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VA 5. Dismal Swamp. Acreage: Approximately 500,000 (200,000 in Virginia; 

 300,000 in North Carolina). 



Location: Nansemond County and City of Chesapeake, Virginia; Camden, Cur- 

 rituck, Gates, Perquimans, and Pasquotank counties, North Carolina; Norfolk 

 1 :250,000 Quadrangle. 



Description: Thirty miles long, north and south, and 10 miles wide, the Dismal 

 Swamp is as large as the state of Rhode Island. It now contains about 1000 

 square miles, in addition to some 700 square miles of original wetland that has 

 been reclaimed. The Dismal Swamp Canal, on the east, serves to keep the main 

 swamp wetter than it would be otherwise. The Swamp has been described as the 

 finest extensive outdoor laboratory of its kind on the continent, and a 

 sportsman's paradise. Bear, bobcat, deer, raccoons, foxes, otters, and a wide 

 variety of birds are found. 



References: Ariza, J. F. 1932. Dismal Swamp in legend and history. National 

 Geographic, 62:120-130; Arnold, R. 1888. The Dismal Swamp and Lake 

 Drummond. Early recollections. Greene, Burke & Gregory, Norfolk, Virginia; 

 Byrd, W. 1922. Description of the Dismal Swamp. Metuchen, N.J. Printed for 

 C. F. Heartman; Cocke, E. C, I. F. Lewis, and R. Patrick. 1934. A further 

 study of Dismal Swamp peat. Am. J. Bot. 19(7):374-395; Kearney, T. H. 1901. 

 Report on a botanical survey of the Dismal Swamp region. U.S. Department of 

 Agriculture. Division of Botany. Vol. 5. Washington, D.C.; Stansbury, C F. 

 1925. The lake of the Great Dismal. A. & C. Boni, New York; Sutherland, M. 

 M. 1965. The Great Dismal Swamp of Virginia. Dept. of Conservation and 

 Economic Development, Commonwealth of Virginia. 



Encroachments: Timber operations, ditching and clearing for farming and build- 

 ing. 



Ownership: Multiple private ownership. 



Data source: R. G. Gibbons, Department of Conservation and Economic 

 Development, State of Virginia, Division of Parks, 501 Southern States Bldg., 

 7th and Main Sts., Richmond, Va. 23219. 



Other knowledgeable persons: Robert F. Foeller, Director, Southeastern Vir- 

 ginia Regional Planning Commission, 339 Boush St., Norfolk, Va. 23510. 



