That’s a trip for the memory books! We started our trip by exploring the abandoned town of Union Level, Va for Jennifer’s & my 20th wedding anniversary. Since we were in the area, we made a stop at Lovers Leap & Mabry Mill where we happened to run into some old friends & spent some time catching up. The next day we celebrated Bailey’s 13th birthday while dispersed camping & then visited Brights Zoo near Johnson City, Tn so she could see their newest addition, a rare spotless baby Giraffe. After that, we spent the rest of the week showing Papa & Nana (from South Dakota) some of our favorite places in Virginia. To top the week off, they treated all of us to a wonderful horseback ride at Skyline Stables just outside of Radford, Va. What a great week it has been and we’re definitely exhausted. But there’s no rest for the wicked. On to the next adventure!
The Ghost Town of Union Level
Union Level, Va “The Most Visited Ghost Town in Virginia”, or so the sign on the building across the street would have you believe. We’re not entirely sure how true that statement is as there were only a few passerby’s when we visited. Nevertheless, it was a very interesting place to visit and if you’re willing to make the journey we’d say that it’s worth it.
I grew up in a small town much like this one, in the Midwest, and I’ve always been fascinated and yet disheartened by what events led to the demise of these small communities. Researching, you’ll find that a lot of them were merely blips on the countryside where others were economic epicenters. Each one of them with their own unique story to tell. If you want to discover more about this one in particular, we highly recommend checking out the BLOG we found on the “Forgotten South” webpage.
Here’s a web link if you’d like to visit it.
https://theforgottensouth.com/union-level-virginia-ghost-town-history/
Tangier
Chesapeake Breeze out of Reedville, VA
On our latest adventure we made our way to the town of Reedville, Va where we boarded a ship, aptly named the Chesapeake Breeze, and traveled across the Chesapeake Bay to the little island of Tangier. Tangier is a special place that is chocked full of history, culture and a lot of character. Just talk to one of the residents and you’ll understand instantly what we mean. Pay particular attention to their accent or dialect, as you won’t hear anything like it anywhere else.
The island was originally discovered and named in 1608 by Captain John Smith and has had a very interesting history to say the least. It’s first inhabitants were thought to be the Pocomoke Indians long before the first English settlers arrived in the 1770’s. It’s said that after a good series of gale force winds, stone arrow heads can still be readily found on the beaches of Tangier. Later during the war of 1812, the island was used as a staging area for the British Fleet and was the base of operations for their attacks against our fledgling nation. Most notably, the sieges against Washington and Baltimore were launched from here. Another interesting little fact is that the British siege against Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor was the very battle that inspired Francis Scott Key to write a little jingle called “The Star-Spangled Banner”, which was later adopted as our National Anthem in 1931.
The community today is that of a sleepy little fishing village that springs to life every time a passenger ferry or tour boat enters port. The residents are quick to show up on their multi seater golf carts and offer guided tours of their unique community and share the rich history of this special island. Tourism is a vital part of the island’s economy, second only to the Waterman livelihood. So make sure you stop and visit the shops or one of the three restaurants on the island. Oh, and we highly recommend the crab cakes if you decide you want to taste the freshest seafood on the Chesapeake Bay!
By the way, did I mention that the only way to and from the island is by boat or private aircraft? That’s right, because of how far the island is from the mainland, it’s considered to be isolated. So isolated in fact, that the mail and supplies to this small Virginia island actually come from Crisfield, Maryland, since it’s the closest locality to the island. Don’t let its remoteness deter you from visiting though, the natural beauty and history of this little island, not to mention the amazingly fresh seafood make this place worth a visit. If you’re considering a visit to Tangier, we recommend that you do it sooner than later as the island is at risk of disappearing due to the sea levels rising. I know, we’ve all heard about sea level rising, but has anyone actually noticed it? Well, lets put it this way. Since 1850 the landmass on Tangier has been reduced by 67%. The island is predicted to be completely underwater or at least uninhabitable by no later than 2051, if the sea level continues to rise at its current rate. Pretty crazy, isn’t it.
Creating History
For 107yrs the Stingray Point Lighthouse stood tall above the shoals and marked the entrance to the Rappahannock River and Deltaville Harbor. In 1965, in the name of “Forward Progress & Modernization”, the lighthouse was deconstructed in favor of a steel skeleton tower bearing an automated light. The remains of the lighthouse were sold to a local boatyard owner whom intended to reconstruct the lighthouse on their property. That project never materialized and the lighthouse was all but relegated to a memory of the past. Not one to stand idly by and watch the history of this locality fade into oblivion, the owners of Stingray Point Marina decided to bring the lighthouse back by recreating an exact replica of the historic structure. The structure that you see here is the result of that venture and was built using the original 1858 engineering blueprints. Which, by the way, still hangs on the wall just inside the main entry door of the lighthouse. The recreated lighthouse was erected in the middle of Stingray Point Marina, in Deltaville, VA, for all to enjoy. The inside of the lighthouse is viewable by appointment only and can be arranged by calling or emailing the marina. Lee, an employee of the marina, was gracious enough to give us a guided tour of the lighthouse and share his vast knowledge of the surrounding area and its past. Did you know that Stingray Point received its name from none other than Captain John Smith himself? Legend has it that Captain Smith was fishing in the nearby waters and was stung by a passing Stingray, which are plentiful in the area. Hence the name, Stingray Point. I bet you didn’t know that piece of history!
By definition, history is about past events and experiences. Our family had an amazing experience taking in this piece of the past and the knowledge that Lee shared with us. Now this place and this experience is a part of our own history. Something we will forever cherish. We can’t thank Lee and the owners of Stingray Point Marina enough for preserving this piece of history and allowing us the privilege to experience it.
