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A−History
History · Chincoteague

Chincoteague’s post office opened in 1848, and 13% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 75% of U.S. towns · #50 of 253 in Virginia. What drives it

3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 4 buildings. Below: 8 old photos and papers, maps from 1943 on, and the census since 1910.

1848first post office
3on the National Register
13%homes built before 1940
8old photos & papers
4famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Chincoteague’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Chincoteague began

When was Chincoteague founded?

1848

The Chincoteague post office opened in 1848, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1908.

First census: 1,419 in 19102020 census: 3,344178 years

How historic is Chincoteague?

A−

More historic than 75% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: the first Chincoteague post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1908.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Chincoteague’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Chincoteague is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #50 of 253 in Virginia. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Chincoteague’s overall grade.
Founding era1848, from the first post office: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194012.8% of homes (±3.8) · typical VA town 1.9% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register3 listings, 5 historic buildings, 15.2 per 10,000 residents · typical VA town 3.6 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 75%
NewerOlder
Virginia towns of 2,500+ (253)Ahead of 81%

Virginia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Virginia town has 3.6 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Chincoteague’s 15.2 sits near the middle of its state (58% of Virginia towns have fewer) while its 5 historic buildings outnumber those of 70% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.8 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata gives 1908.

Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Chincoteague’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Shrank, then grewLost a third of its people between 1950 and 1980, then more than doubled.A town of family graveyards25 cemeteries and burying grounds inside Chincoteague.Deep rootsA post office since 1848: 178 years of Chincoteague.
★ What stands out · People over time

Chincoteague, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5001920194019601980200020202,724 in 1950Low: 1,607

Lost a third of its people between 1950 and 1980, then more than doubled.

12 censuses, 1910–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Chincoteague’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Chincoteague’s post office has been open since 1848.

Chincoteague
1848–today
Chincoteague Island
1853–today
18401930today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Birch TownBlack Point LandingDeep Hole
25family graveyards and cemeteries inside Chincoteague
Andrews and DaiseyAydelotte - Booth-WhealtonBeulah Baptist ChurchBirch FamilyBuntingCarterChandlerChrist Union Baptist ChurchClarkDaiseyDaisey MemorialGreenwoodHillHolly RidgeJonesMechanicsOdd FellowsRed MensReedReynoldsSaint Andrew Catholic ChurchTaylorThorntonUnion Baptist ChurchWhealton - Clayville
See all 25

Andrews and Daisey Cemetery · Aydelotte - Booth-Whealton Cemetery · Beulah Baptist Church Cemetery · Birch Family Cemetery · Bunting Cemetery · Carter Cemetery · Chandler Cemetery · Christ Union Baptist Church Cemetery · Clark Cemetery · Daisey Cemetery · Daisey Memorial Cemetery · Greenwood Cemetery · Hill Cemetery · Holly Ridge Cemetery · Jones Cemetery · Mechanics Cemetery · Odd Fellows Cemetery · Red Mens Cemetery · Reed Cemetery · Reynolds Cemetery · Saint Andrew Catholic Church Cemetery · Taylor Cemetery · Thornton Cemetery · Union Baptist Church Cemetery · Whealton - Clayville Cemetery

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Timeline

Chincoteague, 1848 to 2000

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1848Post officeThe Chincoteague post office opens
  3. 1853Post officeThe Chincoteague Island post office opens
  4. 1877In the archive1821 Chincoteague hurricane painting
  5. 1889Born hereMaurice D. Jester is born here
  6. 20th century
  7. 1910In the archivePowell's Theater
  8. 1916Born hereDaniel Webster Cluff is born here
  9. 1935Born hereBill Hinnant is born here
  10. 1940Born hereSkip Hinnant is born here
  11. 1941In the archive1941 ponies postcard obverse
  12. 1943On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  13. 1971In the archive1971 pony auction obverse
  14. 21st century
  15. 2000CensusPopulation peaks at 4,317
The story

How Chincoteague came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Chincoteague.

