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Maroons: Native American and Escaped Slaves Living Their Lives in the Dismal Swamp

Interesting research supported by the finding of artifacts in the Dismal Swamp has shown that from 1607 to 1730, Native Americans such as from the Nansemond, Meherrin, Tuscarora, and Chesapeake tribes lived in the Dismal swamp out of a need to survive situations that came with colonization such as violence and the spread of life-threatening illnesses.  . Also taking refuge in the thick vegetation and oppressive swamp conditions of the Dismal Swamp, black slaves fled nearby plantations from the 17th century to the mid-19th century and established communities there for generations. These escaped slaves are called Maroons and research continues to uncover information about their existence and way of life in what many believed was an uninhabitable environment.  Native American people and the escaped slaves both lived in the Dismal swamp for a time, but the time came when it was the black maroons who were the majority of peoples living their lives with families in the Dismal swamp....
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Dismal Swamp's History of Having Pure Water Carried on Colonial Ships

The Dismal  Swamp’s water is amazingly pure because the tannic acids from the bark of the juniper, cypress, and gum trees inhibit bacterial growth in the water. That is the reason the water is amber-colored. The water from the Dismal Swamp was valued by Colonial era sailors on sailing ships before there was refrigeration because the swamp water in kegs remained fresh for extended periods due to its characteristics.   Some sailors professed to drinking  the water because they believed it prevented sickness and could lead to a longer life. Reports came back that the water tasted good with some reports that it reminded the sailors of sassafras tea which also contains tannins. There were ships that stocked up on the Dismal Swamp water by storing it in wooden kegs before heading on the long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean with expectations that the water would last until they needed it.
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Commercial Importance of Great Dismal Swamp in It's History

One of the prominent features of the Great Dismal Swamp area is the canal and it's dramatic setting. The canal has many stories, including its business story.  George Washington's company became interested in the area, seeing it as an opportunity for farming, once the swamp was drained.  That wasn't successful, but the juniper trees were a resource for making juniper shingles and this was profitable. A canal was built to transport the shingles and other wood products that would then be sold and shipped out.  The Dismal Swamp Canal is still there and you will see recreational boats traveling up the canal, which is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
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Dismal Swamp Canal Trail

This out and back trail for walking, jogging, cycling, etc.  You will occasionally see people on horseback as well.  It is 8.3 miles of paved road and is actually a section of  the former Rt. 17 before the new Route 17 was built.  The trail is quiet, tree-lined, and parallels the Dismal Swamp Canal. Near the stateline between Virginia and North Carolina, this trail is such a pleasure to use. You can't even see the nearby Rt. 17 most of the time because the woods makes you feel secluded and away from suburbia. Enter the trail on the Virginia side where there is plenty of parking, park information, and a tall wood carving of a Black Bear to greet you at the start of the trail.  There are still some buildings along the trail which give you a feel for the history of the era when this was an important community for people employed on the canal, in logging, peat harvesting, and other jobs associated with this area. The Great Dismal Swamp National Refuge is just...
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The Lake of the Dismal Swamp - a Ballad by Thomas Moore 1779 -1852

    There is a story of an Indian maiden died just before her wedding and she has been seen paddling her white canoe across Lake Drummond  in the middle of the Great Dismal Swamp . From this tale, Thomas Moore wrote a poem while he was in Norfolk, VA in 1803. Thomas Moore was born in Dublin, Ireland and later lived in England. In addition to his poetry, he is know for his satires and political writing.  Thomas Moore's friends included Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. The Lake of the Dismal Swamp        by Thomas Moore 1779-1852 “They made her a grave, too cold and damp For a soul so warm and true; And she’s gone to the Lake of the Dismal Swamp, Where, all night long, by a fire-fly lamp, She paddles her white canoe. “And her fire-fly lamp I soon shall see, And her paddle I soon shall hear; Long and loving our life shall be, And I’ll hide the maid in a cypress tree, When the footstep of death is near.” Away to the Dismal Swamp he speeds— His ...
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