar-covered netting onto a slanted platform to drain.
5️⃣ This done, they pulled the netting onto a second platform where they rigged it with floats and weights to become a pound-net.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels.
Location.
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Regionally, this marker is in Southern Maryland. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, 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 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Fisherman's Trail (a few steps from this marker); Shanty Living at Flag Ponds (within shouting distance of this marker); Tons of Fish Tons of Work (within shouting distance of this marker); All About Flag Ponds Shoreline (within shouting distance of this marker); North Ridge Trail (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); St. Leonard Creek (approx. 2 miles away); Early Settlements (approx. 2 miles away); Brewhouse (approx. 2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Calvert Beach-Long Beach.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 3, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 3, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 28 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 3, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
