Hooper's Island

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Hooper's Island, Maryland
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
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subdivision_name1 = Maryland
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population_as_of = 2000
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population_total = 441
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timezone = Eastern (EST)
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Hooper's Island is a chain of three islands in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. Upper Hooper’s Island, Middle Hooper’s Island and Lower Hooper’s Island are surrounded by water with the Chesapeake Bay on one side and the Honga River on the other side. This beautiful yet remote set of islands is full of a variety of wildlife and is well known for sport fishing and crabbing industries. Hooper's Island is one of the oldest settled areas in Maryland, rich in history and heart.

History

The early residents of what is now known as Hooper’s Island were the Yaocomaco People. According to some local folklore, the land was purchased from the Yaocomaco tribe for five woolen blankets. Flowers, Anna. "The Private World of Hooper's Island." The Skipper. V. 14, February 1954. p51 ]

Hooper’s Island is considered the oldest settled area in Dorchester County. [Simmons Hedberg Jaccqueline. Images of America, Hooper’s Island. Arcade Publishing, Charleston, SC 2007. p.7 ISBN 0738543829] The namesake of the islands is Henry Hooper. Hooper was friends with the Calverts, an important family many consider to be founders of the state of Maryland. In the mid-1600’s, parts of the islands were surveyed for Hooper. The first parcel of land was surveyed by Robert Clift and aptly titled Hooper’s Clifts. Mowbray, Calvin W. First Dorchester Families. Willow Bend Books, Westminster, Maryland. 2000. p. 63 ISBN 1585491993] An additional convert|400|acre|km2 of land was surveyed for Hooper later on in 1668. He received additional parcels of land in 1669 as well.

Though much of the land was claimed by the Hoopers, other families such as William Chaplin, Richard Bentley and Philip Shapeley owned major plots of land. In addition, some indentured servants such as Thomas Hooten and Daniel Puddiford received land. Cronin, William B. The Disappearing Islands of the Chesapeake. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 2005. p. 83 ISBN 0801874351]

The Hooper Family

The Hooper family made Dorchester County their family home in 1669.Jones, Elias. Revised History of Dorchester County Maryland. The Read Taylor Press, Baltimore, MD 1925. p. 123] Henry Hooper had a large family: he was married twice and had 14 children.Cronin, William B. The Disappearing Islands of the Chesapeake. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 2005. p. 84 ISBN 0801874351] Henry Hooper was one of the first commissioners of Dorchester County. [Huelle, Walter. Footnotes to Dorchester History. Tidewater Publishers, Cambridge, MD. 1969. p. 1 ISBN 0870331442] Many descendants of the original Henry Hooper followed in his footsteps and served on the Dorchester County legislature as well. Upon his death, Hooper left parcels of land, with names such as Hooper’s Chance, Hooper’s Lot, Hooper’s Fortune and Hooper’s Forrest to his children. [Mowbray, Calvin W. First Dorchester Families. Willow Bend Books, Westminster, Maryland. 2000. p. 65 ISBN 1585491993]

Isolation

Due to the geographical nature of Hooper's Island, the residents had to be self-sufficient and independent. Accordingly, the islanders maintained strong family and community ties. Once families moved to Hooper's Island, they stayed for generations. According to one source, for 300 years the population can be traced to just ten families. [Simmons Hedberg Jaccqueline. Images of America, Hooper’s Island. Arcade Publishing, Charleston, SC 2007. p.7 ISBN 0738543829] The outside world did not rapidly influence the way of life on the island. While in the 21st century, many places find it difficult to remain isolated, Hooper's Island maintains a sense of pride on their independence and self-sufficiency.

Geography

Hooper's Island is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The islands are situated on the south-west shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Dorchester County.

Hooper's Island is roughly convert|20|mi|km long and consists of three small islands. The islands are very narrow in many places and one can easily see water, the Chesapeake Bay and the Honga River, on both sides of Maryland Route 335 which travels through the islands. Cronin, William B. The Disappearing Islands of the Chesapeake. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 2005. p. 87 ISBN 0801874351]

Upper Hooper’s island is located at N. 38°20' W. 76°14 and Middle Hooper’s island is located at N. 38°16' W. 76°11. Lower Hooper’s Island is now a marshland.

Environment

The beauty of this land and its wildlife are being threatened. Erosion is a main factor as it reduces an average of convert|24.19|acre|m2 per year. Cronin, William B. The Disappearing Islands of the Chesapeake. John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 2005. p. 88 ISBN 0801874351] In addition, global warming, storm and flood damage and rising waters had and continue to have an affect on the environment and geography of the islands.

Since the early 1900’s, Lower Hooper’s Island is no longer inhabited. Prior to this, the island was home to the community of Applegarth which grew tremendously during the oyster boom in the 1880s. But due to erosion issues, the last resident was forced to leave Lower Hooper's Island in the late 1920s. For a short while, farmers continued to use the island to pasture their livestock. Unfortunately, a hurricane destroyed the bridge to Lower Hooper’s Island in 1933 and was never rebuilt.

Another section of Hooper’s Island has also been affected. Swan Island, originally owned by the indentured servant, Thomas Hooten, has almost disappeared but some of the buildings still stand.

For now, the islands are filled with wild geese and ducks throughout the marshlands.Arnett, Earl, Robert J. Brugger & Edward C. Papenfuse. Maryland, A New Guide to the Old Line State. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, 1999. p. 202 ISBN 0801859808] Little and great blue herons, American oyster catchers, double-crested cormorants, willets, herring gulls, Forster's common, royal, and least terns, black ducks, gadwalls and the boat-tailed grackle can all be found in and around Hooper’s Island.

