Heater's Island and the Piscataway Indians
by Krista Beck
photo by Krista Beck
Heater’s Island, considered a Maryland Wildlife Management Area, is located directly across from Potomac Overlook Farms. Hop in a kayak or canoe and be there in just minutes. Have fun exploring and keep an eye out for Piscataway Indian artifacts.
The Piscataway Indians were known to be a peaceful tribe comprised of hunters, fishers and farmers. They became the largest native inhabitants of the area between the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. Rightfully so, as Captain John Smith noted the density of natural resources when he described it as “No place more perfect for man’s habitation”.
The early 1600s saw an increase of European settlers, specifically the English. As more and more immigrated to the colonies, conflict with the natives began to emerge. In 1666, Lord Baltimore signed a treaty with the Tribal Leadership establishing a reservation known as Piscataway Manor. But these treaties ultimately would be broken as settlement continued, pushing more and more Indians from their lands.
In 1690, some of the Piscataway Indians landed on what is known today as Heater’s Island. The western tip of the island, across from Point of Rocks, MD, contained an old fort with 27 cabins and an estimated 215 Indian inhabitants. They did not stay long, as a smallpox outbreak drove them out between 1705 and 1712.
The tribe continued to scatter, and the devastation of the American Revolutionary War caused the Piscataway to virtually disappear by the end of the 18th century. Some ventured north into Canada, some merged into other tribes and some absorbed into regular life in Southern MD.
A few ambitious descendants, Mervin Savoy and Billy Tayac, worked together to research and compile records and remnants of the culture. The Catholic Church proved to be an important resource, identifying 5,000 folks in Maryland as descendants of the tribe. The Piscataway Indians were officially recognized by the state of Maryland in 2012. More and more are being identified as Piscataway, and the tribe is celebrating their traditions and ancestry, no longer a lost tribe.
Resources
Scheel, Eugene. “1699 Encounter With Piscataway Indians Was a First”. loudounhistory.org
“History”. Piscatawayconoytribe.com
Curry, Dennis C. “Heater’s Island and the Piscataway Indians”. Maryland Historical Trust.