Scotland in St. Mary's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Keeping the Buoys Seaworthy
Repairing buoys was monotonous and repetitive, but important. Using a scraper and a lot of elbow grease, keepers removed the old paint and barnacles, then applied a new coat. Iron parts, number boards, channel lights and bells were likely fixed aboard buoy tenders.
For many years, the Point Lookout keeper went about repair work alone. Family members sometimes helped. Eventually the Lighthouse Service provided funds for an additional laborer and, finally in 1928, an assistant keeper.
Erected by Maryland Park Service; Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1928.
Location. 38° 2.312′ N, 76° 19.324′ W. Marker is in Scotland, Maryland, in St. Mary's County. It can be reached from Point Lookout Road (Maryland Route 5) 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.
this page online
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, in the Chesapeake Bay Region, and on the Eastern Seaboard. 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: Buoys and Beacons of the Chesapeake Bay (here, next to this marker); Rough Treatment (here, next to this marker); It Takes More Than Lighthouses (here, next to this marker); New Buoy Technology (here, next to this marker); The Wooden Spar Buoy (here, next to this marker); The Bay Is a Sunken River (a few steps from this marker); From Buoys to Barracks (a few steps from this marker); Point Lookout Radio Room (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Scotland.
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 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 15, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1. submitted on April 15, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on April 14, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
