74:
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298:, "Run-away(s) have resided in these places for twelve, twenty, or thirty years and upwards, subsisting themselves upon corn, hogs, and fowls that they raised on some of the spots not perpetually under water, nor subject to be flooded, as forty-nine parts out of fifty are; and on such spots they have erected habitations and cleared small fields around them." Excavations reveal island communities existing until the
270:, while leading a land survey to establish a boundary between the Virginia and North Carolina colonies, made many observations of the swamp, none of them favorable; he is credited with naming it the Dismal Swamp. At this time, the swamp was estimated to cover around 2,000 square miles. Settlers did not appreciate the ecological importance of wetlands. In 1763,
281:
Based on archeological findings, Native
American communities fled to the Swamp for refuge from the colonial frontier. Along with the Native American communities, there were also multiple populations of Africans and African Americans taking refuge in the Swamp in early American History, many of them
174:
and other human activities devastated the swamp's ecosystems. The refuge was officially established through the Dismal Swamp Act of 1974, and consists of over 167 square miles (433 square km) of forested wetlands. Outside the boundaries of the refuge, the state of North
Carolina has preserved and
354:
groups across the United States began demanding the preservation of the remaining Great Dismal Swamp and restoration of its wetlands, by then understood as critical habitat for a wide variety of birds, animals, plants, and other living things. This area is along the
321:
was authorized by
Virginia in 1787 and by North Carolina in 1790. Construction began in 1793 and was completed in 1805. The canal, as well as a railroad constructed through part of the swamp in 1830, enabled the harvest of timber. The canal deteriorated after the
409:
that once existed in the swamp, including its water resources, native vegetation communities, and wildlife species. Water control structures in the ditches help conserve and manage water, while forest management activities that simulate the ecological effects of
139:, is located in the heart of the swamp. Lake Drummond is a circular body of water, and is one of only two naturally occurring freshwater lakes in Virginia. Along the Great Dismal Swamp's eastern edge runs the
67:. Some estimates place the original size of the swamp at over one million acres (4,000 km). As of 2022 the size of the Great Dismal Swamp is around 750 square miles (480,000 acres; 1,900 km).
294:
by the year 1860. They were able to find shelter, community and society in the swamp that was not readily available in the world outside the swamp. J.D. Smyth wrote of the maroons in his 1784 novel:
468:, and other tree species found on the refuge support the fauna within. In a survey undertaken from 1973 to 1976, some 334 plants from 100 plant families were found. The swamp is home to many
274:
visited the area, and he and others founded the Dismal Swamp
Company in a venture to drain the swamp and clear it for settlement. The company later turned to the more profitable goal of
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500:
species to be seen within the swamp throughout the year, including 96 nesting species, and birders are common within the prime birding months of April through June. Once home to
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and began to improve it. The canal remains the oldest operating artificial waterway in the country. Like the
Albemarle and Chesapeake canals, it is part of the Atlantic
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266:, the first governor of North Carolina, was the first European recorded as discovering the swamp's lake, which was subsequently named for him. In 1728,
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in the swamp, later recalled that there were whole families of maroons living in the Dismal Swamp, some of whom had never seen a White man. The
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A desolate Place for a
Defiant People: The Archaeology of Maroons, Indigenous Americans, and Enslaved Laborers in the Great Dismal Swamp
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is the center of activity in the swamp, attracting fishermen, sightseers, and boaters. Camping is not allowed on the refuge.
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are used to restore and maintain plant diversity. Wildlife is managed by ensuring the presence of required habitats, with
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through the Dismal Swamp Act of 1974. The refuge consists of almost 107,000 acres (430 km) of forested
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Archaeological evidence suggests varying cultures of humans have inhabited the swamp for 13,000 years. The
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empire extended to the northern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp around the time of the settling of
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is not entirely clear, as there is no apparent network of natural streams emptying into the lake.
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367:, with large land holdings in the area, donated just over 49,000 acres (200 km) of land to
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143:. The canal is 22 miles long, and was completed in 1805 to provide a pathway for trade between
1109:
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331:
1149:. Washington, D.C.: Washington, D.C. : U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. pp. 2–3.
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in 1973, in recognition of its unique combination of geological and ecological features.
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932:"Deep in the Swamps, Archaeologists Are Finding How Fugitive Slaves Kept Their Freedom"
830:"Deep in the Swamps, Archaeologists Are Finding How Fugitive Slaves Kept Their Freedom"
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375:. During this time, a 45,611-acre (184.58 km) portion of the swamp was declared a
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The refuge's resource management programs aim to restore and maintain the natural
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587:"Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service"
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in 1973 due to its unique combination of geological and ecological features.
