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The drive from Holiday Trav-L-Park in Virginia Beach VA to Pine Grove Campground in Chincoteague VA on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 was longer than any I have made in the last four weeks, 2 hours 15 minutes or 108 miles per Google Maps, and it took me through the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT), a 17.6-mile bridge–tunnel system at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Generally, the system consists of two one-mile tunnels and three five-mile bridges. I learned while preparing this blog that CBBT is one of only ten bridge-tunnel systems in the world and that three of them are located in the Hampton Roads area of Tidewater Virginia. I was unaware of that when I used the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel to reach Virginia Beach from Newport News VA a week past. We just seem to learn something new every day.
As I drove to Chincoteague on VA 175, I passed the
NASA Wallops Visitor Center on Wallops Island VA. Having had youthful visions of becoming an astronaut and, yet today, remaining a space enthusiast, Wallops was on my agenda for the week. Wallops is one of those facilities that, like some computer programs, runs in the background behind Kennedy Space Center and Space Center Houston.
Indeed, I had never even heard of the facility until I was well into my adult life; however, Wallops has hosted over 16,000 launches! In 1945 the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, NASA's predecessor agency, established the rocket launch site on Wallops Island under the direction of the Langley Research Center. This site was designated the Pilotless Aircraft Research Station and conducted high-speed aerodynamic research to supplement wind tunnel and laboratory investigations into problems encountered in flight. In 1958, when Congress established NASA, the Pilotless Aircraft Research Station became a separate facility, Wallops Station, operating directly under NASA Headquarters in Washington DC. In 1959, NASA acquired the former Naval Air Station Chincoteague and engineering and administrative activities were moved to the site. A couple of more mission alterations and name changes between 1974 and 1981 resulted in the current facility – Wallops Flight Facility. We oldsters remember the photos of the “monkey astronauts” that preceded the first manned sub-orbital launch of Alan Shephard on May 5, 1961. Two of those rhesus monkey space pioneers, Sam and Miss Sam, were launched from Wallops and then recovered safely. There are a few static displays outside and a handful of artifacts inside the
visitor center, but there are no tours. I think most visitors would be interested in the brief historical presentation but lost in the placards explaining the current mission objectives and projects. Indeed, the information presented on the nicely done placards exceeds the interest level of even this space nerd.
Friday found me heading to the
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Church Creek MD. The developers of this facility, which opened in 2013, had a formidable task as the Underground Railroad is not a thing but rather a notion, an action or a concept. It is hard to take events without time, place and person specifics like a battle, a life or a community and transform the intangible into a museum. Instead, the developers of the well-done facility chose to commemorate the life of the former slave, Harriet Tubman, who became an activist in the Underground Railroad prior to the Civil War. The Underground Railroad was an informal but well-organized network composed of free and enslaved blacks, white abolitionists and other activists – most notably members of the Religious Society of Friends, the Quakers – and was used by escaped African-American slaves to travel into free states and Canada. While Maryland’s growth and
development were similar to that of Virginia, slavery declined there earlier, and by 1860 it had the largest population of free blacks of any state. Being a border state, the state witnessed a significant amount of both Underground Railroad and fugitive slave apprehension activity.
Harriet Tubman was born a slave about 1822 and grew up just down the road from the park where, as a child, her master subjected her to severe beatings. Tubman and her brothers, Ben and Henry, escaped from slavery on September 17, 1849, but Tubman's brothers had second thoughts and forced her to return with them. Soon afterward, Tubman escaped again, this time without her brothers. Really??? Quick learner! The particulars of her first journey remain shrouded in secrecy. She went north into Pennsylvania and probably travelled at night to avoid slave catchers. The "conductors" in the Underground Railroad used deception for protection. She told of an early stop where the lady of the house instructed Tubman to sweep the yard so as to seem to be working for the family. When night fell, the family hid her in a cart and took her to the next friendly house. THAT was the railroad! Given her
The Facility Is Brimming with Tubman Quotes
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park - Church Creek MDfamiliarity with the woods and marshes of the region, Tubman likely hid in these locales during the day. Because other fugitive slaves were still using them, her routes were not revealed until after the Civil War. When she crossed into Pennsylvania on her first successful escape attempt, she remembered a feeling of relief and awe. She recalled the experience years later, “When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven.”