Read it all →

Chincoteague was a barrier island until the mid-1800s, when Assateague migrated so far south that it shielded Chincoteague from the ocean. The year of 1650 marks the first land grant issued on Chincoteague Island, for 1,500 acres (6.1 km2). Daniel Jenifer became the first English landowner. In 1671, settlers came to the island, and by 1672 there were large farms by Bishops, Bowdens, Jesters and Tarrs. By 1838, there were 36 houses on the island. In 1861, with the Civil War looming following the attack on Fort Sumter, the island voted 132–2 not to secede from the Union and against slavery. The town saw minor action in the war via the Battle of Cockle Creek, which was fought in the bay in 1861.

ChaptersChincoteague ponies

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Chincoteague, decade by decade

4 decades in the archive, from the 1870s to the 1970s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1870s3 items
1821 Chincoteague hurricane painting18771821 Chincoteague hurricane paintingChincoteague storm 18211877Chincoteague storm 1821Pyle Catching a Pony1877Pyle Catching a Pony
1910s–1970s5 items
Powell's Theater1910Powell's Theater1941 ponies postcard obverse19411941 ponies postcard obversePostcardNAAS Chincoteague VA NAN9-481947NAAS Chincoteague VA NAN9-481971 pony auction obverse19711971 pony auction obverseMisty for me postcard obverse1972Misty for me postcard obversePostcard
1980s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today16 recent
JD-OSGSA-WO-WTRMK2026JD-OSGSA-WO-WTRMKChincoteague VA from airplane2025Chincoteague VA from airplaneWestChincoteague20212021WestChincoteague2021Royal Tern in Flight2020Royal Tern in FlightStars over2018Stars overStars over2018Stars overStars over2018Stars overStars over2018Stars overDowntown2013DowntownChincoteague oyster cans2013Chincoteague oyster cansBike Racks Being Installed at Chincoteague Beach2011Bike Racks Being Installed at Chincoteague BeachChincoteague Channel Swing Bridge 0022009Chincoteague Channel Swing Bridge 002Misty of Chincoteague statue 012008Misty of Chincoteague statue 01Chincoteague pony swim 20072007Chincoteague pony swim 2007ChincoteagueFishingBoats2006ChincoteagueFishingBoatsA deer walks along the Snow Goose Pool in the Assateague Island National Seashore2006A deer walks along the Snow Goose Pool in the Assatea…
On the map

Chincoteague on the map, 1943 to 1986

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Chincoteague. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Chincoteague on the 1943 USGS mapChincoteague on the 1965 USGS mapChincoteague on the 1979 USGS mapChincoteague on the 1986 USGS map1943Chincoteague West sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Chincoteague.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

1821 Chincoteague hurricane painting
Retake this view1821 Chincoteague hurricane painting, 1877

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Chincoteague’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

3 historic places in Chincoteague

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
5
each building in a district counts
first listed
1973
Assateague Lighthouse
Assateague LighthouseCaptain Timothy Hill HouseAssateague Beach Coast Guard Station
BuildingsDistrictsStructures

Architectural styles listings

Lighthouse1
Round Brick Tower1
Folk House1
Pre-Railroad1
Tidewater1
South Tradition1
Assateague LighthouseLighthouse
Captain Timothy Hill HouseFolk House
Assateague Beach Coast Guard StationDistrict

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

4 famous people were born in Chincoteague

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
B
Bill HinnantAmerican actor · b. 1935
S
Skip HinnantAmerican actor · b. 1940
Daniel Webster CluffAmerican military personnel · b. 1916
Maurice D. JesterUS Coast Guard officer · b. 1889
Help out

Finish Chincoteague’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
3 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old view1821 Chincoteague hurricane painting: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Questions about Chincoteague’s history

What year was Chincoteague founded?

The Chincoteague post office opened in 1848, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1908.

How does Chincoteague rank for history?

Chincoteague is more historic than 75% of U.S. towns, #50 of 253 in Virginia. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Chincoteague?

Three places: the Assateague Lighthouse (listed 1973), the Captain Timothy Hill House (2011) and the Assateague Beach Coast Guard Station (2015).

How old are the homes in Chincoteague?

13% of Chincoteague’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.8 points), against a typical 1.9% for a Virginia town; the median home was built in 1983.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (23), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.