Port Tobacco: A Charles County Ghost Town

Guest Blogger: Allen is on vacation this weekend, so today's Landmarks blog is written by Charles Duvall -- 1943.

Port Tobacco

Port Tobacco was established twenty-five years after Saint
Mary's City was settled. It soon became a flourishing
port and was chosen as the County Seat. Then its
harbor silted up, navigation ceased, business vanished,
and when, in 1890, the courthouse
was removed its ruin was completed.

PORT TOBACCO

Here is neither life nor sound,

Here is neither smoke nor sail;

 Here nor mart nor wharf is found

 Piled with waiting cask and bale.

Here the folks of yesterday

 Brought the product of their toil,

 And the brave ships sailed away,

 Laden with the golden spoil.

Here where stout hearts toiled and planned

 For a haven by the sea,

Now but crumbling dwellings stand,

 Ghosts of homes that used to be.

For the faithless sea has fled,

 Leaving desolate the shore,

And the weed-grown river bed

Feels the pulsing tides no more.

And we move with sober pace
 Through these long untrodden ways,

Seeking out each ruined trace

 Of the old port's vanished days.

Till our quickened fancy hears

The lost tide returning slow,

Calling 'round the rotted piers
For the ships of long ago.

I think we'll hear more from Charles Duvall in future blogs.