Oyster Reefs were very common in the Chesapeake region in 1608. These reefs, made up of the shells of dead oysters with a “veneer” of live oysters on the outside, were massive in some places and were found all over the Bay. They represented an important food source for Native peoples who could simply walk onto the reefs and pick up baskets full of oysters. The English settlers commented on their abundance and also used them as a food source. Oyster harvesting increased over the years and the shells themselves began to be dredged and used for landfill, road building and fertilizer production. Most towns in the lower Chesapeake had roads and walkways made of crushed oyster shell. Over time, the structure of the reefs were destroyed and they ceased to be self-sustaining. Today, nearly all the reefs are gone although efforts are underway to restore this natural resource to the Bay.