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Susquehanna River National Wildlife Refuge

IUCN Category IVNational Wildlife Refuges in MarylandProtected areas of Harford County, MarylandSusquehanna River

Susquehanna River National Wildlife Refuge is located on a small island 3.79 acres (15,300 m2) in size located at the mouth of the Susquehanna River in Harford County, Maryland. It is a satellite refuge managed by Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. In the 1920s, the island was used as a fish hatchery to produce such species as shad. In the early 1940s, 13,363 acres (54.08 km2) of water in the Upper Chesapeake Bay were closed by Presidential Proclamations to the hunting of migratory waterfowl. These water areas were designated as the Susquehanna National Wildlife Refuge. At the time of its establishment, the water areas known as the Susquehanna flats were covered with wild celery, pondweeds, redhead grass and other desirable waterfowl foods. Peak waterfowl population numbers included over 500,000 canvasback and redhead ducks and over 200,000 American wigeon. These rich areas of aquatic growth began declining in the 1960s due to changes in the water quality and quantity. Development above the Conowingo Dam caused more rapid drainage and greater water flow through the dam. Currents in the upper Chesapeake Bay deposited heavy loads of silt in the Susquehanna flats area. What remained of the suitable waterfowl vegetation was destroyed when Hurricane Agnes moved through in 1972. Today, only a few thousand geese may be found around the refuge during the winter months. Because of the dramatic decrease in waterfowl numbers and vegetation in the area, the Presidential Proclamations were lifted on September 1, 1978 and the waters were returned to the State of Maryland. Battery Island remains a part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The refuge has a surface area of 3.79 acres (0.0153 km2; 1.53 ha).

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Susquehanna River National Wildlife Refuge (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors).

Susquehanna River National Wildlife Refuge
Spesutie Island Road,

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N 39.49444 ° E -76.08333 °
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Battery Island

Spesutie Island Road
21005
Maryland, United States
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fws.gov

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Havre de Grace Racetrack
Havre de Grace Racetrack

The Havre de Grace Racetrack was an American horse racing track on Post Road in Havre de Grace, Harford County, Maryland. Nicknamed "The Graw," it operated from August 24, 1912, to 1950. For a time, it was owned by the Harford Agricultural and Breeders Association and also by the notorious gambler Arnold Rothstein. The Havre de Grace Handicap was one of the important races in the American northeast for many years. Its winners include U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductees Roamer, Crusader, Seabiscuit, Sun Beau, Equipoise, and Challedon. Some Hall of Fame horses lost this race. In the 1919 running, Cudgel beat two Hall of Famers: Exterminator and Triple Crown champion Sir Barton. On September 29, 1920, Man o' War won the Potomac Handicap at Havre de Grace. His son, U.S. Triple Crown winner War Admiral, won his first race here on April 25, 1936. The track was located halfway between the cities of Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. In the 1940s, it began losing customers to Delaware Park Racetrack and Garden State Park Racetrack in New Jersey. By 1949, its owners were forced to turn over some of their allotted racing days to Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course. In January 1951, the Havre de Grace Racetrack was sold to Alfred G. Vanderbilt II, owner of Pimlico Race Course, and Morris Schapiro of Laurel Park Racecourse. who closed the facility and transferred the track's racing allotment dates to their own tracks. The Havre de Grace Racetrack is now the property of the Maryland National Guard, which uses the former clubhouse as offices. The grandstand, minus the canopy, has been converted into a warehouse. Nothing of the actual track remains, but an aerial view reveals a curved line of trees along the final turn.