Over eleven years, Tubman returned to the Eastern Shore of Maryland about thirteen times, rescuing some 70 slaves; including three of her brothers, their wives and some of their children. She also provided specific instructions to 50 to 60 additional fugitives who escaped to the north. Tubman's perilous work required incredible ingenuity. She usually worked during winter months, when the nights were long and dark and the people stayed in their warm homes. Once she had made contact with escaping slaves, they left town on Saturday evenings so runaway notices
could not be printed by the newspapers until Monday morning. Tubman also carried a revolver and was not afraid to use it. The gun afforded some protection from the ever-present slave catchers and their dogs; however, she also purportedly threatened to shoot any escaped slave who tried to turn back since that would threaten the safety of the remaining group as well as future bands of escapees. Because the Fugitive Slave Law had made the northern United States a more dangerous place for escaped slaves to settle, many escapees migrated to southern Ontario. Harriet Tubman died of pneumonia March 10, 1913. Just before she died, she told those in the room, "I go to prepare a place for you." Although widely known and well-respected while she was alive, she became an American icon in the years after she died. A survey at the end of the 20
th century named her as one of the most famous civilians in American history before the Civil War, third only to Betsy Ross and Paul Revere. Think about it. What artifacts could there possibly be for an underground railroad museum? There are very few, but the presentation of Tubman’s life and work is well-represented
with nicely done placards, photographs and artistic depictions. The influencing forces that led Tubman to her destiny are clearly expressed and the earnestness of her convictions are powerfully conveyed. Well done, and highly recommended.
I chose
Ocean Odyssey Seafood Restaurant in Cambridge MD for lunch and selected “The Bay on a Bun” just because I’ve never even had the opportunity to dine on such a feast, and the menu bragged it as #2 in “Best Sandwiches in America” (2015 list by Restaurant Hospitality magazine). The sandwich is comprised of “Chesapeake Bay bluecat, soft crab and oysters.” Learning after the fact that the Blue catfish is an invasive, nonnative species thriving in the Chesapeake Bay watershed made me even happier that I had made that selection. The waitress endorsed my decision. I challenge anyone to eat this fistful without having some of the seafood fall from the confines of the bun onto the plate. If you’re not allergic to seafood, “Oh, yeah!” Now, where is the #1 sandwich being served?
I made my way to the
Harriet Tubman Museum and Education Center in Cambridge. Timing is everything, and, at the time of my visit, some kind of seminar or retreat was underway. The museum was crowded, and
the staff was very busy. I made my way through the small, downtown storefront examining the exhibits as best I could. I don’t know if display cases had been moved in front of placards (such that the narrative on the placard was unreadable at that distance) or if the furniture placement was standard. If so, somebody needs to provide some constructive criticism about the floor plan. My evaluation cannot be fair for normal circumstances, but I’m sure glad I had the opportunity to learn about Tubman at my first stop instead of placing all my eggs in this basket. I walked about two blocks to an address I had for
Richardson Maritime Museum & Ruark Boatworks, as provided by the Dorchester County Office of Tourism, which showed the hours as M-W-F 11-3. The museum was closed with different hours posted and a sign referring me to an intersection for the boatworks. After a couple of unsuccessful passes through the intersection with the Ram, I gave up. On the way back to the RV park, I noticed a directional sign for Harriet Tubman Birthplace. Since I had seen nothing of it in my research, I was expecting it to be nothing more than a roadside historical
marker, but, what the heck, I’m here to see the Eastern Shore of Virginia (and Maryland)! My premonition was accurate. Been there, done that a few times in my travels, but occasionally I strike gold.
Monday, June 3, 2019 found me heading back to Maryland.
