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African American Oystermen
Crittenden Rd,
VA ,
USA
Latitude & Longitude:
36° 53' 37.23",
-76° 30' 48.5208"
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Virginia State
Historical Marker
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Hobson is an example of an African American oystering village that developed during the last quarter of the 19th century on the James River, the Chesapeake Bay and their tributaries. As in other watermen communities, people also farmed and worked at nearby shucking houses and canning facilities. Hobson's black oystermen worked oyster beds in the James and Nansemond Rivers and Chuckatuck Creek that were leased primarily from the state. Bay region oyster beds were once among the richest in the world. Starting in the late 1950s Virginia's oyster production declined because of pollution, such as the chemical kepone, oyster diseases, weather, and overharvesting, which caused many of the oystermen to leave in the search of other employment.
Last updated: 2/14/2015 15:17:00 |
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See all Virginia African American History locations.
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African American Oystermen Virginia Map
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