Original subtitles

(wind blowing)

(dramatic music)

- Our journey begins at the popular beach resort

of Ocean City.

Crossing the peninsula,

we stop at the fishing town of Crisfield,

nicknamed Crab Capital of the World.

On Chesapeake Bay's opposite shore,

lies the historic St. Mary's City.

Once, the state capital.

Back across the water, we find the dense marshlands

of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.

It's then onto St. Michaels,

which after the War of Independence,

came to be known as the town that fooled the British.

Flying north, we visit Maryland's

present-day capital, Annapolis.

Home to the U.S. Naval Academy.

We conclude our journey at Fort McHenry,

whose flag gave rise to the United States National Anthem.

(tranquil music)

This is Ocean City.

Located on Maryland's Atlantic coast,

its 16 kilometer stretch of sandy beach,

draws nearly eight million visitors a year.

For two centuries, Ocean City was a small fishing village,

until the tourist trade boomed in the 1870s.

Beachside cottages and boarding houses soon lined the shore.

But most of these early structures

have fallen victim to hurricanes or fires.

But not all acts of nature over the years

have been detrimental.

A powerful storm in 1933 ripped open the shoreline

and created a new inlet.

This led to additional recreational

and real estate opportunities,

as well as Ocean City's establishment

as a premiere sport fishing destination.

For excitement without the danger of getting wet,

Trimper's Amusements has provided the boardwalk's visitors

with games and rides since 1912.

The city's boardwalk has grown from a collaboration

of three neighboring hotel owners in 1900,

to a four-kilometer stretch of modern hotels,

shops and restaurants.

We leave the hustle and bustle of Ocean City

for the subdued beauty

of the Assateague Island National Seashore.

This protected coastal ecosystem

is comprised of more than 65 kilometers

of white, sandy beaches.

These islands serve as a vital resting and feeding point

for more than 320 species of migratory shore birds.

Our next destination is commonly referred to

as the Crab Capital of the World.

Crisfield.

Famous for its prized blue crab,

the city has long been an important supplier of seafood.

In 1854, an official scientific survey

discovered large numbers of oyster beds

in the waters off the coast.

When the railroad was completed twelve years later,

the town was forever changed by access

to newly-acquired seafood markets.

Crisfield soon became the leading oyster producer

in the U.S.

By 1904, it was Maryland's second largest city.

In order to accommodate growth,

crushed, compacted oyster shells were used

to fill in the swampland,

and large sections of the town still exist

on top of this man-made foundation.

At its peak in 1910, the custom house here

held the largest listing of sailing vessels

of any port in the U.S.

The small cove was popular

among early sailors and sea captains,

because it offered protection from harsh weather.

Sixteen kilometers off the coast, we find another area

renowned for its raw beauty and abundance of marine life.

Smith Island is 3,200 hectares of marshy archipelago.

The 400 year old fishing village of Ewell,

located on the north side,

is the largest of the island's three small towns.

It has a permanent population of a mere 240,

and can be only reached by ferry.

Smith Island is Maryland's only inhabited offshore island.

Despite its limited accessibility,

a burgeoning tourist trade has emerged

over the past few years in the small, isolated community.

The influx of nearly 5,000 visitors per year,

occurs mostly during the height of the crabbing season.

It has been quite an adjustment for local residents.

Visitors are drawn to the island

for its rugged natural beauty,

and the quaint small villages.

Like generations of fishermen before,

we know head into the heart of Chesapeake Bay.

A comet impact, glaciers, and other geological activity

over tens of millions of years,

have carved out the bay's vast inlets and peninsulas.

On one such spit of land,

flanked between the bay and the Potomac River,

we find Point Lookout State Park.

During the American Civil War,

more than 52,000 Confederate soldiers were held

at a prison located on these grounds.

Our journey now takes us further up the Potomac River.

Along the vast assortment of creeks and inlets,

the serene shores display evidence

of the area's long agricultural history.

Tobacco was once the main focus of early agriculture.

But today, it's corn and soy beans

that are Maryland's most abundant crops.

In a region so rich in early Colonial history,

one of the state's most significant places,

is St. Mary's City.

The site exists today as a carefully reconstructed

living history museum.

Maryland's oldest city once served

as the Colonies' first capital.

It was abandoned after the capital was moved

to Annapolis in 1695.

Remains they concealed under field of farmland,

virtually undisturbed for 300 years.

The result is a unique archeological resource.

Which offers a rare glimpse of early American life.

The colony of Maryland was established

at the height of the Protestant and Catholic conflict.

The first governor instituted

a policy of religious freedom,

and no official faith was declared.

A very progressive idea at the time.

Nearby, St. Mary's college has undergone several changes.

It began as a girls' boarding school in 1840.

Today, this academy is one of the top

public liberal arts universities in the nation.

Situated on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay,

we find a more recent addition to Maryland's history,

Patuxent Naval Air Station.

The installment is a 2,500 hectare complex,

that extends across 20 kilometers of shoreline,

at the mouth of the Patuxent River.

