Chopawamsic Island

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• 
  Jack Butler (guest)

  The only Private Island on Virginia side of the Potomac River. Chopawamsic (chop-ah-wahm-zik), means "Isolated Lodge"in Algonquian (American-Indian) Chain of previous owners & residents of Chopawamsic Island The first non-native resident of the island was Giles Brent, who settled here in 1649, with his wife, Mary Kittamaquund, who was daughter of Piscataway Indian’s TAYAK, or Emperor (part of peace loving Powhaten Federation) One of the first known owners of the island was the Rev. Alexander Scott of the Church of Overwharten, now known as Aquia Church, who purchased the property from Brent family in early 1700’s. Burning of the Stafford County’s Courthouse during the Civil War destroyed all of the existing deeds and documents June 5, 1878, E.A. Hore sold the 13 acre island to Levi Woodbury of Washington DC for $ 600.00 June 24, 1887, the property was sold to the Mount Vernon Ducking Society, of which Theodore Roosevelt was a member. National Geographic Society owned the Island in late 19th Century. Alexander Graham Bell was a frequent visitor to the Island November 3, 1915, Chas. H. Pardoe sold the island to Chas. J. Butler 29 July 1958, Wilson & Lucy Fisher to Wesley & Dee Fry 14 June 1983, Columbia Tours International bought the island The late John Lennon once considered purchasing the island for his home. Rare Plants & Wildlife The island is home to a mix of different wildlife habitats. Wetland species particularly benefit from the habitat; flocks of black swans, white swans, geese, and ducks utilize the sheltered area for feeding and resting. Migratory songbirds abound during the temperate months, with intense activity in the spring. Ospreys and bald eagles occur here, as do waders such as green heron, great egret, and great blue heron.

  18 years ago | reply | hide comment
• 
  Bill Cowan,ltcol,usmc,ret (guest)

  some Civil War documents indicate that the Confederates, who controlled the area until the winter of '61 and had numerous camps still visible on Quantico, used the island for rest and recreation. i metal detected the island one day back in the '70's (not knowing who to ask for permission) and found some Civil War bullets, indicating they were indeed there. good chance there are more artifacts in the ground which would tell more of the story. don't recall where in the Civil War records that i read about the troops using the island. perhaps it was in the publication which the Marine Corps has entitled "Quantico - Crossroads of the Corps", which touches briefly on Civil War activity on and around the current base.

  18 years ago | reply | hide comment