CRISFIELD — The Crisfield Roundtable is looking to revive a plan that makes “the stack” at the south end of Janes Island a welcome location for visitors.

This 50 ft. chimney on Old Island is all that remains of a circa late 1870s menhaden fish processing plant that closed in 1908 when menhaden fishing was outlawed in the state. It reopened after World War I to make fertilizer until closing for good in 1929. The factory was destroyed by fire in July 1932.

In the 1960s Gov. J. Millard Tawes reportedly earmarked close to one million dollars to save the site from erosion. The chimney has been struck by lightning and suffered cracks during the August 2011 earthquake but for the most part it is in good condition.

Located about 1.5 miles from Crisfield it is accessible by boat. A plan was hatched around eight years ago by the Friends of Crisfield to gain the support of the Crisfield Heritage Foundation and enter into a working relationship with the Department of Natural Resources and specifically Janes Island State Park to clear the site of heavy brush and trash, mark three walking paths, set some benches, and work to save marsh grasses to slow erosion.

While that effort failed to take root, when the “5-legger” frame that supported the former Somers Cove light collapsed in late October last year that jumpstarted a renewed discussion so another piece of Crisfield history would not be lost.

Janes Island State Park Manager Christina Carlson expressed that safety is her biggest concern for directing visitors to the stack, and a construction engineer with DNR has been contacted to make an analysis.

“We need to assesses this property,” she told Roundtable members at their February meeting, calling it historically significant to Crisfield. “We send people there all of the time.”

Although no formal motion was made to move forward the former schedule called for removal of invasive plants including poison ivy when it is dormant, and start walking path construction by last spring. Signs would be in place by summer, with a committee involved with this step to be sure they’re historically accurate.

Billie Jo Chandler, who chairs the roundtable and also the Crisfield Economic Development Commission, brought up the future of the stack at the last EDC meeting.

Donations would be raised to handle projects including fundraising for benches. Under the original plan funds would be managed by the city.
Like Crisfield, Reedville, Va., has a chimney stack dating to 1902 that has served as a landmark for watermen. At 130 ft., it is owned by the Greater Reedville Association.