The facility is home to the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.

As well as numerous facilities dedicated to

aeronautical testing and technology development.

More than 140 different types of aircraft

are flown at the location.

The base averages 200,000 air operations each year.

Within a controlled airspace range

that stretches across 13,000 square kilometers.

Aside from the occasional rumble of a passing jet,

the shores of Chesapeake Bay are lined

with peaceful clusters of homes and quiet neighborhoods.

A far cry from the bay's darker past.

Pirates roamed these waters for nearly 200 years.

The first recorded act of piracy occurred in 1635.

And further marauding continued

throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.

Although pirates are no longer a concern for boaters,

the sea still presents a few surprises on occasion.

Like this mysterious bullet-ridden old tramp steamer.

The World War Two vessel, American Mariner,

has served as a target for pilot training missions

for over forty years.

Eventually, the ship will join its predecessor,

which has since been blasted beneath the water.

Our journey continues along the bay's eastern shore,

to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.

Established in 1933, it incorporates 10,000 hectares

of dense tidal marsh.

The area is a vital resting place for ducks and geese,

as they travel along the migration corridor,

known as the Atlantic Flyway.

As many as 50,000 birds take refuge here,

during the month of November.

Fur farms flourished in the 19th century

due to an abundance of muskrats.

But these have long since disappeared.

Along with wooded areas, that were almost entirely felled.

Efforts are now underway to plant new trees

and reforest the area.

And although these marshlands provide refuge

for wildlife today,

they once served in an even more significant capacity,

by providing refuge for escaped slaves.

Harriet Tubman is one of the most revered

and admired figures in American history.

She was born into slavery

in the Blackwater Marsh area in 1822,

and escaped from slavery at the age of 27.

She risked her life, assisting countless people,

as they made their escape along the secret route

of safe houses, and hidden trails.

She is known as the Moses of her people.

Harriet Tubman lived near Bucktown,

a thriving village in the mid 19th century.

The Bucktown village store is commonly believed

to be the location of her first act of defiance.

The story goes that sometime around 1835,

Tubman was outside near the building,

where she refused to assist an overseer

trying to subdue a fellow slave.

She was violently attacked,

and received a blow to her head

that resulted in a fractured skull,

and lifelong health problems.

Over time, the store fell into disrepair.

But it's been carefully restored in recent years.

(guitar music)

Life in Chesapeake Bay has been greatly shaped

not only by open sea,

but also by the vast network of 100,000 rivers and streams

that thread across the river basin.

The area stretches across 165,000 square kilometers

over six separate states.

As well as a fluctuating natural environment,

human activity has also had a big effect on the coastline.

Discovery of ancient tools on the seabed

dating back 10,000 years,

suggest that at one time, much of what we see today,

was in fact dry land, inhabited by Native Americans.

But when European colonists arrived around 400 years ago,

they brought with them, farming practices that involved

clearing vast areas of dense vegetation.

Not only did it lay the shoreline vulnerable to erosion,

but it also allowed unhindered runoff from higher ground

to endanger many of the wetlands and rivers.

Today over 2,000 kilometers

of Chesapeake Bay's coastal shores,

are subject to erosion.

And another 5,000 kilometers may be at risk.

The natural habitats provided by the tidal marshes

between open water and upland,

have also been affected by agriculture.

An estimated half of Maryland's wetlands have been lost,

mostly drained for farming use.

Increased awareness over the past 30 years

has led to coordinated efforts

between government and conservation groups.

Today, a number of erosion control measures

have been taken to protect these endangered shores.

Tucked away amongst the myriad of islands

is the popular summer holiday destination of St. Michaels.

Today, this calm and peaceful resort

belies its beginnings as a busy trading post

for tobacco farmers and fur trappers

in the mid 17th century.

St. Michaels is a favorite among boating enthusiasts.

And one of the town's most popular attractions

is the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.

Its collection of 85 vessels is one of the largest

and most important of its kind in the world.

The museum is also home to the Hooper Strait Lighthouse,

built in 1879.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries,

the economy of St. Michaels relied on shipbuilding

and seafood processing.

But tourism has emerged as a primary industry

over the past 30 years.

An estimated 100,000 people visit the city each year

to relax and experience the city's rich history.

One defining moment was during the War of 1812,

between the U.S. and Great Britain.

In anticipation of an attack, residents hoisted lanterns

into the trees beyond the darkened city,

causing the British to overshoot their cannon fire.

St. Michaels has since been called

the town that fooled the British.

Maritime travel has always been integral to life here.

Navigating the water was the only way to cross it.

That was until the construction

of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge,

that's closest to us.

When the six and a half kilometer crossing

opened in 1952,

it was the largest, continuous over-water steel structure

in the world.

In 1956, over a million cars

crossed the long-awaited thoroughfare.

As traffic increased, it was soon clear

that an additional bridge was needed.

The westbound span was completed in 1973.

And by the 1990s, an estimated 20 million cars

traveled across the dual bridge every year.

