Chincoteague, Virginia | |
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 West side of Chincoteague at sunrise. | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Chincoteague inAccomack County, Virginia and of Accomack County inVirginia | |
  Chincoteague Chincoteague (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates:37°56′5″N75°22′4″W / 37.93472°N 75.36778°W /37.93472; -75.36778 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Accomack |
| Incorporated | 1908 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Denise Bowden |
| Area | |
• Total | 37.48 sq mi (97.07 km2) |
| • Land | 9.26 sq mi (23.98 km2) |
| • Water | 28.22 sq mi (73.09 km2) |
| Elevation | 3 ft (0.91 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
• Total | 2,941 |
• Estimate (2019)[3] | 2,875 |
| • Density | 310.5/sq mi (119.87/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code | 23336 |
| Area codes | 757, 948 |
| FIPS code | 51-16512[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1492764[2] |
| Website | Official website |
Chincoteague (/ˌʃɪŋkəˈtiːɡ/ or/ˈʃɪŋkətiːɡ/) is a town inAccomack County, Virginia, United States. The town includes the whole ofChincoteague Island and an area of adjacent water. The population was 3,344 at the2020 census.[5] The town is atourist gateway to theChincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on adjacentAssateague Island,[6] the location of a popular recreational beach and home of the Virginia herd ofChincoteague Ponies. These ponies and the annualPony Swim are the subject ofMarguerite Henry's 1947 children's bookMisty of Chincoteague, which was made into the 1961 family filmMisty, filmed on location.
Chincoteague is located at37°56′5″N75°22′4″W / 37.93472°N 75.36778°W /37.93472; -75.36778 (37.934673, −75.367805).[7] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.3 square miles (96.7 km2), of which 9.1 square miles (23.6 km2) is land and 28.2 square miles (73.1 km2), or 75.58%, is water.[8] It lies at an elevation of three feet.[2]
Chincoteague was a barrier island until the mid-1800s, when Assateague migrated so far south that it shielded Chincoteague from the ocean. The year of 1650 marks the first land grant issued on Chincoteague Island, for 1,500 acres (6.1 km2). Daniel Jenifer became the first English landowner.[9] In 1671, settlers came to the island, and by 1672 there were large farms by Bishops, Bowdens, Jesters and Tarrs. By 1838, there were 36 houses on the island. In 1861, with the Civil War looming following the attack onFort Sumter, the island voted 132–2 not to secede from theUnion and against slavery. The town saw minor action in the war via theBattle of Cockle Creek, which was fought in the bay in 1861.
The Native American name for the island isGingoteague,[9] and the name of the town "Chincoteague" first appeared in theDecisions of the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1943.[10]
In 1962, a majornor'easter winter storm, theAsh Wednesday Storm, struck the coast. The town was completely underwater, and went for days without electricity. The storm destroyed almost all structures on Assateague Island, where development was just beginning. Following this, most of the island was preserved from development asAssateague Island National Seashore in 1965.
TheAssateague Lighthouse andCaptain Timothy Hill House are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[11][12]
In March 2020, the town received critical flood protection funding ($53.9 million).[13]
Legend has it that theferal ponies on Assateague are descendants of survivors of a Spanishgalleon that sank on its way toSpain during a storm in 1750 off the east coast, but the likelihood is that they are actually descended from domesticated stock, brought to the island by Eastern Shore farmers in the 17th century to avoid fencing requirements and taxation.[14]
In thePony Penning, which has been held annually since 1925, horses swim across the shallow water between the islands. At "slack tide" on the Wednesday before the last Thursday of every July, Chincoteague's "Saltwater Cowboys" herd the wild Chincoteague ponies from Assateague Island, across the Assateague Channel, to neighboring Chincoteague Island.[15] If any animal is too small or weak to make the swim, it is placed on a barge and ferried over. All the horses are herded into large pens after running through the middle of town and down Main Street. Pony Penning takes place on the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July. The actual swim occurs on Wednesday, theChincoteague Volunteer Fire Company auctions that year's foals on Thursday, and on Friday the remaining ponies swim back to Assateague.
