Common Ground

Common Ground is a visual commentary on life in our community. Every 12 weeks a new Virginian-Pilot photographer will begin his or her series of photographs based on a topic of their choosing.

The current series, Greetings from Ocean View is a photo column aimed at exploring life in "OV," a Norfolk neighborhood full of pride yet seemingly always teetering on the edge of change. Photojournalist Preston Gannaway hopes to tell some of the stories that make this community so unique. If you have any feedback or ideas, you can email her at preston.gannaway@pilotonline.com.

Category: Photos

■ 20 June 2009 | 10:35 PM

Oyster Watch House

The waters of the Eastern Shore seaside were once lousy with “oyster pirates,” a term still in use today for those who ransack beds, making off with market-sized oysters planted and tended by others. Oyster Watch Houses were erected in the late 1800’s to combat the marauders, after the state began leasing ground for oyster beds to the big shucking houses on the Shore. The houses were manned and armed; sometimes whole families moved in with the sentry who policed the beds around the clock. There is even a woman in Willis Wharf who was born in one. In the heyday of the oyster, there were hundreds of the houses – now there are little over a dozen left stilted in Virginia waters between the mainland and the barrier islands.

Following a gut, or channel, to the watch house.

This is one of five remaining in Northampton County’s seaside, currently owned by the Nature Conservancy. It was built in the early 1900’s, survived the great hurricane of 1933 that wiped out dozens of other watch houses, and was moved ¾ of a mile east after World War II. Its original owner committed suicide inside - a patched hole in the ceiling marks where the bullet exited the building. It withstood the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, as well as a lightning strike in more recent years. The watch house stands on a gut a half hour boat ride from land, and can only be reached at high tide, the way there known mostly by locals. The no-seeums can keep you hostage inside at dusk, but is a small price to pay for the view at sunset.

The view from the dock at the watch house.

A huge and hearty thanks to Dave, Hutch, and Barry for all their help and knowledge.

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