Saint Mary's SOCO
Welcome to St. Mary’s SOCO, the podcast where Southern Maryland’s oldest stories find new life. Hosted by KT Harris, this series explores the rich history, folklore, and characters of St. Mary’s County — the southernmost tip of Maryland, where legends linger and the past still echoes across the Bay.
From oyster wars and Civil War prisons to ghost stories, watermen, and back-road characters, each episode dives deep into the heart of SoCo. Some stories are fact, others are local lore — but all are uniquely Southern Maryland.
Pull up a stool. Pour a drink. And settle in for a trip through time, tide, and tales.
Saint Mary's SOCO
Episode 5: The Oyster Wars
In this episode of St. Mary’s SOCO Stories, we dive into the gritty, little-known maritime conflict that once rocked the Chesapeake Bay—the Oyster Wars.
From the 1800s through the early 1900s, the waters off Southern Maryland became a battleground between local watermen, out-of-state dredgers, and the so-called "Oyster Navy." Fueled by profit and survival, these clashes weren’t just legal disputes—they turned violent, with raids, boat chases, and even gunfire echoing over the water.
Join us as we explore how a yummy, shelled creatures sparked chaos, how Ridge and Point Lookout played a role, and how the legacy of the oyster wars still shapes the culture of the Chesapeake today.
