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The Piankatank River

The Piankatank River, a feature that drew us to Gloucester County, is one of the few relatively unspoiled rivers in the eastern United States.  The headwaters of the Piankatank are formed by Dragon Run Swamp--the third largest swamp in Virginia.  The watershed area for the river encompasses 142,000 acres.  Approximately 21 miles in length, the Piankatank River was named by Chief Powhatan in 1570.  "Tank" is believed to come from the Indian word for water, and it is likely that "pianka" meant winding, or crooked.  In 1607-1608 Captain John Smith met Powhatan and sailed up the river to its headwaters--the Dragon Run--on a mapping mission.  According to legend, Princess Pocahontas, Powhatan's daughter, saved Captain John Smith from death at the hands of the Indians. The Piankatank flows in a southeasterly direction through Virginia's Middle Peninsula emptying into the Chesapeake Bay at Gwynn's Island.  On the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, the Piankatank River lies between the Rappahannock River to the north and the York River to the south.  During the Revolutionary War, Lord Dunmore's defeat at Gwynn's Island resulted in his return to England and signaled the end of British political domination in the colonies.  Several families of our country's Presidents have made their homes on the Piankatank River including the daughter of Robert Todd Lincoln at "Woodstock" and the parents of  William Henry Harrison at "Hesse."  Members of the House of Burgesses, the Assembly of Virginia, Governors and signers of the Declaration of Independence have been residents of the river. The Piankatank is a beautiful winding river with long stretches of undeveloped woodlands along the shoreline.  In the Dragon Run can be found such varieties of fish as bass, pickerel, perch, sunfish, redbreast, bluegill and catfish.  Spot, croaker, bluefish, stripers, trout, and other salt water game fish abound in the Piankatank. The fertile lands surrounding the Piankatank and its headwaters are natural habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna.  The bald eagle makes its nest along the Piankatank.  The Dragon Run is known by bird-watchers as having an unusually wide variety of warblers.  The surrounding forest contains varied species and majestic stands of bald cypress, unusual this far north.  Along the Dragon Run there are over 5000 acres of timber flats that run directly adjacent to the 35-mile long swamp.  The ecosystem formed by the Piankatank, the Dragon Run, and surrounding lands, is an enormously rich and fragile one. Continuing vigilance by governmental agencies, private organizations and the general public is required to maintain water quality and scenic beauty on this vulnerable natural resource.  Acknowledgment and appreciation are expressed to the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Save the Ole Piankatank, and Friends of Dragon Run.

Check out Bay Journal The Chesapeake Bay newspaper

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