Thanksgiving Detour! (2)

So, after Covid struck its ugly head at our son’s family home in Omaha, we’d turned around in mid-Illinois and spent the night in Effingham.  The next day…the day before Thanksgiving…we headed south and east along back roads on our quest to return to our home in East Tennessee.

Why the back roads route?  Why not?!  We took advantage of the bad luck and negative situation to look explore a little more of the USA.  It wasn’t like it really mattered when we got home…

From Effingham, we followed IL Hwy 33 southeast to IL Hwy 130 south, turning east on IL Hwy 15 and crossing the Wabash River into Indiana at Mt. Carmel Illinois.  Once in Indiana, we followed IN Hwy 64 to Princeton.

As we drove through Princeton Indiana, one of the first structures we spotted was the old Princeton Railway Depot.  It was built in 1875 for the Evansville, Terre Haute and Chicago Railway.  That railway was absorbed into the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad…and eventually it was incorporated into the Louisville and Nashville Railway.  Passenger service to Princeton ended in late 1960.

The first rail line, The Evansville and Terre Haute railway, actually came to Princeton in 1852.  Vital to the town’s economy, the Southern Railway’s maintenance shops were constructed on the edge of town in 1892.  The restored depot at 702 West Broadway now serves as the home of the Gibson County Visitors Center and it features a railway museum along with a restored caboose.

Princeton is the county seat for Gibson County Indiana.  The town was established in 1814.  By 1840 the population had reached 573.  Today the town has about 8,300 residents.  In 1925, the ‘Tri-State Tornado’ crushed the south side of town, killing 44 people, injuring 146 and leaving many more homeless.  In 1926, 29 miners were killed in a coal mine explosion near the city.

Beginning in 1815, 3 different structures have served as the Gibson County Courthouse in Princeton.  The current courthouse is eye-catching or perhaps even mind boggling.  It was built in 1884.  Several labels describing its architectural are found on-line.  They include Romanesque Revival, Italianate and Second Empire…

Information for collectors: This structure is a model for Department 56’s Original Snow Village Courthouse.  For the uninitiated, Department 56 is an American manufacturer of holiday collectables, ornaments and giftware, known for its lit Christmas Village collection.  The company is owned by Enesco and it’s based in Eden Prairie Minnesota.

Of note, this courthouse was where the trial of Leslie “Joe Goebbels” Irvin took place.  He was an American serial killer who was arrested and and then prosecuted in Gibson County.  Irvin went on a killing spree in the early 1950s in southwestern Indiana.  He was arrested in connection with 6 murders that were committed in 4 separate incidents.  During the trial Irvin was led into the courtroom on what resembled a chain dog leash.  The press picked up on this and from then on, they referred to him as “Mad Dog”. 

Irvin was convicted but then he escaped from the Gibson County jail in January 1956.  He managed his escape by making keys from paperback novel covers, tin foil and glue.  He fled west but he didn’t taste freedom for long.  In early February he was arrested in San Francisco California, 20 days after his escape as he attempted to pawn some rings he’d stolen in a Los Angeles burglary.

From Princeton Indiana, we continued east on IN Hwy 64 to US Hwy 231 south.  Our next stop, after we crossed over the Ohio River, was for a late lunch in Owensboro Kentucky.

This is Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, a buffet style restaurant in Owensboro, Kentucky.  Laurie and I had dinner here a couple of times over a 10 year span of time from the mid-1990s into the early 2000s.  We loved it!  It was one of the few places we have ever found that served BBQ lamb and mutton as well as a broad variety of other dishes…and we loved it!

The restaurant began as a barbeque joint with 30 seats in the late 1950s.  The Bosley family purchased the place in early 1963 due to Pappy Bosley’s layoff from a local distillery.  Neither he nor his wife Catherine had any restaurant experience or much formal education.  They were in their 40s and they had 5 children.

Over the next 50+ years, Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn grew significantly.  The restaurant now seats 350 diners and has a staff of 120 workers.  They even have their own U.S.D.A. inspected processing plant, a large catering department, and a wholesale division that serves a 4-state area.

