Exhibit: The Guinea Watermen
The watermen of Gloucester County, alongside fellow watermen of the Chesapeake have upheld their profession for generations. Literature published in past decades would have audiences believe that the Guinea watermen were a dying breed; a newspaper article series called “Gloucester Remembered” waxes on about how “the old piers [associated with the watermen] are rotting away,” while an article titled “Gloucester’s Boatbuilding Days: Gone But Not Forgotten” from 1977 tells the story via interviews of how most of “the old boat yards and the men who ran them” only remain in community memory (1, 2).
Contrary to this portrayal of a dying profession, Guinea’s watermen have continued their strong presence within and beyond the county today. They still contribute to local seafood businesses and events such as the Abingdon Ruritan Club's seafood festivals (3, 4, 5). The waterman profession has evolved over the decades in response to environmental changes; the early 1990s brought disrupted crab cycles and overfishing that required the Virginia Marine Resource Commission to become more involved in local fishing practices.
Through all of these changes, Buck’s Store was known as a gathering place for local watermen. Buck opened the store early every morning so watermen could buy food for lunches. Locals knew his store’s location as “up the road and a little bit higher” (6). The Guinea watermen are represented within Buck’s via their many items in the store. The items presented within this exhibit, mainly the fishing tools specific to the roles of the waterman, showcase the timeless yet evolving profession of the Guinea watermen and their local influence.
Pictured above: "Brown's Bay" by Bob Groves. Mr. Groves was a nationally-acclaimed artist who portrayed local watermen and their work environment in touching watercolor paintings. Bob Groves served on the GHA Board and contributed his artistic talent to support the historical preservation of Guinea.
Old Wooden Fishing Rod
This homemade wooden fishing rod was found in the York River about fifty years ago by Norma Gilmer Lynn and was donated to the museum by Alice Wakefield. Although not much is known about this particular fishing rod due to its lack of brand and information about the original owner, this rod establishes that fishing has always been part of the way of life on the York River.
Crab Pot
The crab pot has a misleading name; the tool is actually not a pot but more of a crate structure. Of all crab-catching techniques, crab pots have caught the largest percentage of the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crabs since the 1950s (7). The crab pot was patented in 1938, and in the following decades it surpassed all other competing tools in the Chesapeake region (7). Today, crab pots are used across the United States. Licenses to catch Chesapeake blue crabs have been required for fishermen since 1898, and in 1943 the number of crab pot gear per license was limited in order to support blue crab conservation efforts. Guinea watermen must abide by these regulations. By the 1960s, the crab pot was labeled a commercial gear and their standard was regulated. These limits and license requirements are still in effect in Virginia today, albeit changed a bit.
Crab Tongs
Crab tongs are used to pick up live crabs in order to protect hands from crab pinchers (10). The crab tongs mentioned in this price list from Buck’s cost $1.95. We have no record of what decade these tongs would have been available for sale, but for comparison, a pair of crab tongs from Bass Pro Shops today costs $5.49; prices have inflated, indicating these tongs were not for sale in a recent decade (11). Guinea watermen deal with the catching and sale of Chesapeake crabs, so crab tongs would be part of their tool set. The recurring theme of crab tools alongside records of crab being locally sold indicates that this was a highlighted catch for watermen.
Seine Net Weights
Seine net fishing is a popular form of fishing that involves catching seafood via a weighted net. The net has weights on the bottom that sink it until only the top floats on the surface. Fish swim into the net, and then the net is pulled close, trapping the prey (12). This style of fishing dates back to 8300 BC Finland, and appears in Egyptian, European, and Native American historical records (13). Purse seines, which are seine nets maneuvered via boats, are a popular version of this technique (14).
Round Cork Floats for Nets
These round cork floats for nets look like they belong with the seine net weights. In seine fishing, net weights were accompanied by flotation devices attached to the top of the net, which allowed for the top to skim the water and eventually be used as a drawstring to catch the wandering fish. These cork floats do not have a brand associated with them. These cork floats may have been used alongside net weights when local watermen fished for canneries like Shackelford's.
Oar
This oar, found in Buck’s lies 11.7 feet in length. The oar is pictured here alongside a long-handled grappling hook. The type of boat that this oar was used with cannot be identified by oar length alone, and the oar does not have any brand associated with it. We can assume that this oar was handmade, likely locally. Guinea watermen used all kinds of boats, so the boat that this oar was used on would be extremely difficult to track down. We do know that many Guinea watermen docked their boats at Browns Bay in Guinea, which is along the York River.
Fish Scaler
Founded in 1930s Brooklyn, Jeros Tackle sold and continues to sell popular types of fishing tackle. The brand Scotchline was a subset of Jeros Tackle that began in the 1960s and continued to rise in popularity; these fish scalers come from Scotchline. Today, Jeros Tackle items are sold on tackle websites but not on the company’s website (17).
Carvel Hall Crab and Oyster Knives
These crab and oyster knives were produced by the company Carvel Hall. This company began under the name of Briddell in 1895 and was known for its production of equipment for World War II and the first common steak knife, known as the Carvel Hall (19). After a brief closing due to bankruptcy, Carvel Hall reopened in 1990, bringing jobs back to its home of Somerset County, Maryland, and its products back to the market (20).
CBF Oyster Corps Hat
This CBF Oyster Corps hat was produced by the Oyster Alliance of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Formed in 1967 to provide the Chesapeake private sector, the CBF heads research to uphold government regulations such as the Clean Water Act and runs seventeen education centers around the Bay (22). The CBF Oyster Alliance, which partners with watermen across Virginia, runs the Virginia Oyster Restoration Center at Gloucester Point, only a few miles from Buck’s Store.
Shackelford-Schlifer and Cook's Oyster Cans
Shackelford-Schlifer, Shackelford-Thomas, and Cook's Oyster, Co. were three big names in the local Guinea seafood canning industry. All three canned oysters, clams, and fish harvested in Gloucester County by local watermen. Tommy Shackelford began Shackelford's Seafood in 1964, with Schlifer joining in business partnership in 1965. Through their business, Shackelford continued a family tradition of oyster packing. According to Shackelford, all of the oysters were initially locally sourced by Guinea watermen, who would sell where they fished. The Gloucester oysters that Shackelford-Schlifer packaged were then shipped to places like Miami, New Orleans, Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Texas; Shackelford-Schlifer ensured that Guinea’s name traveled far (25).
Wooden Scooper
This handmade wooden scooper was used to bail water out of a fishing boat. It was donated to Buck’s in the 1990s. This scooper does not provide any new information regarding the watermen, but it does showcase the resourcefulness of local watermen.
Conclusion
The watermen items in Buck’s tell the story of the Guinea watermen's local influence. With the exception of the Carvell knives, Guinea watermen used tools that served their functional purpose without serious regard to brand. Items like the local oyster cans shed light into how the Guinea watermen supported the broader local economy; watermen honorably helped ensure that local seafood supported local canneries and local citizens.
The Guinea watermen still work among the Gloucester community as supporters of local revenue and a living piece of Bena tradition. More information on local watermen and their contributions to Guinea society can be found at the Yorktown Watermen’s Museum.
Pictured above: "Tools of the Trade" by Harriet Cowen. Harriet Cowen was a local artist; her work and hats are featured in the online exhibit, "Fashion at Buck's."