Scotland in St. Mary's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Wooden Spar Buoy
Shaped like tapered telephone poles, spar buoys (like this replica) were the most common buoy type found on the Chesapeake Bay before World War II. They also made up the majority of buoys repaired at Point Lookout.
Made of white cedar and measuring 30 to 50 feet in length, spar buoys were usually painted black or red and marked with numbers. They were placed along the bay's main channel and its many navigable tributaries, such as the Potomac River.
Erected by Maryland Park Service; Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Exploration • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 38° 2.314′ N, 76° 19.329′ W. Marker is in Scotland, Maryland, in St. Mary's County. It can be reached from Point Lookout Road (Maryland Route 5) 2.3 miles south of 3rd Way, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10344 Point Lookout Rd, Scotland MD 20687, United States of America. Touch for directions.
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 walking distance of this marker: New Buoy Technology (here, next to this marker); Rough Treatment (here, next to this marker); The Bay Is a Sunken River (here, next to this marker); From Buoys to Barracks
this page online
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 11, 2026
2. Several markers on display in the open-air shed
Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 14, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 14, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