As I mentioned above, Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn now seats 350 guests at a time.  The photo above shows just a tiny fraction of the dining area.  The parking lot was jammed and they had a couple of folks directing traffic and guiding customers to available parking spots.  As it was the day before Thanksgiving, the take-out business was booming and the pick-up line was out the door.  The good news is that we were able to be seated without a problem…

When we arrived, the luncheon buffet was still in operation. (11 AM until 2 PM) If diners want to order from the menu, that option is available.  We chose the buffet for 2 reasons.  First of all, our previous dining experiences at Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn were buffet driven.  Secondly, we didn’t have time to waste as we were still a long way from our home in East Tennessee. 

So we cruised the buffet lines to sample the items that caught our fancy.  I skipped the salad line and even the dessert line as too much food would make me sleepy, not a good thing when one is driving.  I focused on that third line pictured above…mostly protein.

The lunch buffet, Monday – Saturday cost $15.69.  Dinner Monday – Thursday cost $20.59.  Dinner on Friday and Saturday cost $24.89.

Laurie’s plate was healthier than mine, that’s for sure.  She had some coleslaw, fruit and potato salad, then coupled it with fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, some chicken infused stuffing and a corn muffin.

I went all in for protein with fried chicken and some of that stuffing, paired with BBQ mutton, beef and pork.  The luncheon buffet selection isn’t as broad as the dinner offerings, at least based on our memories.

So…unfortunately we weren’t overly pleased with our buffet luncheons.  Perhaps part of it was the limited luncheon items.  The chicken was OK but I really didn’t care for any of the BBQ meat items and I thought that the mutton…which I usually enjoy…was the worst of those protein choices.  Sadly nothing stood out as a real positive for us.  

Too many of the recent reviews on TripAdvisor agree with our findings.  Has Moonlite Bar-B-Q lost its mojo?  There is no doubt that the locals love this place.  It was packed with customers.  The question is, are they just loyal to tradition or what they’re used to…?

If you have a chance to dine at the Moonlite Bar-B-Que Inn, let me know what you thought.  We want this restaurant to be good…not just so-so.  Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn is located at 2840 West Parrish Avenue in Owensboro Kentucky.  They are open daily but the hours vary.  Phone: 270-684-8143.  Website: Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn - Kentucky BBQ Restaurant.  Facebook: Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn | Owensboro KY | Facebook. 

From Owensboro we headed directly home, stopping only for a break and gas while trying to, but failing to, avoid Thanksgiving eve traffic around Nashville.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Thanksgiving Detour! (1)

Ah yes…the best laid plans do often go awry!  On the Tuesday before the Holiday Laurie and I were on our way to Omaha to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family.  We were about an hour and a half away from our overnight stop in Jacksonville Illinois…a point more than halfway north in Illinois.  That’s when we got the phone call from our son, David II.  He hadn’t been feeling too good and he had just taken 2 Covid-19 tests.  Unfortunately, he tested positive both times!  Whoa!  A change in plans was required…

We’d been really looking forward to visiting with the family but Covid had shut down that opportunity.  I just couldn’t take the risk.  So we cancelled our reservation with Hampton Inn in Jacksonville Illinois and turned south to Effingham Illinois where we found overnight lodging at another Hampton Inn. (Many thanks to the Hampton associate who cancelled our reservation without penalty in Jacksonville!  He was very understanding)

OK, once we checked in we asked the desk clerk for a nearby restaurant recommendation.  We wanted good food in a casual atmosphere.  She didn’t even hesitate and her choice was no more than a quarter to a half mile away!

The street leading to the restaurant was dark and had little traffic…but the outside of the restaurant lite up the area, providing a cheerful welcoming look for patrons as they neared their destination!  It was on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving and the restaurant was quite busy with most folks having reservations.  The good news is that despite the number of reserved tables, we were seating almost right away...

Inside Firefly Grill, the lighting and décor carried on with that welcoming and warm feeling.  It is a cross between a bit of ‘glam’ and comfort with a bit of wood, glitter and spark thrown in.  The tables were well spaced too and the bar lighting really made the liquors ‘pop’…as an extension of the ‘look’.

To lead off, I will say that this is not a restaurant for those watching their expenses.  However, given our canceled family Thanksgiving celebration we felt that we deserved something special.   

