The Marina's History

     The point of land we are on is known as Gum Bar Point, locally known as Ghost Point.  It was named Ghost Point in 1985, when a flood unearthed the bodies of a group of men who appeared to have ben forced to work on a 17th century fishing boat, and, as a reward for their labors were murdered, placed into crates, and buried in shallow graves on our beach.

     Prior to the arrival of Europeans, Indians settled here and were the first "Oyster Men" to work the waters.  When Captain John Smith sailed past our point, the area was occupied by the Pissasec, a part of the Afgonquian Tribe.  The famed Powatan was their chief.

     During Colonial days, several renowned men owned this land.  Lord Fairfax "King" Carter, and "Light Horse" Harry Lee each held title to the point at various times.  In 1886, Henry J. Kintz purchased the land which is presently called Colonial Beach for the purpose of developing a waterfront resort community.  In 1892, John Givens turned over the title to the new Town of Colonial Beach.  The town leased the land to William Hopkins in the 1920's and to Martin Lunsford in the 1940's.  The Schick family purchased the 8.2 acres from the town in late 1988.

     The waters of Gum Point run deep throughout America's history.  John Washington, great-great-grandfather of our first president, was the first mate on a British trading ship that was returning to England in the 1640's.  The ship sank off our point, and Washington swam to shore nearby.  Before the ship could be floated and the trip resumed, Washington met and married Ann Pope of Popes Creek fame.  He then decided to settle here permanently.

     Andrew Monroe, great-grandfather of our fifth president, deemed it prudent to leave Maryland after being on the losing side of a colonial rebellion.  He simply crossed the Potomac and set up housekeeping here.  The bay formed by this point of land bears his name - Monroe Bay.  During the war of 1812, Secretary of War, James Monroe paid close attention to the looting and burning done in the area by marauding British sailors whose fleet controlled the river and his bay.

     During the Civil War, confederate spies used Monroe Bay and Mattox Creek to slip into and out of Virginia.  A signal corps camp was established just inland to facilitate the flow of intelligence to Confederate leaders.

     The history of Gum Bar Point; however, has been tied to the economics of Oystering.  Fierce "Oyster Wars" have been fought over access to the rich oyster beds off shore.  Oyster beds were so prolific that laws were passed requiring slaves and indentured servants to be fed something other than oysters at least twice a week.  Captain John Smith reported that one oyster could feed a family of four, but he may have exaggerated to spur development of this new world.  Although fishing, boating and resort services are the primary of the Yacht Center, oystering is still of major importance.

     The large Oyster House in which you are dining was built in 1932 by William Hopkins to shuck and pack oysters and house his oyster shuckers.  During a flood in 1933, the house literally floated away.  After mules hauled it back to its foundation, Hopkins poured a concrete floor throughout, anchoring his enterprise permanently.

     In 1946, Martin Lunsford began building the marina.  He and his wife Scottie added over 200 covered and open slips, marine services, a restaurant and used this building as a boarding house with the goal of profiting from the resort business Colonial Beach was generating.  The Fathom Club, Anchor, Happy Clam and the Crab Shack restaurants have all operated from this Oyster House.  Also a U.S. Coast Guard group was once stationed at the marina.