The Bivalve Oyster Packing Co, Inc was a canned and cured fish and seafood processing plant in the Princess Anne/Mount Vernon area of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. A bivalve is another name for an oyster.
Both Princess Anne and Mount Vernon once relied completely upon these little shelled creatures. The local economy depended on harvesting mollusks from the local waterways. Today, there isn’t a trace of the shell fish economy in this area.
The Bivalve Oyster Packing Co once employed approximately 20 to 50 employees and brought in a gross annual sale of just under $500,000.
The company was founded in 1946. The property was listed For Sale in 2004. The prepared fresh or frozen fish and seafood once harvested on the banks of the Wicomico River, Nanticoke River and Monie Bay have moved elsewhere.
The processing warehouse was locked up. After peaking in the windows, it looks as though most of the equipment used to process the seafood is still inside of the building. The place was covered in oyster shells! Every step I took was followed by the cracking sound of oyster shells under my feet. There was a huge conveyor belt/machine behind the building. Wonder what that thing looked like in action?
The location of this company is second to none. It’s in the middle-of-nowhere, next to a public boat ramp. Only about 5 houses are situated on the 10-mile stretch of road prior to the Oyster Packing Co building.
Neat place to check out! Made me hungry for some fresh oysters. Speaking of oysters, while researching this company, I found out that their old oyster cans are worth quite a bit of money! People actually collect these cans since they’re not very common anymore. Check out these Bivalve cans and these cans for sale on the interweb.
Are you hungry for some fresh shellfish?
i love it out there! i need to go on a little drive and yes i would love some fresh shellfish.
Take some bug spray when you visit, Patti! The green-heads were vicious!
Hello Ami,
Looking at that builduing brings back a lot of memories. My mother and other siblings visited Mr. Bailey (the B in B&L I believe) in 1967. My granddad & dad had a seafood business in Florida and bought from them for many years. Sure wished I would have saved some of the cans..
Russell Durham
Thanks for commenting, Russell! Glad that these photos reminded you of your family. Thanks for reading!
My Great Grandfather used to run it when it was on Bailey Oyster house rd . you should visit that location sometime, just up the road some. I’m born and raised in Mt Vernon and continue to live there today, most living there are part of my family. .. nice quiet place :)