We decided to skip appetizers per se, opting for two different soup offerings instead.  I had a bowl of this Butternut Squash Soup…with brown butter sage, pumpkin seeds, and crème fraiche. ($12.00) It could have been a tad warmer but it was excellent…

Looking back at the menu, appetizers aren’t really featured or at least they aren’t called appetizers.  Instead they offer “Boards” and “Small Plates”.  Some of these included: Crispy Crab Purses - $15; Firefly Bread Service with a variety of breads - $14; the Charcuterie Board - $38; Puerto Rican Beef Pastelitos - $17; a half pound of Jumbo Shrimp - $24, and; a selection of pizzas…8” or 12” priced from $12 to $22.

A chef special this evening was a bowl of French Onion Soup, one of Laurie’s favorites and one of those things that just doesn’t ‘happen’ at home. ($16.00) While it was a bit pricy for French onion soup, Laurie assured me that it was worth it…just excellent!

I know what you might be thinking.  This doesn’t look like an ‘upscale’ entrée.  I agree…but it was very good indeed!  This was Firefly’s Chicken Fried Chicken dinner. ($26.00) The chicken fried chicken was a couple large portions of chicken breast over whipped potatoes and smothered with sausage and sage gravy…then surrounded by the English peas and carrots.  Simple dishes made with quality ingredients make all the difference… It was much more colorful after I sprinkled on my Tabasco.

After the very filling bowl of French Onion Soup, Laurie didn’t want to order anything too big.  She ended up with a small plate, the Carnitas Street Taco Steam Buns. ($15.00) The taco steam buns were filled with smoked and roasted pork shoulder, chili lime aioli, tajin, red onion, cilantro, and beer cheese.  She did enjoy them…two of them at least…and I picked the pork out of the last one.  Waste not, want not…or at least that was my excuse!

Laurie capped off her dinner with a cup of Hot Chocolate. ($5.00) It was good if not quite excellent. 

The menu at Firefly grill is quite inventive and crosses over from one type of cuisine to another.  You can order a 16 oz. New York Strip Steak with sides for $87.00; a 14 oz. Ribeye Steak for $58.00, or; Bangers and Mash with ‘smoking goose’ fennel sausage, red onion jam and roasted spinach for $32.00.  There is even an All American Burger with French fries. ($17.00)

There also are some ‘special sides’ available.  These include Truffle Fries with shaved parmesan, truffle oil and roasted garlic aioli ($14); Seasonal Risotto…butternut squash, dried cranberries, crispy brown butter sage and crème fraiche ($14), or; Ditalini and Cheese…Ditalini pasta with smoked Gouda, parmesan, cheddar and chives. ($10)

Firefly Grill in Effingham Illinois is located at 1810 Avenue of Mid-America.  Phone: 217-342-2022.  They are open 7 days a week.  Website: www.ffgrill.com.  Menus: Firefly Grill Menu (ffgrill.com).

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

I hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas!  Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave  

Day Trip to Onancock Virginia

Continuing with our late September trip to the Delmarva Peninsula...

OK…about Chincoteague.  Unless you are into chilling, fishing, hiking or wandering along/hanging out on the beach, there just isn’t much to do.  I don’t ‘chill well’ staying in one place, fishing takes planning and more time than we had in town, hiking is not on my ‘to do’ list at this point in my life, and while I love the water and the beach, just sitting there doesn’t do much for me.  If I'm in a new area, I want to see as much as possible in that area.

Laurie, Bonnie and Bill all agreed that, at least for us, the options in Chincoteague were limited and there are few stores worth browsing or historic places to visit.  I’d done a little research and I was pretty sure that our shopping and sightseeing needs could be assuaged in Onancock Virginia.  FYI, Onancock is just 40 minutes south of Chincoteague.

So off we went, back to US Hwy 13 south...but I drove past Onancock.  Our first stop was in Exmore Virginia to pick up a prescription for yours truly.  Yes, I’d forgotten to pack one for the trip.  Exmore is 15 miles south of Onancock.  While in town, we spotted a couple of stores to explore before we moved on to Onancock.

Our first stop in our shopping/browsing adventures was at the Antique Emporium at 3304 Main Street in Exmore.  For non-shoppers like myself, this was the first of many shops we visited for the day...  The good news for me was that I had lots of time to wander and take photos.

The Antique Emporium had many nice and interesting items on display…but I didn’t keep track of what our little group of shoppers purchased.  To learn more about this store, go to Exmore's Antique Emporium (exmoresantiqueemporium.com).

