Great Dismal Swamp

Located in Southeastern Virginia (south of Norfolk), the Great Dismal Swamp is one of the last great remaining wildernesses in the eastern portion of the United States. This great swamp also includes Lake Drummond, which is one of only two natural lakes throughout the entire state of Virginia. The swamp is believed to be the result of the last great continental shift; Lake Drummond’s history is more disputed. Some scientists believe that a meteor crashed into this area, because the Lake’s form is consistent with the shapes produced by meteor impacts. Other scientists believe that a great peat fire created the lake, which is possible because underneath the entire swamp is a thick layer of peat (a highly flammable material). Interestingly enough, the Native Americans that lived in this area believe that Lake Drummond was created by a “fire bird”…coincidence? Perhaps not.

The Great Dismal swamp is massive in size, somewhere around 110,000 acres, almost 172 square miles – massive! The “Dismal” portion of the name is very misleading though - this swamp is quite alive, and most people find it beautiful. However, it is easy to see why this place was unsettling to earlier explorers and people to this day – tall eerie cypress trees, evergreens, and moss do provided a slightly spooky atmosphere to the entire region.

Prior to the mid 1700’s, the few European settlers that did venture into this great swamp were none to thrilled with its environment. It took a revolutionary thinker, George Washington, to appreciate the beauty and potential usefulness of the swamp. George Washington had a plan to make a canal from Lake Drummond / Chesapeake Bay to connect to Albemarle Sound in North Carolina. His plans were deterred by this little event called the Revolutionary War (you may have heard of it?), but in 1805 the canal was completed. Once this became accessible, people started to explore The Great Dismal Swamp and the lore and stories that accompanied this swamp began to take hold of the public’s imagination.

The swamp has most famously been featured by artists such as Harriet Beecher Stowe (Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp) and William Styron (The Confessions of Nat Turner, a Pulitzer prize winner). These two literary works centered on Runaway Slaves living in The Great Dismal Swamp – at one time, it was estimated over 1,000 runaway slaves were hiding in this gigantic bog. With such a difficult land to search, slaves were relatively protected in this habitat, but meeking out a living was very difficult.

Once the Civil War was over, the Great Dismal Swamp was no longer used as an oasis on the quest for freedom – commercial interests began to take hold of the area. Logging was highly profitable; in fact, the entire swamp has been logged at least once. In 1974 the Great Dismal Swamp was dedicated to the Nature Conservancy. Although smaller in size than its native form (although the swamp is large now, it was almost double the size originally). This wildlife Refuge contains animals such as migrating birds, otters, bats, deer, foxes, bears, bobcats, snakes, and amphibians. The protected land has ensured overdevelopment will not affect these areas; the environment is thriving with minimal human intervention.

If you are visiting the Great Dismal Swamp, bring a camera! There are many unique photo opportunities here. In addition, there is hiking and biking (please stick to the trails), kayaking, and boat tours. If you wish to go fishing in Lake Drummond, which is open year round, you need a Virginia Fishing License. Deer hunting is allowable during the fall, but you need a license. People love to go boating on this lake and explore the surroundings. There are nature study classes here and painting and photography classes as well.

The Great Dismal Swamp is the type of natural habitat that is disappearing at an alarming rate. Virginia is one of the only places left in America to experience wetlands on such a grand scale. If you are in the Chesapeake Bay region, we at www.virginiatouristsguide.com highly recommend you visit this natural wonder.




Virginia Tourists Guide - The Great Dismal Swamp