Who Lived Here Before the English Arrived in 1634? Some of Maryland's first inhabitants were the Yaocomaco people who lived where Saint Mary's City is located. The Yaocomaco were part of a chiefdom called the Piscataway that lived in southern Maryland. In fact, Native Americans have lived around Chesapeake Bay for almost 10,000 years. The Yaocomaco lived in villages along the shores of the St. Mary's River. See if you can find where the Yaocomaco lived on this historical map of Indian villages from the Maryland State Archives. Once you've looked at the map, don't forget to use the "Back" button on your browser to come back to this Maryland Exploration. The Woodland Indian Hamlet at Historic St. Mary's City The Yaocomaco made houses from young trees called saplings, which they tied together to make a frame for their houses. The houses, called witchotts, were then covered with mats made of woven grass. They could build small fires inside these houses to keep warm, and the smoke worked well as insect repellent, too. The drawing and photograph show you what their homes might have looked like.