St. Mary’s County Events’ site (click here) lists all sorts of things on the schedule for this weekend including a commemoration of a Civil War-era boat crash off of St. Clements Island.
In April 1865 the Black Diamond barge collided with the steamer Massachusetts and 87 folks died as a result (click here for more info and video.) St. Clements Museum will be commemorating this event on Saturday and Sunday (click here.)
[Pause here for popup ad (if I knew how to do that I would.) While you are in the St. Clements Island neighborhood be sure to drop into Potomac Gardens and say hi to Angie.]
Just 5 months before the Black Diamond disaster however, another steamer the USS Tulip sank killing 47 sailors only a few miles down river from where the Black Diamond went down. Talk about a streak of some bad juju.
If you have never visited the USS Tulip Memorial adjacent Cross Manor in St. Inigoes, it is worth doing so. Located just off Villa Road, the memorial is in a very peaceful and quiet setting even if it is commemorating such a tragic event. The other cool thing about visiting the memorial is that you get to drive right along the fence line and check out Cross Manor as it over looks the St. Mary’s River.
Music wise “The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald” is probably the most famous of boat sinking songs but I’ve played that one a couple times previously. Here then is one that really isn’t talking about boats colliding and sinking per se other than the title. (But it was nice to learn that Rick did record something other than Jessie’s Girl.)