|
|
Chincoteague Island to Nassawadox Day Trip
Directions:
To reach Nassawadox from Chincoteague Island, follow VA-175 south to Atlantic Avenue, then go west 2.7 miles to VA-695. Continue west 2.1 miles to US-13, then head south about 35 miles to Nassawadox. Total travel time is about 65 minutes.
Nassawadox History and Attractions
Although the area which is now the Town of Nassawadox was first the site of a Quaker meeting house built in 1659, and later saw both a tobacco warehouse and a wheelwright's shop, it remained largely undeveloped until the late 1800s. In 1885, however, all of that changed.
John T. Rogers, who knew an opportunity when he saw it, owned land adjacent to the newly constructed New York, Philadelphia, and Norfolk Railroad. Before the first trains had been put into service, he built a store on the spot. By 1886, his store and the surrounding homes had a depot called Upshur Station.
In March of that year, his store became the home of a U.S. Post office branch, and Upshur Station officially became Nassawadox. Thanks to the railroad, area farmers and fisherman came to Nassawadox to ship their produce and catches up and down the Eastern Seaboard, and both the community and store thrived.
In 1923, thanks to the increasing demand for automobiles, construction began on US Route 13, which paralleled the railroad for two-thirds of its length. Route 13 passed directly through Nassawadox, and in 1928 the Northampton-Accomack Memorial Hospital, now called the Shore Memorial Hospital was opened in Nassawadox to serve all the Eastern Shore communities.
One must-see attraction for any day trip from Chincoteague Island to Nassawadox is the Northampton Lumber Company. Built in 1898, it's the longest continuously operating building supply company on the Eastern Shore. During its days as a barrel maker, when it supplied the barrels used to ship Eastern Shore potatoes around the US, Northampton Lumber employed 10% of Nassawadox' workforce. Its steam driven sawmill allowed the company to harvest local pine trees for their barrels, ensuring the local shippers a steady barrel supply.
Take time on your Chincoteague Island to Nassawadox day trip to visit Brownsville Seaside Farm, where you'll find the headquarters of the Nature Conservancy's Virginia Coast reserve. The Nature Conservancy owns and protects fourteen of the Atlantic barrier islands, and you can get all the information you need at the headquarters to plan visits to each of them.
Also near Nassawadox is the Hungars Episcopal Church, constructed in 1742 with the distinction of being the longest church built by the Virginia colonists. Its length cause structural problems, necessitating reinforcement in 1851. Signs of the structural changes are still visible.
Before retuning to Chincoteague Island, end your Nassawadox day trip with a meal at one of the town's two favorite restaurants, the Captain's Deck, or Little Italy. If you love breakfast, you can get it any time of day at the Captain's Deck. Are you're one of the few people who can turn your back on Eastern Shore seafood? Little Italy will accommodate you with pizza, a variety of spaghetti dishes, tortellini, and tiramisu as a finishing touch.
|
| |
|