Re: NANFA-- unusual creek names

Christopher Scharpf (ichthos_at_charm.net)
Mon, 17 Jul 2000 13:08:09 -0400

I owe my fascination with native fishes and freshwater habitats to the tiny
creek I grew up next to, which had an unusual name -- Bread and Cheese Creek, in
Baltimore County, Maryland. It was named for the War of 1812 militiaman (the
Battle of North Point was fought nearby) who sat on its banks eating their
rations of bread and cheese. I remember digging up muskets and shot along its
banks when I was but a wee little brat oh so many years ago.

This is not an unusual creek name, but it's an amusing creek name-related story.
A few years back I was collecting fish with a friend in west-central Maryland.
He drove while I studied the Delorme atlas, looking for potential collecting
spots along the way.

I said, "Just up the road a bit is Four Daughters Creek."

"Yes!" my friend said, with unusual enthusiasm. "Let's collect there!"

And so we did. Nothing much to speak of. A few blacknose dace. A small eel or
two. A couple of baby bullheads.

While we were packing up our gear my friend expressed disappointment.

"Bummers. I was expecting a lot of darters."

"What made you think there would be darters here?" I asked.

"It's name. Why else would they have called it 'Four Darters Creek?'"

Christopher Scharpf
Baltimore

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