Between Potomac Creek and Port Tobacco River, the Potomac turns northeasterly for approximately 20 miles. As the river moves toward the Chesapeake the salinity of the water continues to increase.
Nanjemoy Marsh is home to one of the largest colonies of great blue herons on the East Coast. Across the river, Caledon Natural Area State Park is a home to one of the East Coast's largest populations of summering bald eagles.
The Port Tobacco area was once one of the most important Tobacco Ports on the river. While the Port Tobacco River was once easily navigable, it is now primarily marsh. This was caused by the "slash and burn" agriculture employed in the early cultivation of tobacco. Once the land was left bare, rains eroded the soil and the runoff slowly filled in the river.
Below Port Tobacco, Zekiah Swamp at the headwaters of the Wicomico River harbored John wilkes Booth after his assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater in Washington. After escaping Washington, Booth fled through the swamp in an attempt to elude the authorities. He crossed the river twice more before his ultimate capture in Caroline County, VA.
|
