St. Mary’s SoCo Stories : The Story of Caroline is a haunting, true tale set in the southernmost part of St. Mary’s County, Maryland. In the early 1950s, young Caroline would accompany her father to the local tomato canning factory—never imagining that simply being there would change her life. Noticed by a factory manager, Caroline soon found herself caught in a web of attention & affection. What began as a youthful brush with love ended abruptly, leaving behind unanswered questions and a silence that lasted generations. This podcast pieces together her story, one of innocence, heartbreak, and a community still reckoning with its past.

In this spirited episode of St. Mary’s SOCO Stories, we uncork the secret world of moonshiners in Southern Maryland during Prohibition. When the nation went dry, the back roads of Ridge, St. Inigoes, and beyond lit up with copper stills and bootleg liquor runs.

But this wasn’t just a local affair—some of that risky whiskey didn’t stop at the county line. Rumor has it, jugs and bottles filled with "good juice" from South County found their way into the hands of politicians and power brokers in Washington, D.C.

In this episode of St. Mary’s SOCO Stories, we dive into the gritty, little-known maritime conflict that once rocked the Chesapeake Bay—the Oyster Wars.

From the 1800s through the early 1900s, the waters off Southern Maryland became a battleground between local watermen, out-of-state dredgers, and the so-called "Oyster Navy." Fueled by profit and survival, these clashes weren’t just legal disputes—they turned violent, with raids, boat chases, and even gunfire echoing over the water.

Join us as we explore how a yummy, shelled creatures sparked chaos, how Ridge and Point Lookout played a role, and how the legacy of the oyster wars still shapes the culture of the Chesapeake today.