Hooper's Island, along with the rest of the Chesapeake Bay region, is being threatened. While there are many efforts that are employed to combat negative effects, the results of global warming are harming the industry, the wildlife, the environment and ultimately the overall well-being of its islands and residents.

Life on Hooper’s Island

The US Census Bureau recorded the population for Hooper’s Island at 441 when taken for the 2000 census.

Most of the islands’ residents live in the communities of Honga, Fishing Creek and Hoopersville. Honga and Fishing Creek can be found on Upper Hooper’s Island while the southern most village, Hoopersville, is found on Middle Hooper’s Island. As a reflection of life on the islands, oyster boats, tonging craft and crab houses are visible across the landscape.

Events

The islanders hosts many impressive and enduring social events. One such event involves fishing as Hooper’s Island is a sport- fishing paradise. Since 1973, the William T. Ruark Fishing Tournament is considered the island's largest event. Other events such as the Arts and Crafts Auction and Bazaar and the Ronald McGlaughline Artisans Fair are community affairs that draw residents and visitors alike.

Community

There is a strong sense of community amongst the islanders. One endearing story painted the people and community of Hooper's Island in a very positive light: "strongly independent" "stout-heated" "self-sufficient", great "sense of community" and "fellowship.” [Flowers, Anna. "The Private World of Hooper's Island." The Skipper. V. 14, February 1954. p. 17-18 ] Between a strong work ethic and family ties, the community is a strong force that has weathered some negative publicity and difficult times. One such example occurred in the mid-20th century.

In 1954 there was a crabber’s strike. Because of the large amount of crabs in the Bay, the price had been so reduced that the fisherman weren't making any money off their catches. Therefore, the crabbers went on strike. Usually strikes are organized by a union who would conduct negotiations in order to improve conditions. For this strike, there wasn’t any organized union which promoted the strike but just a tight-knit group of fisherman who wanted their voices heard. Because this strike was not employed by a union, a Baltimore Sun editorial portrayed the crabbers as lazy, uncivilized and uncooperative. In response to this editorial, the Organization of the Volunteer Fire Company sent an eloquent response. ["Trouble in Crabdom." The Baltimore Sun. July 20, 1954. "The Reply from Hooper's Island." The Baltimore Sun. August 2, 1954. Information found in the vertical files at the Enoch Pratt Library in Baltimore, MD] This response addressed the negative press the fishermen and the communities received, showing how the fisherman and the communities pride themselves on keeping up with modern ideas, that they were civilized and did not need to utilize unions to work together and make improvement to their lives.

Industry

Originally, the main industry on the island was crops. Hooper's Island was mainly known for tobacco crops but during the American Revolution, vegetables and grains were also grown.

Today, most people who live on Hooper's Island have some connection to the fishing industry. The local families make a living as crabbers, oyster tongers and seafood packers. Unfortunately because of many factors such as water pollution, this type of industry is on the decline. The number of crabs has been decreasing at an alarming rate and legislative has enacted a number of laws in order to slow the downfall of the crabbing industry. As of April 2008, the governors of Maryland and Virginia considered cutting the number of harvested female crabs by one-third. According to an article in The Baltimore Sun, the crabbers of Maryland are not happy with this direction as it might force some waterman out of the business. [Guy, Chris & Rona Kobell. " [http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.governors16apr16,0,3618625.story Governors act to cut harvest of crabs] ", The Baltimore Sun", April 16 2008. Retrived on 2008-05-12.]

Points of interest

Off the shores of Upper and Middle Hooper’s Island is the Hooper’s Island Lighthouse. This lighthouse was built in 1906 and is only one of eleven pneumatic caisson lighthouses in the United States.

For over ten years, the Phillips Seafood Factory has opened its doors to visitors. Many companies offer tours of Phillips Seafood Factory which is located on Hooper’s Island. It is at this factory that blue crabs are processed. Phillips Seafood is a well-known company that owns and operates seafood restaurants throughout the east coast.

Nearby is the scenic Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The drive through this marshland is short but wildlife abounds including bald eagles.

Interesting Facts

*During the 1700s piracy was rampant in the Chesapeake Bay. As boats, filled with supplies, were headed towards the top of the Bay, they were attacked by pirates who had been hiding in the many tributaries. Lord Dunmore, one of the more infamous pirates, created such mayhem that Henry Hooper, IV, in 1780, asked the Governor of Maryland for assistance to stop the plundering.

*An area on the islands, called Meekens’ Neck, is the sight of the first Catholic Church in Dorchester County. St. Mary Star of this Sea was built in 1769.

*There was a steamboat service that went up to Baltimore from the mid 1880s until 1929 The trip left Hoopersville in the late afternoon and arrived in Baltimore at 3:30 a.m. Today, it takes a little less than three hours to drive between Hooper’s Island and Baltimore.

References

External links

* [http://www.cheslights.org/heritage/hoopers-isl.htm United States Lighthouse Society, Chesapeake Chapter]
* [http://oldhigraveyard.homestead.com/index.html The Old Hooper's Island Graveyard]
* [http://www.tourdorchester.org/attraction.php?attraction=251&category=85&ac=251,85 Dorchester County Tourism]
* [http://www.sawyercharters.com/sawyertours.htm Sawyer Tours and Cruises, Hooper's Island, MD]
* [http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=3997 The Historical Marker Database]
* [http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homev3 Chesapeake Bay Foundation]