Eastern Shore Introduction

Piece Description

The Eastern Shore of Virginia, complete with a chain of barrier islands off her coast is one of America’s extraordinary geological and ecological gems. The Shore is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Chesapeake Bay on the west, with Chincoteague and Assateague to the north and Smith Island and Fisherman’s Island to the south at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.  This strip of land on the Delmarva Peninsula is 22 miles at its widest point. It unfolds 70 miles southward from the Maryland line to its southernmost tip. It is a pristine shoreline wonderland that is completely unique on the east coast of the United States.

Graced with a unique beauty the area offers a prime destination for birders, kayakers, sportsmen, and eco-tourists of every stripe. (The hardy souls who have lived and worked on the water and farmed the rich land, the Eastern Shore and her barrier islands afforded a culture and history as unique as their physical environment.) 

 The Eastern Shore’s history is equally compelling. A hearty breed of independent men and women grew up around the bays and marshes of the seaside. As they learned to cope with coastal change and geographic isolation, their lifestyles and characters evolved very differently from those who lived in grand homes along the James. Yet all were Virginians, patches in the multicolored quilt of our history.