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A 45,611-acre (184.58 km) remnant of the original swamp was declared a
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protected additional portions of the swamp through the establishment of the
504:, the swamp receives occasional vagrants from North Carolina to the south.
430:
406:
229:
77:
262:-speaking Native Americans of coastal tribes lived in the swamp. In 1665,
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191:
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was completed in 1858. In 1929, the United States
Government bought the
179:. That park protects 22 square miles (57 km) of forested wetland.
47:. It is located in parts of the southern Virginia independent cities of
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92:
493:
445:
342:
310:
Education
Pavilion, an exhibit set up to educate visitors about the
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419:
411:
395:
170:, donated 49,100 acres (19,900 ha) of land after centuries of
32:
1130:
A contribution towards a vascular flora of the Great Dismal Swamp.
258:, displacing the Chesapeake tribe residing there before. In 1650,
1074:"Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth"
716:. Gainesville, Florida: University Press of Florida. p. 85.
489:
415:
275:
194:. Prior to the maroons inhabiting the swamp, it was inhabited by
171:
1147:
Great Dismal Swamp : National
Wildlife Refuge : birds
1144:
971:
The Roving Editor: Or, Talks with Slaves in the
Southern States
485:
477:
469:
448:. The swamp harbors a wide range of plant and animal species.
186:, including enslaved people in the Southern states before the
481:
457:
28:
1128:
Musselman, L. J., Nickrent, D. L. & Levy, G. F. (1977)
1093:
10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2
497:
465:
371:, which the following year transferred the property to the
136:
1190:
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Official Site
1072:
Olson, D. M. & Dinerstein, , E.; et al. (2001).
686:. N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation. Archived from
563:"Great Dismal Swamp | region, United States | Britannica"
828:
Magazine, Smithsonian; Shelley, Richard Grant,Allison.
314:
who lived in the swamp, was opened February 24, 2012.
660:"Lake Drummond in Chesapeake VA | Great Dismal Swamp"
525:
List of National Natural Landmarks in North Carolina
151:
in North Carolina. The largest water supply for the
1206:
1049:. Great Outdoor Recreation Pages. Archived from
1250:Landforms of Pasquotank County, North Carolina
905:, January 22, 2011, Accessed January 31, 2011.
765:
520:List of National Natural Landmarks in Virginia
441:The Great Dismal Swamp lies wholly within the
346:Forested wetland within the Great Dismal Swamp
302:. Charlie, a maroon who worked illegally in a
1047:"Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge"
1235:National Natural Landmarks in North Carolina
1114:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
954:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
899:"The Thorny Path to a National Black Museum"
869:"Diasporan Exiles in the Great Dismal Swamp"
852:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
31:in the Coastal Plain Region of southeastern
973:. New York, NY: A. A. Burdick. p. 293.
827:
807:George Washington: A Biographical Companion
388:Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
160:Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
86:Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
1240:Landforms of Camden County, North Carolina
1065:
422:populations with available food supplies.
198:-speaking Native American coastal tribes.
1245:Landforms of Gates County, North Carolina
1159:
1091:
891:
788:
786:
784:
735:
733:
611:"Lakes, Dams, and Reservoirs in Virginia"
190:, and Native Americans who were escaping
1145:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2006).
1122:
1002:
887:– via Anthrosource Online Library.
633:
429:
398:, including the 3,100-acre (13 km)
341:
290:consisted of thousands of escaped Black
228:
212:
182:The swamp was a refuge location for the
91:
72:
70:Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina, US
55:and northern North Carolina counties of
16:For the area in central New Jersey, see
1162:"Herp Highlight #1: American Alligator"
968:
1230:National Natural Landmarks in Virginia
1207:
1028:
1026:
1024:
781:
768:"Lake Drummond and Great Dismal Swamp"
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39:in the eastern United States, between
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557:
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135:, a 3,100-acre (13 km) natural
1021:
359:of migrating species. In 1973, the
239:Great Dismal Swamp train derailment
219:Fugitive Slaves in the Dismal Swamp
13:
867:Sayer, Daniel (January 14, 2006).
390:was officially established by the
14:
1276:
1220:Landforms of Chesapeake, Virginia
1183:
1036:, pp. 328-29. The History Press.
1009:Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center
984:Agnew, Tracy (24 February 2012).
929:
805:Grizzard, Frank E., Jr. (2002).
796:, pp. 124–28. The History Press.
