Conowingo

  Derived from the Iroquoian language of the Susquehannock (Conestoga), Conowingo means “at the rapids.” The land surrounding what is now called the Susquehanna River was once a very prominent location for trade and resources between the Susquehannock and mostly Swedish and Dutch settlers. As time progressed the Susquehannock’s population plummeted with the onset of disease and attacks from the neighboring Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee). Vigilante group, The Paxton Boys, in 1763, committed genocide on the last of the Susquehannock. With the majority of land now vacated, the lower Susquehanna River (around the area known as Conowingo), became a key location in connecting northern states to southern states. In 1820, the first Conowingo Bridge was completed and would remain (with some rebuilds after floods and arson) until 1927 with the near completion of the Conowingo Hydro-Electric Plant.

By 1902 the area was know simply as the Town of Conowingo and had an estimated population of 350 people. South, across the river, from Conowingo, MD was the neighboring town, Darlington, MD where one of the dam’s parks is located. As time passed, the Conowingo Dam became a popular location due to its unique and unplanned wildlife sanctuary. The waters around the dam are generally off limits to swimmers, boaters, and kayakers. Rowland Island, a large island situated directly south of the dam and in the middle of the Susquehanna River, is strictly off limits and acts as a temporary home to migrating eagles, as well as the surrounding land. It is estimated that bald eagles will travel as far as from New York and the Ohio Valley to hunt at Conowingo. Fish swimming upstream and fish that have died or become disoriented after passing through the dam’s turbines, offer easy food for eagles. With private property (owned by Exelon Corp. [current owners of the Conowingo Hydro-Electric Plant]) and public state parks surrounding the mouth of the lower Susquehanna River, an inviting landscape has been created.

With the concentration of fowl, primarily eagles, the Conowingo Fisherman’s Park has become a hotspot for bird watchers and photographers. Photographers will travel as far as from the Carolina’s or New York to try and get their shot of the eagles. Booking hotel rooms nearby, arriving at the park when it opens at 5:00am, all to secure their spot along the railing next to the river is a ritual for some. During mating seasons for bald eagles, in the mornings, one can see “million-dollar-row,” the line of photographers, shoulder to shoulder sometimes, positioned with their telephoto lenses and binoculars, patiently waiting.