This trail is the final trail in a 6 part series! Check out the other trails here.

Dive into Eastern Shore History

Virginia’s Eastern Shore is an area that has seen booming civilization for hundreds of years. From the Accawmacke tribe to early settlers to the industrial revolution, our peninsula holds the stories of incredible people. Learn some of these stories and dive in by visiting our top 6 museums from our 2022 Local’s Choice competition. As you visit each location around the Shore, you just might be surprised to discover how much ESVA history is interconnected with national history!

The Museums

Barrier Islands Center
7295 Young Street Machipongo, VA 23405

The Barrier Islands Center is a gem of a cultural history museum, using artfully designed exhibits and original documentary films to tell the stories of the people who lived, worked and played on Virginia’s Barrier Islands. Now the longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline on the eastern seaboard, the islands were once populated by fishing communities, lifesaving stations and fancy hotels and hunt clubs. Located on the former Almshouse Farm, the center has three historic buildings.
www.barrierislandscenter.org

Museum of Chincoteague Island

7125 Maddox Blvd Chincoteague, VA 23336

The Museum of Chincoteague Island works to preserve the culture and heritage of the Island. Come explore our hands-on exhibits and try to master our scavenger hunt. Meet Misty of Chincoteague and view our 1st Order Fresnel Lens while learning about the Island’s seafood industry, decoy carvers, shipwrecks, wild ponies, and more!
www.chincoteaguemuseum.com

NASA Wallops Island Flight Facility Visitor Center

Building J-20, Route 175 Wallops Island, VA 23337

The Visitor Center features exhibits about aeronautics, orbital and sub-orbital rockets, scientific balloons, current missions, and the history of Wallops Flight Facility. In addition to exhibits, the Visitor Center also features an auditorium, a Science on the Sphere Theater, an observation deck, as well as numerous free public programs, events, and group tours of the facility. The Visitor Center also serves as the viewing site for rockets that launch from Wallops Island.

www.nasa.gov/content/wallops-visitor-center/about-us

Photo Credit: Cape Charles Museum

Cape Charles Museum

814 Randolph Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310

he Cape Charles Museum and Welcome Center opened in 1996 and is dedicated to preserving and presenting to the public the history of Cape Charles and surrounding areas. It is the hope of the Cape Charles Historical Society that inspiration from the richness of its past will help guide Cape Charles’ renewal and growth.

www.capecharlesmuseum.org

Ker Place

69 Market St Onancock, VA 23417

The Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission has called Ker Place “one of the Shore’s major architectural landmarks. Docents lead tours of prominent merchant farmer John Shepherd Ker’s home with its rich colors, detailed plasterwork, and beautifully landscaped grounds. The mansion acts as the headquarters for Shore History, which collects, preserves and shares Eastern Shore history and culture through exhibits, collections, and archives. Ker Place also serves as a cultural center for programming, workshops, and camps. In addition, it can be rented for special occasions.

www.shorehistory.org

Eastern Shore Railway Museum

18468 Dunne Avenue Parksley, VA 23421

Visiting the Eastern Shore Railway Museum is like taking a step back in time to when the New York and Philadelphia served passengers as they traveled by train. At the museum, you will see railcars, historic buildings pertaining to the railroad, exhibits and artifacts and a gift shop. There is also some information on how the town was built around the railroad.

www.visitesva.com/things-to-do/listings/eastern-shore-railway-museum/