Furnace Town Living Heritage Museum in Snow Hill MD made my list for two reasons. First, I’m a big fan of living history museums, particularly those with docents or enactors. My research indicated that the museum, “uses a living history format with live demonstrations to re-create a vanished 19th-century community.” On the (week)day of my visit, Furnace Town had neither but is a well-preserved, well-documented historic village that is well-suited to the self-guided tour. Life in a company town is presented, but the learning lesson about the production of pig iron falls short of those I have seen at other facilities. The second reason I stopped at Furnace Town was its location precisely on the route I would take to reach my other destinations.
Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum and
Trimper's Rides & Amusements, home to a 1902 Carousel, both are in Ocean City MD. I was solidly geared up for the life-saving museum and would make a decision about the amusement park after
Sorry, You’re Stuck with It. I Love Seahorses!
Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum - Ocean City MD I surveyed the situation. Informational Irene, my GPS, got me to the beach area of Ocean City where I spotted the amusement park immediately, but I didn’t see the museum. The entertainment menu for the amusement park appeared to be "pay as you go" as there was no admission gate, ala Disneyland or Six Flags. I parked in a municipal lot (for a very reasonable rate) and made my way to what turned out to be a boardwalk. Seeing a couple of security guards, I asked for directions to the life-saving museum. It is directly on the boardwalk but removed from the street a hundred yards or so.
I make a motion to change the name of the institution to the “Ocean City Museum that Happens to Be Housed in a Former Life-Saving Station.” That in and of itself is okay, but when the title is misleading or open to question, folks might end up disappointed. This, however, is a very nice museum that highlights the history of the life-saving station and shipwrecks off Maryland, Delaware and Virginia from 1875-1914; however, about half of the topics have nothing to do with life-saving – a couple of aquaria, one of
The Lifesaving Exhibits Are Upstairs
Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum - Ocean City MD which contained one of my favorites, a seahorse; surf fishing; “Sands of the World;” surfing; “Prominent Boardwalk Families;” and, of course, Maryland Blue Crabs. Most of the artifacts do relate to life-saving and are informative, and interesting placards relate relevant information. The import of life-saving stations in the 19
th and early 20
th Centuries cannot be overstated. From 1878 to 1915, the nineteen stations on the Eastern Shore combined to save 7,502 people from over 300 shipwrecks. If you are planning to visit the Ocean City boardwalk, the life-saving station is definitely worth 30-60 minutes of your time.
I exited the museum and strolled down the boardwalk to Trimper's Rides & Amusements. This attraction is exactly what I remember from the newsreels of Coney Island in Brooklyn NY shown at the Saturday Matinee attended by my brother and me while our parents paid the bills and shopped for groceries. One can wander through the facility at will and pay for whichever rides one chooses. I remembered most of the arcade games from Riverview Park in Chicago, which unfortunately closed in 1967, or from the county fair. I don’t even know what many of them are called but, I recognized them
immediately. Of course, there were ample modern, high tech games with digital requirements, but the old-fashioned games were quite nostalgic. Eventually, I found the carousel but, for some reason I still don’t understand, I opted to forego a ride on the vintage attraction. I guess I had a senior moment. As I was driving back to the RV park, I decided that if the weather cooperated on a weekend day during my following week in Delaware that I would return, buy a full day pass and ride all those antiques – Ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, roller coaster, scrambler, and on and on. That just never happened. Wouldda, shouldda, couldda taken advantage of the opportunity.
Tuesday, June 4, 2019 found me staying local at the
Assateague Lighthouse located inside the
Assateague Island National Seashore right there in good old Chincoteague VA. Assateague Island is home to a herd of wild horses, or ponies as the case might be. Well, actually, two herds of horses separated by a fence at the Virginia/Maryland State line. The National Park Service manages the Maryland herd while the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company owns and manages the Virginia herd, which is allowed to graze on Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The permit
Nuzzling a Gunny Sack?
