Old Pier at Brentland
I have always been drawn to the view of the Port Tobacco River and St. Ignatius Church from over the remains of the old Brentland pier on the western shore of the Port Tobacco River. I have visited this spot many times during all seasons and I’m continually awed by the vista it offers and the Jesuit legacy that lays at the heart of these lands on both sides of the river. The place touches my soul. These particular pilings probably date to the mid to late 19th Century. We know from the Port Tobacco Times and Charles County Advertiser of September 21, 1854 that the Charles County Agricultural Society investigated suitable locations for one or more depots and wharves on the Port Tobacco River and other navigable waters bordering on Charles County. The goal was to determine if steamboats could become a viable part of Charles County’s economic future. Eleven locations were identified one of which was Brent’s Landing. The comments in the report of the Committee tell us that wharves already existed at each. The report also tells us that steamboat navigation was not practical Tobacco River much above this point. While the owners of the other properties apparently welcomed the economic opportunity steamboat service might create for them, the owners of Brent’s Landing opposed the use of their wharf and roads because of the disruption it would be to their farm life.
Oil on canvas 24x48 inches