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Virginia

Chincoteague: Lighthouses, Wild Ponies and Pirates

Program No. 2005RSBLOG

Virginia's only inhabited barrier island and the national wildlife refuge and seashore have stunning vistas, wild ponies, wildlife, miles of trails and beaches and a memorable history.

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6 days

5 nights

13 meals

5B 4L 4D

Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation, History

Chincoteague , Va.

Assateague Seashore, Historic Chincoteague Island

Chincoteague , Va.

Seafood Industry, Lighthouse Lecture

Chincoteague , Va.

Pontoon Boat Ride, Pirates, Lighthouse History

Chincoteague , Va.

Wildlife Art & Artist, Free Time, Musical Entertainment

Chincoteague , Va.

Native Waterman, Program Concludes

Chincoteague , Va.

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At a Glance

Chincoteague Island, Virginia’s only inhabited barrier island, retains the aura of a waterside village of years past. Discover the island’s exceptional history from its earliest settlers to today — a story that includes maritime events, pirate lore and Chincoteague’s surprising role in the Civil War. Travel to the adjacent Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, rich in wildlife, waterfowl and natural habitats, and see its iconic Assateague Lighthouse, explore nature trails and stroll its pristine seashore. Observe the herds of wild Chincoteague ponies that still roam the marshes and beaches of the Refuge and were forever memorialized in Marguerite Henry’s timeless classic novel “Misty of Chincoteague.”

Activity Level

Easy Going

Walking a total of up to two miles per day, getting on and off a school bus, boarding and exiting a pontoon boat. All of Chincoteague and most of Assateague are flat terrain.

Best of all, you’ll…

Boat along island waters to observe ponies and wildlife, view the NASA rocket launch sites on nearby Wallops Island and see Assateague Island from the water.
Visit the Museum of Chincoteague Island with its rare first-order Fresnel lighthouse lens and historic island treasures.
Sample island cuisine, and enjoy a performance by local musicians who will entertain you with sea shanties, island songs and Celtic music.

General Notes

You may be interested in a three-night version of this program, "Island Adventure: Discover Chincoteague and Assateague Islands" (#10545).

Featured Expert

All trip experts

Nancy Richards West

Nancy Richards West has lived on Chincoteague Island for three decades, using this picturesque setting as inspiration for her paintings. The first resident artist chosen by the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, the thrill of painting en plein air often lures her out of the studio and into the field, where she captures the effects of changing light, weather and seasons. Nancy has extensive training in classical drawing and color theory, and her delicate treatment of oils is subtly elegant. Her work has won numerous awards and honors, including the Ward Foundation’s top award for painting, and she represented the Commonwealth of Virginia at the White House Easter Festivities in 1996. Nancy received her B.A. with high honors in fine arts from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.. Nancy has been sharing her artistic talents on Road Scholar programs with the Museum of Chincoteague Island for almost 20 years.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Nancy Richards West View biography

Cindy Faith View biography

Cindy Faith has been a Group Leader and lecturer at the Museum of Chincoteague Island’s Road Scholar programs for many years. Raised on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, her knowledge of the region’s natural and local history is encyclopedic. Her expertise runs the gamut from horseshoe crabs and wild ponies to pirates and the Civil War’s impact on the Chincoteague region. Combined with her warm sense of humor, Cindy’s vast knowledge assures Road Scholar participants of an informative and interesting experience.

Beth Scheeley View biography

Beth Scheeley was born and raised on Chincoteague Island. She has many family ties to the island, which makes her a true "teaguer." Beth has an extensive knowledge for Chincoteague's history. Her childhood memories of Chincoteague's past looks, restaurants and people will call for endless conversations and stories during your time with her. Her go-getter personality and friendliness will surely make you feel right at home on Chincoteague Island.

Darcy Cole View biography

Darcy has lived on the island for over 15 years. In her early encounters with the wild horses of Assateague, she became fascinated with the idea that each horse had a name and a personality. In those 15 years, she has become a regional expert on the horses, publishing books on the horses and conducting workshops and talks related to the horses. In addition to her many lectures at the Museum of Chincoteague, Darcy serves as a Team Leader on the two annual Service Projects.

