Calvert Cliffs

Historical narrative

Calvert Cliffs is among the most remarkable natural landmarks on the Chesapeake Bay. Stretching along the western shore for nearly 20 miles, the cliffs contain marine fossils dating back millions of years to the Miocene Epoch, when the region was covered by a warm, shallow sea. Long before becoming a protected state park in 1966, the area attracted geologists, fossil hunters, fishermen, and families interested in its dramatic scenery and prehistoric treasures. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, visitors reached the area by local roads, through private-property access, or by small boats. A day at the cliffs meant walking beneath towering banks of sand and clay, searching the beach for fossil shark teeth, shells, and ancient bones washed from the eroding bluffs. The sound of waves echoed against the cliffs while gulls circled overhead. For many children, like Steve, discovering a fossilized shark tooth was the highlight of an unforgettable Chesapeake Bay adventure.

Watercolor

© Stephen B. Hales — All Rights Reserved