The Big Book of Chincoteague

The History of Chincoteague

Now, I know many people (*cough cough* Thathistorybuff13 *cough cough*) enjoy learning about history, and, it's best to know the history of Chincoteague, so that you can know how everything came to be!

So, it all started in the 15th century, when the Native Americans of the United States came to migrate through the area. Most of the Indians migrated to the Western United States, but some of them migrated to the Eastern United States as well.

The Native Americans of Chincoteague didn't live on Chincoteague, due to the fact that the island didn't have suitable soil for growing crops, but they did use it as a place to hunt animals and gather shellfish. The name Chincoteague means "Beautiful land across the water", in the Native American language.

But, in the late 17th century, the island finally got some European settlers. The island was granted to a Virginia colonist. After many legal challenges that were faced, the island finally got it's title in 1691. Only a few people were living on Chincoteague at the time, but mainly to raise farm animals.

Included with those animals is something known as the famous Chincoteague pony, which will be explained more throughly in another chapter.

During the Civil War, Chincoteague supported the Union, even though Virginia was known as a Confederate state. The oysters from the island became a huge thing after the war happened, and so did much of the seafood industry in Chincoteague.

Finally, in 1876, the isolation in Chincoteague was no more, when the railroad at Franklin City, Virginia went to the Chesapeake Bay. From there, people made a devoted steamboat trip to Chincoteague, and the public could finally go there as they please! They found Chincoteague very useful, and went there many times.

Then, once cars were able to reach Chincoteague in 1922, lots of people started to move there, and the island began to thrive with people!

Since more people were moving in, more houses had to be built, which caused two humongous fires to occur. So, in 1925, they created the Chincoteague Fire Department. With four to five trucks ready to go at any moment, the fire department has been really helpful to the island's growth.

The Chincoteague Fire Company took over the traditional pony penning, bringing some ponies from Assateague Island into the herd of ponies!

Pony penning is almost like a holiday for the people of Chincoteague. The ponies from Chincoteague and Assateague Island, come down Assateague to swim across the narrow channel between the two islands, coming back out to the Chincoteague carnival grounds. This brings tens of thousands of people to Chincoteague for the summer, being one of the biggest money boomers for Chincoteague. More detail will be explained in another chapter.

In 1947, the famous children's book, Misty of Chincoteague, along with the movie Misty, has brought many more tourists to the island, and has made lots of people happy.

So, now, the history and heritage of Chincoteague continues to live on through me, and others. Chincoteague is one of the huge tourist attractions in Virginia, and it still continues to thrive today. Pony Penning still happens every single year, and I try to make it each time. Chincoteague is really a most beautiful place!