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| Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge The Wildlife Refuge area dates back to the Colonial times. Captain John Smith was here in the early 1600's as part of his original surveys of Virginia's coast. With its location at the mouth of the Chesapeake it became a strategic location for a military presence during World War II. At the beginning of the war the federal government acquired the land and it became Fort John Custis. During the war, large bunkers were built and housed 16 inch guns to protect the naval bases and shipyards in the Hampton Roads area. In 1950, the Air Force acquired the Fort and renamed it Cape Charles Air Force Station and built radar towers and additional buildings. The area was occupied by the Air Force until 1981. Now the land is owned and occupied by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and is a National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge has a total of 1,285 acres and is most known for the migratory birds moving along the United States East Coast. The Refuge has a variety of habitats, maritime forests, myrtle and bayberry thickets, open grass lands, and the tidal marshes. With the special habitats, the Refuge is considered one of the most important migratory bird concentration points on the coast. The Eastern Shore peninsula acts as a funnel, channeling the birds, especially young ones, to the area. Millions of birds rest and feed at the Refuge in the fall until they have enough strength to cross the Chesapeake Bay and continue there journey south. The Refuge has a visitor center and several trails. |
Notes: HomeOfficial Trail Guide Web Site The Other Historic Site Guides: Historic Site Guide Central Eastern Shore - Wallop's Island to QuinbyHistoric Site Guide North Accomack - Chincoteague and Assateague Islands
The Trail was developed by the Accomack -
Northampton Planning District Commission in cooperation with Accomack County,
Northampton County, the Town of Chincoteague, the Town of Wachapreague, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and
the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program. It is a project of Virginia's Seaside Heritage Program,
a multi-year effort to restore living resources and promote sustainable ecotourism
on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. |
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