The town features numerous small hotels,bed and breakfasts, and campgrounds that serve visitors to the region, such as those patronizing the beaches. The island also features many restaurants, miniature golf courses and ice cream parlors, includingIsland Creamery. The island contains two museums:Beebe Ranch, and theMuseum of Chincoteague Island. With the designation of the nearbyWallops Flight Facility as the launch site for theAntares rocket andCygnus cargo module used to resupply the International Space Station, there are large influxes of tourists whenever an Antares launch occurs.[16]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 1,419 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,418 | −0.1% | |
| 1930 | 2,130 | 50.2% | |
| 1940 | 2,142 | 0.6% | |
| 1950 | 2,724 | 27.2% | |
| 1960 | 2,131 | −21.8% | |
| 1970 | 1,867 | −12.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,607 | −13.9% | |
| 1990 | 3,572 | 122.3% | |
| 2000 | 4,317 | 20.9% | |
| 2010 | 2,941 | −31.9% | |
| 2020 | 3,344 | 13.7% |
As of thecensus[4] of 2000, there were 4,317 people, 2,068 households, and 1,244 families residing in the town. Thepopulation density was 448.2 people per square mile (173.1/km2). There were 3,970 housing units at an average density of 412.2 per square mile (159.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 96.92%White, 0.95%African American, 0.28%Native American, 0.28%Asian, 0.37% fromother races, and 1.20% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.53% of the population.
There were 2,068 households, out of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% weremarried couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.63.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.0% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,514, and the median income for a family was $33,425. Males had a median income of $27,075 versus $20,859 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $20,367. About 9.7% of families and 12.7% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Chincoteague has ahumid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[17]
| Climate data forWallops Island Flight Facility, Virginia (1991–2020 normals,[a] extremes 1948–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) | 79 (26) | 86 (30) | 93 (34) | 97 (36) | 100 (38) | 102 (39) | 100 (38) | 96 (36) | 93 (34) | 82 (28) | 78 (26) | 102 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 66 (19) | 68 (20) | 75 (24) | 82 (28) | 88 (31) | 93 (34) | 96 (36) | 93 (34) | 89 (32) | 83 (28) | 74 (23) | 68 (20) | 96 (36) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 46.2 (7.9) | 48.5 (9.2) | 54.5 (12.5) | 64.3 (17.9) | 72.7 (22.6) | 81.3 (27.4) | 86.1 (30.1) | 84.2 (29.0) | 78.7 (25.9) | 69.1 (20.6) | 58.8 (14.9) | 50.5 (10.3) | 66.2 (19.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 37.9 (3.3) | 39.8 (4.3) | 45.8 (7.7) | 55.1 (12.8) | 64.1 (17.8) | 73.2 (22.9) | 78.2 (25.7) | 76.5 (24.7) | 70.8 (21.6) | 60.2 (15.7) | 49.7 (9.8) | 42.0 (5.6) | 57.8 (14.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 29.5 (−1.4) | 31.1 (−0.5) | 37.0 (2.8) | 45.9 (7.7) | 55.5 (13.1) | 65.1 (18.4) | 70.4 (21.3) | 68.7 (20.4) | 63.0 (17.2) | 51.4 (10.8) | 40.7 (4.8) | 33.5 (0.8) | 49.3 (9.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 12 (−11) | 17 (−8) | 22 (−6) | 32 (0) | 42 (6) | 52 (11) | 61 (16) | 59 (15) | 50 (10) | 36 (2) | 26 (−3) | 19 (−7) | 10 (−12) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 0 (−18) | −1 (−18) | 14 (−10) | 26 (−3) | 33 (1) | 43 (6) | 53 (12) | 48 (9) | 43 (6) | 29 (−2) | 19 (−7) | 4 (−16) | −1 (−18) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.15 (80) | 2.81 (71) | 3.91 (99) | 3.12 (79) | 3.20 (81) | 3.39 (86) | 4.37 (111) | 4.32 (110) | 4.33 (110) | 4.02 (102) | 2.88 (73) | 3.75 (95) | 43.25 (1,099) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 3.5 (8.9) | 2.3 (5.8) | 0.7 (1.8) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.7 (4.3) | 8.4 (21) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 10.8 | 9.5 | 10.9 | 10.5 | 11.0 | 10.1 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 8.7 | 10.5 | 118.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 5.0 |
| Source:NOAA[18][19] | |||||||||||||
STAR Transit providespublic transit services, linking Chincoteague withOak Hall and other communities in Accomack andNorthampton counties on the Eastern Shore.
Media related toChincoteague Island (Virginia) at Wikimedia Commons
Chincoteague travel guide from Wikivoyage| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