Our second stop in Exmore was at the Country Way Mercantile at 3306 Main Street.  While Laurie, Bonnie and Bill browsed through this family owned antique and gift shop, I wandered around outside.  For more about this retail establishment, go to Country Way Mercantile | Exmore VA | Facebook.

Exmore is the largest town in Northampton County Virginia with a population of only about 1,400.  One popular story is that Exmore got its name from the fact that it was the tenth railroad station south of the Delaware State line.  More likely it was named after Exmoor, Devon, in southwest England.

After Exmore, we headed back to Onancock in Accomack County Virginia. This is Onancock’s town hall and police department.  The larger portion was built in 1930.  The town hall obviously occupies the old firehouse.  Love the fact that the building has been preserved and that it’s still in use.

Onancock was founded in 1680 as one of the original royal Colonial ports due to its deep calm waters and ready access to the Chesapeake Bay.  The town was a thriving center of commerce and trade for the next 25o years. 

This attractive little town on Virginia’s Eastern Shore was once the home of the Accomac tribe of Native Americans.  The name of the town, Onancock, comes from the native word “auwannaku” meaning “foggy place”.

The Paper Wing at 18 Market Street was the first store in Onancock that we visited.  Here, Bill, Laurie and Bonnie are checking out this store's offerings.  This sister and brother owned establishment offers gifts made by the artist in residence (the sister), and the works of other artists that are curated before being offered for sale.  Workshops in various mediums are also held here.  Learn more at Home | The Paper Wing.

Our next stop was at the Red Queen Gallery at 57 Market Place.  This nice shop offers original art, sculptures, jewelry, pottery, soaps, lotions, décor items for the home and much more.  You can learn more at Red Queen Gallery | Onancock VA | Facebook.

Onancock has an amazing and varied art and artisan community with galleries throughout the Downtown district.  Even the town’s old high school has been converted to studios for individual artisans.  Also available: premium bed and breakfast operations and boutique hotels as well as varied dining options which range from pubs to 5-star restaurants.

I took this photo of the Danny Doughty Gallery just because of the outstanding greenery framing the store’s entrance.  The building is home for Danny Doughty’s studio, his gallery and its related gift shop.  Doughty is considered to be a visionary folk artist.  To learn more about the art and the artist…and to view some of his work, go to Danny Doughty Gallery - Home.

No surprise to anyone who knows me… The North Street Market at 5 North Street in Onancock, was my favorite store in town!  The selection of cheeses available and other goodies was amazing.  I actually made a purchase!  The sales associate who waited on us was a military wife who loves this job even though it’s quite a drive to the Wallops Flight Facility, a NASA operation near Chincoteague Virginia.  Her husband serves as a military officer at that location.  It boggled my mind that a town of only 1,200 folks could support a store as specific as the North Street Market.  Tourism and the boating public make it possible.  To learn more, go to North Street Market (northstreetmkt.com).

I took several other photos of additional shops, restaurants and even a boutique hotel...but this post is too long already.

Onancock is certainly home to some impressive and interesting church buildings. Built in 1882 and remodeled in 1898, the Market Street United Methodist Church, a large shake shingled structure at 75 Market Street, is truly impressive.  The dominant tower at the left and that small octagonal tower at the right really frame this church.  Those stained glass windows are also very eye-catching.

The Holy Trinity Episcopal in Onancock was designed and construction began in 1881.  A visiting priest remarked that the town needed ‘a little chapel’, and that remark set things in motion.  Someone offered the land, someone else provided the lumber and a stained glass window was offered.  Cash donations rolled in and architectural plans were drawn up at no charge.  Workmen and carpenters were taken into local homes board-free.

With a pay-as-you-go plan and fewer than 50 congregants, it was 1883 before the framework was nearly finished.  It was actually 1886 before the first service was celebrated at the church.  Even then it was heated by a coal stove (It was March), and it lacked carpet and choir stalls but the congregation did its part, heartily singing “Onward Christian Soldiers”.

Onancock Creek, a navigable deep water stream, feeds directly into the Chesapeake Bay.  This peaceful and protected body of water is a busy place, from May to October even providing ferry service to Tangier Island out in the Bay.

