July 11, 2013

Oyster House

When I was in college, we used to take the speedboats over to Virginia and buy cartons of smokes, because the tobacco tax there was about a third of what it was in Maryland. So when I saw an article about a fascinating house on the confluence of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay, I knew exactly where they were talking about. smith pointIt’s at the far end of the Northern Neck, a long drive down History Highway, generally paralleling the Potomac River.

The land down there is flat. Marsh flats, scrub, tall pines, piney points, desolate but beautiful. This land had been scraped clean by the oyster industry, and the new owner had thousands of native plants and hundreds of trees planted to bring back its natural beauty. image

Because many of the visitors choose to take the water route to the house, particular emphasis has been placed on making that entrance dramatic. image

The house is sited at one of the widest points in the Bay, and you can’t even see to the Eastern Shore from this point. image

Because of the rising seas, as well as high water from hurricanes coming up the Bay, the house has been raised on more than 100 pilings. image

I can attest to the amount of wildlife and waterfowl that’s along these shores. image

To read more about this amazing property, click here.

11 comments:

  1. I'm spell-bound. Gorgeous---and the heron?
    Thank you.
    Mary

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  2. I saw photos of this just last year. The structural engineer we work with worked on this house with the architect and he said it was his most favorite project he had ever worked on (his work with us excluded of course, haha ;-) ). Looks like an amazing property!!!

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    1. really an incredible place and i can only imagine the structural work involved.

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  3. I just realized that the article is written by my friend Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson! She's a very talented architectural writer!

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  4. That is fabulous! You memory made me nostalgic--I grew up on the Severn River.

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  5. this home is truly unique + lovely. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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