Saint Clement Island is a tiny uninhabited island in the Potomac river in Maryland, United States. The island is famous as the landing point of the very first colonists to Maryland, who arrived here on March 25, 1634. This day is today celebrated as "Maryland Day".

Because of its location, it provided an undisturbed and peaceful "base camp" for the first colonists. Surrounded by water, the colonists could negotiate deals with the natives (the Yaocomico Indians). Today, the Saint Clement Island is a designated state park - a step that has helped a lot in preserving the historical and cultural significance of this tiny strip of land.

An imposing sight that greets visitors is a 40 foot high stone cross. This wonderful sight commemorates the island as the site of the first Christian mass in the northern part of the Americas, and commentators have called it the place where "religious tolerance" was born in America.

Historically, the island was called the Blackistone island until 1961, when it was leased to the state of Maryland. A family known as the Blackistone family owned the island for 162 years from 1699, and hence the name.

The island popped in the news recently when a Coast Guard transport plane and a Marine helicopter collided mid-air some 15 miles off its coast on 29 October, 2009. Seven people were aboard the Coast Guard plane, while two were aboard the Marine AH-1 Cobra helicopter.

The tragedy brought forth this tiny, forgotten island back into the national conscious of America. Authorities have been scanning the island's coast and the waters around it regularly for any remains of the aircrafts, or any survivors without luck so far.