Gone with(in) the Chesapeake Bay's waters: Reflections on society's thresholds to migration given island sinking

Abstract

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and is home to numerous small islands. Many of these have already vanished, and those remaining are continuing to lose ground. Over a few decades several of these small places were abandoned as the waters started to roll over the lands around the mid-nineteenth century. Houses were torn down, while some people moved within or to other islands and others migrated to solid ground when other measures failed to secure the small islands. Some people left earlier than others, but there were moments when it became difficult to retain the society of the islands. By telling the story of the Chesapeake Islands, this paper outlines the reactions of individuals and society to changes in their living environment. The aim of the article is thereby to explore the variables influencing human thresholds to migration in times of changing environments. Societal factors, as well as natural stimuli, are explored that led to migration at a certain time and place. By drawing attention to the sinking islands in the Chesapeake, I advocate the consideration of examples from the Western Hemisphere in debates on island loss and migration.

Contributions of evolutionary anthropology to understanding climate‐induced human migration

“…For example, the residents on Holland Island that attempted to remain on the island were often the wealthy who could afford to move to another, safer location on the island. However, as sea‐levels continued to rise, life on the island became less and less sustainable, and community resources that had been previously available to residents began dwindling, causing the island to be quickly abandoned (Arenstam Gibbons & Nicholls, 2006 ; Richter, 2015 ).…”

“…In some situations, individuals are faced with slow‐onset environmental disasters, such as sea‐level rise, that often have an irreversible impact (Table 2 ). During the early 20th century, several islands within the Chesapeake Bay area that had been populated since the 1850s were quickly abandoned, partly because of coastal erosion and rising sea levels that led to the complete submergence of islands that had once been flourishing communities (Richter, 2015 ; Schulte et al, 2015 ). Within Holland Island specifically, the population began to decline, partially because land loss from increased levels of erosion decreased the amount of habitat available to residents (Arenstam Gibbons & Nicholls, 2006 ; Richter, 2015 ).…”

“…The initial migratory decision of many residents, particularly wealthier individuals, was simply to move to another area on the island, relatively close to their previous residence (Arenstam Gibbons & Nicholls, 2006 ; Richter, 2015 ). As land loss continued, in spite of their desire to maintain their way of life and existing social and cultural ties, it became more difficult for individuals to remain on the island and people began to move further away (Arenstam Gibbons & Nicholls, 2006 ; Richter, 2015 ).…”

“…The initial migratory decision of many residents, particularly wealthier individuals, was simply to move to another area on the island, relatively close to their previous residence (Arenstam Gibbons & Nicholls, 2006 ; Richter, 2015 ). As land loss continued, in spite of their desire to maintain their way of life and existing social and cultural ties, it became more difficult for individuals to remain on the island and people began to move further away (Arenstam Gibbons & Nicholls, 2006 ; Richter, 2015 ). As these small, close‐knit communities dispersed, remaining residents were left without the social and cultural attachments that had initially influenced their decision to remain on the island, which hastened their decision to ultimately migrate off Holland Island (Casagrande et al, 2015 ; Richter, 2015 ).…”