Hooper's Island, Maryland
| Hoopers Island, Maryland | |
|---|---|
 1877 map of western Dorchester County showing Hoopers Island |
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Dorchester |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 441 |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 21634 |
| Area code(s) | 410 |
| GNIS feature ID | 588389 |
Hoopers Island is a chain of three islands in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. Upper Hoopers Island, Middle Hoopers Island and Lower Hoopers Island are surrounded by water with the Chesapeake Bay on one side and the Honga River on the other side. The remote set of islands has much wildlife and is well known for sport fishing and crabbing industries. Hoopers Island is one of the oldest settled areas in Maryland.
Hoopers Island is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The islands are situated on the south-west shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Dorchester County.
Hoopers Island is roughly 20 miles (32 km) long and consists of three small islands. The islands are very narrow in many places and one can easily see water, the Chesapeake Bay and the Honga River, on both sides of Maryland Route 335 which travels through the islands.
Upper Hoopers island is located at N. 38°20' W. 76°14 and Middle Hooper’s island is located at N. 38°16' W. 76°11. Lower Hoopers Island is now a marshland.
The early residents of what is now known as Hoopers Island were the Yaocomico people. According to some local folklore, the land was purchased from the Yaocomico tribe for five woolen blankets.
Hoopers Island is considered the oldest settled area in Dorchester County. The namesake of the islands is Henry Hooper. Hooper was friends with the Calverts, an important family many consider to be founders of the state of Maryland. In the mid-17th century, parts of the islands were surveyed for Hooper. The first parcel of land was surveyed by Robert Clift and aptly titled Hooper’s Clifts. An additional 400 acres (1.6 km2) of land was surveyed for Hooper later on in 1668. He received additional parcels of land in 1669 as well.
Though much of the land was claimed by the Hoopers, other families such as William Chaplin, Richard Bentley and Philip Shapeley owned major plots of land. In addition, some indentured servants such as Thomas Hooten and Daniel Puddiford received land.
The Hooper family made Dorchester County their family home in 1669. Henry Hooper had a large family: he was married twice and had 14 children. Henry Hooper was one of the first commissioners of Dorchester County. Many descendants of the original Henry Hooper followed in his footsteps and served on the Dorchester County legislature as well. Upon his death, Hooper left parcels of land, with names such as Hooper’s Chance, Hooper’s Lot, Hooper’s Fortune and Hooper’s Forrest to his children.
...
Wikipedia