Douglas Mills View biography

Douglas Mills, great nephew of famed architect R. Buckminster Fuller, is general manager of the Island Theatre in downtown Chincoteague. With nearly three decades of experience in performing arts technologies, he is also the lead historian and researcher for the Island Theatre history project that documents the complex and rich history of Chincoteague Island's 75-year-old art deco theatre. Doug has a fascination with maritime and naval history, including the design and engineering aspects of lighthouses, light ships, and other visual navigation aids.

Suggested Reading List (5 books)

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop

You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

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Chincoteague: Lighthouses, Wild Ponies and Pirates

Program Number: 2005

The Watermen and Wild Ponies: A Chincoteague Waterman Remembers Life on Chincoteague and Assateague

by Robert H. Mears

Share the experiences of surviving on Chincoteague and Assateague from the people who have lived them. In 1912, Chincoteague was emerging as a thriving seaside community. It was the only outside contact for the small village on Assateague Island. The watermen were tough and courageous. They worked long days dredging oysters or tonging clams and return to the island to cull their catch for shucking. They labored building large ocean "pound" traps to catch a wide variety of fish from their local waters. The seafood industry was the focal point of the island economy. Mother Nature played her part in making life hard on the islands. The hurricanes and floods could be brutal. The relentless changing ocean currents and tidal surges threatened the fragile island home of the famous wild ponies. The great fires of the 1920s were devastating to the community on Chincoteague. Yet the people rebuilt from the ashes each time with new hope. The creation of the causeway to the mainland and the building of the bridge to Assateague Island were massive undertakings for these persevering people. They are what makes Chincoteague and Assateague unique. This is their story. The isolation, the struggles, their compassion and courage as told by a Chincoteague waterman. Available in the Museum gift shop in person or online at www.chincoteaguemuseum.com

Misty of Chincoteague

by Marguerite Henry

A Newberry Honor book, for children 8 - 12 years old. This is the story of Paul and Maureen Beebe and their quest to buy the elusive Phantom, a wild Chincoteague pony. On Pony Penning Day, they not only bring in the Phantom, but also her colt, Misty. It is a wonderful heart-warming tale of the efforts of two children to achieve their dream. Available in the Museum gift shop in person or online at www.chincoteaguemuseum.com

Slave and Free on Virginia's Eastern Shore

by Kirk Mariner

The Eastern Shore of Virginia has been home to English-Speaking people for almost four hundred years, and for more than half that time it was legal for some of its residents to own other residents who live on the peninsula with them, to buy and sell, use and abuse them for their own purposes and profit. What was it like to live in that day when human bondage was accepted, its mindset and practices firmly embedded in the everyday affairs of ordinary people? Solidly researched, Slave and Free is a good place to begin the study that no one wants to talk about. It will be found accessible and readable by both the scholar and the general reader; as well as by all who know and love Virginia's Eastern Shore. Available in the Museum gift shop in person or online at www.chincoteaguemuseum.com

Chincoteague and Assateague Islands (MD and VA) (images of America)

by Nan Devincent-Hays

This book provides a short pictorial and narrative description of these two barrier islands, their history and relationship. One is a small town community catering to thousands of tourists who come almost year-round to enjoy the beach and view the wildlife on the other. Available in the Museum gift shop in person or online at www.chincoteaguemuseum.com

Once Upon an Island: The History of Chincoteague

by Kirk Mariner

Settled for more than 300 years, surrounded by waters which have for centuries provided both livelihood and recreation, known for ponies and wildfowl, seafood and seashore, "old salts" and decoys. Chincoteague Island, Virginia is both colorful and storied. And never until now has its complete history been told. This book chronicles the often surprising story of a place named for Native Americans who never really lived there, settled not by fishermen but by cattlemen, so individual that it refused to follow the rest of the state into the Confederacy during the Civil War. Here is a full account of how the famous pony penning came to be, of the boom and bust of the seafood industry, and of a hardy people who survived fire, flood and isolation to build a community that has now been visited by millions. It is the story not of one island but of several - Chincoteague, Assateague, Wallops, and of their interplay with both the nearby Eastern Shore and with more distant places familiar to islander who "went to sea" at an early age. Once Upon an Island is both good, sound history and a "fun read" for anyone who is fascinated by colorful, celebrated Chincoteague Island. Available in the Museum gift shop in person or online at www.chincoteaguemuseum.com

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Chincoteague: Lighthouses, Wild Ponies and Pirates

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At a Glance

Best of all, you’ll…

General Notes

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