A century ago, the bridge was still just a distant dream.

Speculation about a possible bridge began

as early as the 1880s.

But the first official report

was commissioned around 1907.

As the years passed, whenever plans were made,

some unforeseen event thwarted them.

The stock market crash of 1929.

And the onset of World War Two

both caused significant delays.

Finally, after mounting pressure in 1947,

the state roads commission was directed to proceed

with this vital link.

And today, an average of 1,500 vehicles per lane,

cross the bridge every hour.

Typically on a Sunday in May,

one of the spans is closed off to traffic,

for the annual Chesapeake Bay Bridge Walk.

Celebrating the biggest project in Maryland's history,

pedestrians are invited to take a leisurely

six and a half kilometer stroll

across this engineering marvel,

and take in the spectacular views of the bay.

In the distance, is the city of Annapolis.

Our next stop.

It has the distinction of hosting

two of the state's greatest institutions.

This is the United States Naval Academy.

The first classes were held here in 1845,

when it was just a small army post.

The old wooden structures are long gone,

and replaced with grand neo-classical buildings.

A fine example is Bancroft Hall.

The world's largest single dormitory.

The main hall was constructed between 1901 and 1908.

Eight kilometers of corridors

connect the dormitory's 1,700 rooms.

The Naval Academy's first class comprised 50 midshipmen

and seven professors.

Today the institution has a student body of

more than 4,000 on a campus covering almost 140 hectares.

Only a few blocks away, we find

the second great institution here, the State House.

Maryland's capitol building.

The surrounding city of Annapolis dates to the 1600s.

It was designed with a European system

of radiating streets and narrow stair-step alleys.

The State House is the longest-standing state capitol,

still in continuous use.

And its wooden dome is the oldest and largest of its kind,

in the U.S.

Construction began in 1772, but faced a series of delays,

including the Revolutionary War and at least one hurricane.

25 years passed before it was finally completed in 1797.

Today, the State House complex comprises 26 buildings,

including the government house.

The mansion has served as the official residence

of the Governor of Maryland since its construction in 1870.

The home was designed as a Georgian country house,

the fashionable style of the period.

Further north, we find a different kind of history.

This plant may not be as picturesque

as our previous location,

but the influence of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation

on Maryland's past is no less important.

This was once the second largest steel company in the U.S.

Situated on Chesapeake Bay's eastern shore,

next to the Patapsco River,

the site was chosen for its strategic location

near several key railway junctions.

In the early 1860s, the railroad construction boom

showed no signs of slowing down.

And the plants was built to meet

the growing demand for rails.

And sales continued to increase

during the first half of the 20th century.

Urban construction and military contracts

fueled the company's success.

By the time the U.S. entered World War One,

Bethlehem steel had become the third largest

industrial company in the nation.

But trouble was looming on the horizon.

After nearly a century of steel-production,

a lengthy strike in the late 1950s,

opened the door to foreign competition.

The company never fully recovered.

Growth slowed in the 1960s,

and by 1980, the company was forced to institute

massive layoffs.

At this plant, only the forging division

remains in operation.

The economic void left by the fall of this industrial giant,

was felt throughout the region.

As we travel on, we find a much brighter economic turn

for Chesapeake Bay.

The Baltimore Container Port.

This is the busiest terminal on the North Atlantic coast.

Averaging 37 container moves per hour.

It is included among the top 15 of its kind in the country.

300 years have past since Baltimore began

exporting tobacco, wheat and flour.

Business declined in the 1980s.

But it's made a remarkable resurgence in recent years.

This busy port is further evidence

of Maryland's reliance on the sea

for its economic prosperity.

And finally, no visit to Chesapeake Bay

would be complete without paying a visit

to historic Fort McHenry.

One of the finest surviving examples

of early seacoast fortifications in the United States.

Completed at the turn of the 19th century,

Fort McHenry is most widely associated

with an event that took place during the War of 1812.

As the city prepared for an imminent attack,

the commanding officer submitted a request

for a flag so large,

that the British would have no difficulty

seeing it from a distance.

His wish was granted.

The massive flag that flew over Fort McHenry

measured nine meters in height, and 30 meters across.

The bombardment of Fort McHenry finally began

on September 13th, 1814.

A young lawyer and poet, named Francis Scott Key,

witnessed the bombardment from a nearby ship,

under British guard.

As dawn broke over the horizon,

the young man was so moved by the sight

of the huge flag still hanging above the garrison,

he was inspired to put his experience into words.

(Star Spangled Banner plays)

His poem, In Defense Of Fort McHenry,

would later be renamed the Star Spangled Banner.

And set to music.

More than a century after the words were penned,

it was officially adopted

as the U.S. National Anthem in 1931.

Each day, a replica is hoisted in honor

of the broad stripes and bright stars,

that so moved a young poet,

whose words would live on to so inspire a nation.

And for us, it's a perfect place to end this journey.

(Star Spangled Banner plays)

(orchestral music)