Landowners in the 1700’s considered the marsh to be more of a liability than an asset. One owner of this property, Dr. Nathaniel Luff, wrote of becoming sick after "breathing the noxious exhalation of its mephetic vapor." He probably would not have been troubled to learn that increasing human use of the marsh was changing its character.

Today we appreciate wetlands for their beauty as well as their value in providing wildlife habitat, recreational and commercial opportunities, and protection from storm surges and flooding.

An Ideal Habitat

These wetlands have long provided an ideal habitat for an abundant population of flies and mosquitoes. If you are visiting in the warm months, this fact may be painfully obvious. If you have not encountered any insects on your visit, perhaps the words of John Dickinson will make you grateful.

In Silent Testimony

In John Dickinson’s time, the majority of houses and farm buildings in the area were built of log and frame construction. Wood was also the primary source of fuel for home use. European settlers continued to clear woodlands for the creation of farms and by the 1800’s, deforestation had taken its toll. Only remnants remained of once endless forests. Fortunately, someone made the decision to spare this large black gum tree. It now stands in silent testimony to the decisions which have affected this land over the years.

This page last updated