It was along this little body of water that the last naval action of the Revolutionary War took place.  Thirteen months after General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, American Commander Zedechiah Whaley asked for assistance from Onancock.  British barges of war (small sailing vessels) had been harassing the shores and farms along Chesapeake Bay.  Lieutenant Colonel John Cropper rallied 25 local men to assist in the effort. 

The group boarded Whaley’s flagship, ‘Protector’, and continued the attack on the British flotilla.  In the Battle of Kedges Strait, 3 of the 4 barges under Whaley turned back under British fire, leaving only the ‘Protector’ to continue the fight.  In the end Whaley was forced to surrender.  25 Americans were killed and 29 were captured.  The battle ended on the very day that the Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War, was drafted.

This building is located right next to the pier shown in the previous photo.  The Hopkins and Brother Store is a historic commercial building on the waterfront in Onancock.  The business was founded in 1842 by Captain Stephen Hopkins and it remained in the hands of the Hopkins family until it closed in 1965.  Historically it was one of the key commercial and maritime trading centers of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Today, the old store serves as a restaurant named Mallards at the Wharf.  Website: Home - Mallards Restaurants (eatatmallards.com).  It wasn’t time for us to eat but I did check out the menu and the reviews.  Mallards looks like a good choice for a meal if you’re in the area!

Ker Place (aka Kerr Place) is a historic home in Onancock.  This 2-story, 5-bay Federal-style home was built in 1799.  The first owner was John Shepherd Ker.  He was a prosperous merchant farmer.  The Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission describes the home as “the finest and most elaborate Federal mansion on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.  Today, the home has been restored to its original appearance from 1806.  It was accomplished by referring to records kept by Ker himself.

In 1960, the home and 2 acres of land were acquired by the Eastern Shore of Virginia Historical Society.  It now serves as the society’s headquarters.  They operate it as a historic house museum that is open to the public…donations accepted.  Website: Ker Place — Shore History.

With the shopping done in Onancock, we began working our way back toward Chincoteague via the side roads, avoiding US Hwy 13.  When we came to the town of Accomac, there were a couple more opportunities for me to take photos.

 This is the Accomack County Courthouse.  This Romanesque revival style structure was completed in 1899.  The county and the town have been around much longer… Up until 1663, there was only one county in Virginia’s Eastern Shore.  The county seat for the new county of Accomac bounced around for a bit.  In the 1690s it moved to the home of John Cole at the site that later became the town of Accomac… At that point it was called Matompkin.  A brick courthouse was built in 1756 and the surrounding settlement became known as Accomack Courthouse.  Then the town’s name was changed to Drummondtown…and that lasted until the United States Post Office named it Accomac in 1893.  The ‘k’ was added to the town’s name by the Virginia General Assembly in 1940.  Accomack has a population of 522 and it’s never been much larger either.

This old Presbyterian Church was established in 1709, reestablished in 1837 and then rebuilt in 1866 after the Civil War.  During the war it had been used as a stable for the horses of the Union soldiers.

Located at 23355 Back Street in Accomac, the church is called the Francis Makemie Presbyterian Church.  Francis Makemie (1658 – 1708) was an Ulster Scots clergyman (also farmer and merchant), who is considered to be the founder of Presbyterianism in the United States.  This church was built in 1840 and worship services are still held here.  Makemie died at the age of 50 on the grounds of the church.

We passed one more historic home on our way back to Chincoteague.  This is the Arbuckle Place on Atlantic Avenue near the town of Assawoman Virginia.  This one and a half story dwelling was built in 1774.  The interior features original paneling with built in cupboards, original doors and hardware.  With brick end walls, it is a rare survivor of a once common Eastern Shore design.

When Alexander Stockly built the house in 1774, Assawoman was the largest town on the upper Shore, with a church, a mill, tavern and several stores.  Today the area is an unincorporated area within Accomac County. 

FYI, the name “Assawoman” denoted a female Indian of the similarly-named tribe.  The area was known as “Assawaman” until 1966 when the Board of Geographic Names decided on the current spelling.

I never knew that there was a Board of Geographic Names…a function of the Department of the Interior.  You can check it out at United States Board on Geographic Names - Wikipedia.

That’s all for now.  Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave and Laurie

Dining and Searching – Chincoteague Virginia

Yes, we could have bought some groceries and made our own breakfast at the cottage, but we were on a family trip, and cooking and cleaning up just doesn’t fit into our version of relaxation...aka a break from our normal behavior.  Bonnie did a bit of research and she discovered a local spot that seemed quite popular…

This is Mr. Baldy’s, a diner style establishment that is not located on Chincoteague’s ‘main street’ and which is definitely off the path taken by most tourists who don’t ask about local restaurants or who don’t explore.

I took the first photo of Bill, Bonnie and Laurie at our table in Mr. Baldy’s dining room.  From its appearance, Mr. Baldy’s falls somewhere between a diner and a dive but that colorful mural brightens up the place.

This is the cover for Mr. Baldy’s menu.  This restaurant is open daily…7 days a week…for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The breakfast menu features 5 breakfast sandwiches, egg plates with the option of adding meat to your breakfast, omelets, hotcakes, French toast, sausage gravy and corned beef hash.  Meat choices are bacon, sausage, ham, Taylor Pork Roll and scrapple.  Turkey bacon or sausage is available.

These were the breakfasts ordered by our little family group.  Pretty basic but then again, this was breakfast.  Hotcakes and bacon and an omelet with toast and home fries were Bonnie and Bill’s morning faire.  I went for a basic breakfast with a couple eggs over medium, potatoes, toast and a slice of a Taylor Pork Roll.  Laurie went with something rarely seen on any menu, creamed chipped beef on toast…with a side of home fries. 

Everyone was happy with their breakfast.  Laurie really liked the change from ‘the usual’ to start her day.  I wasn’t overly impressed with the slice of Taylor Pork Roll as it lacked any real flavor punch.

So what is a Taylor Pork Roll?  Pork roll is a processed meat that is regionally popular in New Jersey and neighboring states.  It was developed in 1856 by John Taylor of Trenton New Jersey.  It was sold as “Taylor’s Prepared Ham” until food labeling regulations began requiring the “pork roll” label.  There are a couple different companies making pork rolls but the recipes for both are still trade secrets.  We do know that the Taylor Pork Roll contains lightly smoked pork, salt, preservatives and spices.

After breakfast, we headed back out to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in an effort to spot some of the wild horses, aka 'ponies' that have made the area famous…

No horses in this view of the refuge with its marshes, trees and grassy fields.  But...if you look carefully, you can see a lighthouse poking above the horizon of trees and undergrowth…

Just a little bit later we decided to take the short trail through the woods to the historic lighthouse.  Bonnie and Bill led the way. 

FYI…Assateague Island in a barrier island that is about 37 miles long, two-thirds of it along the coast of Maryland with the southern third being off the coast of Virginia.  This southern section contains the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge with a mile-long stretch serving as a recreational beach and other facilities managed by the National Park Service.

This is Assateague Light, a 142-foot tall light house that is located near the southern end of Assateague Island.  It is owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.  The lighthouse was completed in 1867 but it is still in use.  The light has been automated since 1933.  It was built on the site of an earlier lighthouse that was built in 1833 but was only 45-feet tall.

Originally built on the southern tip of Assateague Island, the island has ‘grown’ since construction was completed and the lighthouse is now about 5 miles from the end of the island.  The keeper’s quarters at the base of the lighthouse are used as seasonal housing for temporary employees, volunteers and interns.  On Saturdays in the summer, the structure is open for the public to climb to the top.  The lighthouse was part of the design for the 2003 – 2004 Federal Duck Stamp.

Note: Based on our experience, ensure that you have mosquito spray before you venture along the path through the woods to the lighthouse!

Another view of Assateague Islands marshy fields just looking for the Chincoteague wild ponies.  No luck for the third time…

But we did see lots of birds…mostly shorebirds or water birds.  In this case, it was a trio of egrets in a marshy waterway near the road to the beach. 

The 14,000 acre Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1943, its primary mission was and is to protect migratory birds along the Atlantic Flyway.  With over 1,500,000 visitors each year, this is one of the most visited National Refuges in the U.S.A.

We were starting to think that we weren’t going to see any of the Chincoteague Island wild ponies…but we still had a little time left and we still had hope.  To fill in our day, we headed off to explore other parts of this little sliver of Virginia.  More to come!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave