An exploration of Chesapeake country. Stretching from the Susquehanna River to the Virginia capes, these 8000 miles of spectacular shoreline boast a rare abundance of wildlife - from green-backed herons to white-tailed deer. This region of mists and tranquil waters harbours the nation’s last commercial sailing fleet and has set the stage for such commemorated national occasions as the settlers’ first Thanksgiving Day in 1619, Francis Scott Key’s composition of The Star-Spangled Banner , and the clash of the Civil War ironclads Monitor and Merrimack . With photographs and text, this volume guides the reader through Chesapeake’s variegated wildlife, towns forgotten by time, serenely spectacular vistas, the diverse lifestyles of the people who live there, and the environmental and ecological challenges that the bay faces for the future.