 AssateagueThe Village Cemetary |
|
| (The text and photos included in these sections are from Lillian Mears Rew's book, Assateague & Chincoteague: As I Remember Them. The copyright belongs to Mrs. Rew's family, and the sections included here are reprinted by permission. Please note that the text and photos may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission.) | |
| The Cemetery is located about 100 yards northeast of
the bridge, including three marked graves. Other graves were moved to cemeteries on
Chincoteague. The protected graves, enclosed by a wire fence, are of the oldest residents, John A. Jones, and Family. At the turn of the century the population of the village was about 225, not including the lighthouse keeper's family. There were about 25 to 30 families in 1922 on Assateague Village. Some of these families were: The village decline commenced in 1922, after Dr. Samuel B. Field of Baltimore, Maryland, acquired most of the land of the Virginia portion of Assateague. His overseer, Mr. Oliphant, who lived in a bungalow across the road from the old life saving station, refused to permit the villagers to cross Field's property to get to Tom's Cove (a great clamming region). With their access over the shell road to the Cove closed, the settlers began to move off the Island, because there was little work provided for the villagers. So today, Assateague is no longer called a village, but has been converted into a wild life sanctuary and park accessible by bridge from Chincoteague. It's fast becoming one of the more popular attractions on the Atlantic Coast and of all the islands, it is longest and broadest. The marshes have become a major feeding and nesting ground for wildlife birds and small game, herds of ponies and deer. The white broad beach provides a great bathing area that attracts many to this wild life sanctuary.
|