794:A History of Chesapeake, Virginia
702:
640:Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center
546:
1195:Great Dismal Swamp Official Site
930:Grant, Allison Shelley,Richard.
1153:
1138:
1039:
996:
986:"Officials cut ribbon in swamp"
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443:Middle Atlantic coastal forests
337:
1265:Underground Railroad locations
1225:Landforms of Suffolk, Virginia
1168:. Virginia Living Museum (VLM)
1032:Yarsinske, Amy Waters (2007).
759:
676:
652:
627:
603:
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373:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
324:Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal
45:Elizabeth City, North Carolina
1:
540:
437:within the Great Dismal Swamp
162:was created in 1973 when the
96:Map of the Great Dismal Swamp
1160:VLM Staff (April 30, 2016).
919:. London: Robson and Sewell.
792:Harper, Raymond L. (2008).
7:
917:A Tour in the United States
818:Traylor (2010), pp. 165–66.
513:
363:, a paper company based in
296:A Tour in the United States
282:fleeing slavery due to the
10:
1281:
745:National Natural Landmarks
530:Great Dismal Swamp Maroons
288:Great Dismal Swamp maroons
236:
208:
184:Great Dismal Swamp maroons
155:is through Lake Drummond.
15:
885:10.1525/tran.2006.14.1.10
873:Transforming Anthropology
684:"Dismal Swamp State Park"
377:National Natural Landmark
350:In the mid-20th century,
203:National Natural Landmark
18:Dismal Swamp (New Jersey)
1255:Swamps of North Carolina
233:Great Dismal Swamp Canal
969:Redpath, James (1859).
747:. National Park Service
664:www.visitchesapeake.com
496:species. There are 213
177:Dismal Swamp State Park
118:36.640876°N 76.451797°W
809:, pp. 86–87. ABC-CLIO.
712:Sayer, Daniel (2014).
615:www.virginiaplaces.org
462:Atlantic white cypress
438:
369:The Nature Conservancy
361:Union Camp Corporation
347:
234:
226:
164:Union Camp Corporation
97:
89:
1200:Another Official Site
915:Smyth, J.F.D (1784).
488:, as well as over 70
433:
418:used to balance some
381:National Park Service
345:
332:Intracoastal Waterway
237:Further information:
232:
216:
123:36.640876; -76.451797
95:
76:
834:Smithsonian Magazine
741:"Great Dismal Swamp"
308:Underground Railroad
284:Atlantic slave trade
147:, Virginia and the
1034:The Elizabeth River
990:Suffolk News Herald
766:Grymes, Charles A.
502:American alligators
224:David Edward Cronin
114: /
1260:Swamps of Virginia
1215:Great Dismal Swamp
903:The New York Times
567:www.britannica.com
535:Dismal Swamp Canal
439:
426:Contemporary swamp
365:Franklin, Virginia
348:
328:Dismal Swamp Canal
319:Dismal Swamp Canal
235:
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192:colonial expansion
188:American Civil War
168:Franklin, Virginia
153:Dismal Swamp Canal
141:Dismal Swamp Canal
98:
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25:Great Dismal Swamp
276:timber harvesting
272:George Washington
41:Norfolk, Virginia
35:and northeastern
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1170:. Retrieved
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688:the original
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472:, including
450:Bald cypress
440:
407:biodiversity
404:
385:
352:conservation
349:
338:Preservation
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78:Bald cypress
24:
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1135:79:240-268.
936:Smithsonian
591:www.fws.gov
474:black bears
304:lumber camp
222:, 1888, by
121: /
27:is a large
1209:Categories
1166:TheVLM.org
1079:BioScience
1014:2022-02-15
941:2019-06-25
839:2022-04-20
669:2022-04-21
645:2022-04-21
620:2022-04-20
596:2022-04-22
572:2022-04-20
541:References
435:Black bear
260:Algonquian
196:Algonquian
109:76°27′06″W
106:36°38′27″N
88:, Virginia
61:Pasquotank
49:Chesapeake
1005:"History"
636:"History"
494:amphibian
446:ecoregion
412:wildfires
300:Civil War
256:Jamestown
1172:April 8,
1102:26844434
1057:July 17,
950:cite web
848:cite web
694:July 17,
514:See also
420:wildlife
396:wetlands
286:. These
252:Powhatan
33:Virginia
1133:Rhodora
490:reptile
486:weasels
478:bobcats
470:mammals
416:hunting
379:by the
209:History
172:logging
53:Suffolk
1100:
879:: 12.
720:
484:, and
482:otters
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