Dump Tank Mural

Solomons Island Dump Tank Mural Engine 33/Tanker 3 features a custom mural that denoting many local Solomons attractions.  These include the Drum Point Lighthouse, Cove Point Lighthouse, the Wm B. Tension, and the Thomas Johnson Bridge. The Solomons Volunteers are very proud of having piece of artwork on this pumper/tanker that reflects the proud history of our Solomons community. The Drum Point Lighthouse is a uniquely designed lighthouse called a screwpile that served the Chesapeake Bay from many years. Out of forty-five screwpiles which lined the bay, Drum Point is one of three remaining. From 1883 until 1975 the Drum Point lighthouse resided on the shores of Drum Point, MD at the end of Rousby Hall Road as a beacon to the mouth of the Patuxent River. In 1974 after the lighthouse had been decommissioned for several years, the Calvert County Historical Society and future Calvert Marine Museum acquired the lighthouse and had it moved to the waterfront location by the museum to be fully restored and toured.(Drum Point Lighthouse Website)

Cove Point lighthouse built in 1828 is the only operational lighthouse in Calvert County.  The lighthouse was built to mark the shoal that extends out from the county into the shipping channels.    The lighthouse is noted as the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay.  In 1986 Cove Point was officially automated and in 2000 ownership was turned over from the US Coast Guard to the Calvert Marine Museum.  During the summer months visitors can tour the lighthouse and grounds learning about the history of the lighthouse and its importance to the bay.  In 2013 the museum refurbished and opened the keeper's home for summer rentals. (Cove Point Lighthouse)

The Wm B. Tennison is a nine-log sailing bugeye oyster dredge boat initially and was later converted to power in order to operate as a buy-boat also.  She now serves as a charter boat utilized by the Calvert Marine museum to take passengers on tours up the Patuxent River.  As a oyster dredge the Tension would operate on the shoals of the Chesapeake Bay dredging up oysters from the bottom.  What made these bugeye boats so ideal for this line of work was their ability to operate in shallows of the bay.  Bugeye boats and later Skipjacks would operate dredging and sorting oysters while under sail in the Chesapeake Bay, while buy-boats would meet them in order to purchase and deliver their catch. (Wm B. Tennison Website)

The Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge, named after the first governor of Maryland, was built in 1977 to serve as a 1.5 mile bridge connecting Solomons and Saint Marys County.  Its 135 foot height was built in order to allow the Patuxent Naval base to pass destroyers and other tall ships underneath in order to dock at their recreational base.  The two lane bridge has assisted over the years with the growth of our local community as both Saint Marys County and the Patuxent Naval base has grown bring more businesses and jobs to Southern Maryland.  In recent years there has been discussion on expanding the bridge to a four lane bridge in order to assist with the many traffic issues that continue to grow. (Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge)