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