Assateague Island National Seashore - Chincoteague VA restricts the size of the herd to approximately 150 adult animals in order to protect the other natural resources of the wildlife refuge. It is the Virginia herd which is often referred to as the "Chincoteague" ponies. Local folklore describes the Assateague horses as survivors of a shipwreck off the Virginia coast. While this dramatic tale of struggle and survival is popular, there are no records to confirm the legend. The most plausible explanation is that they are the descendants of horses that were brought to one of the barrier islands, like Assateague, in the late 17
th century by mainland owners to avoid fencing laws and taxation of livestock.
Seeing the ponies is a matter of being in the right place at the right time. As I was driving to the Assateague Lighthouse, several cars were parked on the wide shoulder of the road. Thinking there might be a moose or a grizzly – no, wait, that was Alaska last summer! There were a couple of parking spots open so I pulled into one of them, exited the truck and spotted a brown pony in the marsh. She/he/it appeared to be nuzzling a full, white gunny sack laying on
Woops, A Gunny Sack with a Head!
Assateague Island National Seashore - Chincoteague VA the ground. I was puzzled, but soon the gunny sack started to move and eventually got to its very wobbly, unstable hooves. She had just given birth, for which I was minutes late, but I did manage to see the foal take its first steps and nurse for the first time. Pretty cool.
My next stop was the Assateague Lighthouse. The information I had indicated it should be open for climbing; but it was secured, and there was nobody in the area, so I headed for the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge visitor center. I have been to several wildlife refuges, both state and national, and have yet to find one that I could put on my highly recommended list. The visitor centers are usually interesting with information about the local flora and fauna, and Chincoteague was no different. I drove down to the beach area and people-watched for a while as I enjoyed the refreshing ocean breeze.
Then it was off to the
Museum of Chincoteague Island in, yes, Chincoteague. This museum is exactly what the name implies. The 1
st Order Fresnel Lens taken from the Assateague Lighthouse when a rotating beacon was installed in 1961 is on display. There is
Court Is in Session, “All Rise.”
Assateague Island National Seashore - Chincoteague VA a collection of Assateague Lighthouse miniatures and a placard with excerpts from the lightkeeper’s log book. There is a handsome collection of well-documented duck decoys, fishing and farming implements and oyster harvesting and processing equipment. Of course, the Chincoteague ponies have a nice exhibit, and the community’s first fire truck is proudly displayed. Outside, there is the relocated workshop of a late, local, world-renown decoy carver. For those interested in learning of the history of the community they are visiting, the Museum of Chincoteague is about as good as it gets.
Okay, so I had a couple of rainy days that washed out my weekend, and the NASA facility was less tourist friendly than most; but I’m not complaining. I had been going mostly non-stop for four weeks and needed a break, and the locals needed the rain. Chincoteague should not be your destination of choice if you’re looking for the fast lane, but it’s perfect if you want a slower, more relaxing pace. The beach at the National Seashore looks inviting for the sun lovers, and hiking opportunities abound. There are several nice attractions within a short drive (particularly the Harriet Tubman NPS facility), and the fast lane
Follow Me, I’m the Pied Piper
Assateague Island National Seashore - Chincoteague VA can be found at Ocean City, about an hour away. Will I return? Probably not to Chincoteague proper, but Ocean City has some old-time amusements calling my name and a ton of people-watching potential.
PHOTOS
2019 05 29-06 04 Misc Pictures Around Chincoteague VA
Roaming the Streets of Chincoteague VA
20190603_132247 It’s Hard to Visualize this Marina in Its Heyday
2019 05 30 NASA Wallops Visitor Center - Wallops Island VA
20190529_085456 The Tiamat Was Originally Designed as a Warfare Apparatus but Made Its First Successful Launch on August 7, 1946 as a Research Instrument
2019 05 31A Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park - Church Creek VA
20190530_092634 At Six Years of Age, Tubman Was Leased to a Neighbor by Her Owner and Separated from Her Family for a Year
20190530_093612 The Facility Is Brimming with Tubman Quotes
20190530_094840 The Underground Railroad Was an Extensive Network that Extended into Canada Because of the Fugitive Slave Laws
2019 05 31B Harriet Tubman Museum - Cambridge VA
20190530_115400 The Accessible Materials Are Nicely Done and Informative
20190530_115908 The “Slave Cargo Deck” Was a Prison Cell 3-4 Feet
High (One Could Sit Up) with Only Enough Floor Space to Lie Down to Sleep
20190530_120001 The Runaway Slave Issue Is Highlighted
2019 06 03A Furnace Town Living Heritage Museum - Snow Hill MD
20190602_084837 The Foreman’s House Is Nicely Furnished and Representative of the Quality of the Other Exhibits
20190602_085507 The Woodworkers’ Shop Is Completely Furnished Down to the Most Painstaking Details
20190602_085735 The Blacksmith Shop Is as Classic as I Have Seen in Quite Some Time
20190602_090036 Artifacts from the Pig Iron Smelting Operations Are Waiting to Tell Their Story
20190602_090522 The Ramp Leading to the Smelting Furnace Is, Essentially, a Dead End, But Placards Do Try to Describe the Operation
20190602_090822 The Broom Maker’s Shop Is Extremely Rare and Very Well Documented
20190602_091722 All of the Shops, Including the Weaver’s Shop, Would Have Been Phenomenal in the Presence of Docents – Ah, For a Weekend Visit!
2019 06 03B Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum - Ocean City MD
20190602_104418 Captions with Most Photographs Help Tell the Story
20190602_104853 Sorry, You’re Stuck with It. I Love Seahorses!
20190602_105028 The Boardwalk Has Little to Do with
Lifesaving, but It’s Interesting Anyway
20190602_105128 Ditto for Sands of the World
20190602_105243 The Lifesaving Exhibits Are Upstairs
20190602_110346 “Prominent Boardwalk Families” Is a Nice Addition, Particularly for the Locals
20190602_110459 A Ride Up or Down the Boardwalk Was Available for Twenty-Five Cents Per Person – A Sizeable Amount in the Day
2019 06 03C Trimper's Rides & Amusements (1902 Carousel) - Ocean City MD
20190602_103440 Maintaining Viability Requires Some Modern Rides
20190602_112813 The Tilt-A-Whirl and The Zipper Are Classics
20190602_112919 The Boardwalk Is Self-Explanatory and Accurate
20190602_113410 The Little Tykes Are Not Forgotten
20190602_113653 Classics Are Also Found Inside
2019 06 04A Assateague Lighthouse - Chincoteague VA
20190603_113827 The Short Walk Was Nice, But A Climb Would Have Been Great
2019 06 04B Assateague Island National Seashore - Chincoteague VA
20190603_114732 Nuzzling a Gunny Sack?
20190603_114752 Woops, A Gunny Sack with a Head!
20190603_114754 Court Is in Session, “All Rise.”
20190603_115109 Follow Me, I’m the Pied Piper
20190603_121304 The Beach Looks Inviting for the Sun-Bunnies Amongst Us
2019 06 04C Museum of Chincoteague Island - Chincoteague VA
20190603_123105 The
First Order Fresnel Lens from the Assateague Lighthouse Is Nicely Displayed
20190603_123558 Numerous Native Waterfowl Mounts, Numbered for Identification, Are on display
20190603_123829 I Suppose a Small Exhibit of Sailboats Is Requisite …
20190603_124322 … As Are Sea Shells
20190603_124726 Eel Forks Are a Part of the Fishing Industry
20190603_124850 Yup!!!
20190603_125111 Oysters Were Canned by Dozens of Companies on the Eastern Shore
20190603_125334 Oyster Plates for a Variety of Serving Styles and Purposes Were Manufactured Elsewhere
20190603_125630 The Chincoteague Ponies Are Not Forgotten
20190603_130016 A Tough Way to Make a Living, but a Living It Was
20190603_130641 Decoy Carving Is an Art
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