Tangier Island, Virginia is located in
a part of the Chesapeake Bay called the Lower Eastern Shore [identified by the red mark on the map to
the lower right]. It is made up of many small islands 
divided by
marshes and small tidal streams. The islands are connected by wooden bridges.
The main island has three ridges, called Main Ridge, Canton, and West Ridge by
the inhabitants. North of Tangier Island is an island which was abandoned after
the stream between the two islands (Oyster creek) became too wide to build a
simple bridge over. This northernmost area is called Uppards, and originally
had a neighborhood called Canaan. The only structures left on Uppards are duck
hunting lodges from 1928 or earlier. A few of the homes on Main Ridge were
moved from Uppards before flooding became a major problem.
Because of its distance from the
mainland, Tangier Island is very isolated, its nearest neighbors being other
islands such as Smith Island. The only methods of transportation off the island
are boats, small private planes and helicopters. There is a small airport with
just a runway, open from dawn to dusk (no runway lights). There are several
boats that travel regularly from Crisfield, Maryland as well as Virginia across
Tangier Sound to Tangier Island. Passengers, the mail & freight are carried
on these boats.
With these means of
transportation, residents have regular ways of staying in touch with the mainland,
and the addition of cable television in 2010 keeps them in touch with the rest
of the world. There is still a calm, peaceful atmosphere on the island, with
four or five small gift shops, a few restaurants, a hardware store, and a food
store as the only retail establishments. Alcohol is not sold on the
island. If you bring your own alcohol,
be discreet and do not drink in public or you will face consequences. There are no arcades, no drug stores, no
department stores, no traffic lights, and violent crime is essentially
non-existent. There are several Bed & Breakfasts for
overnight guests & houses for rent, and a natural beach without lifeguards,
boardwalk or concessions. Cell phone service is limited (your voice service may
vanish about midway in your crossing then your text messaging may vanish). Visitors will need to bring cash since there
are no ATMs on the island. Many of the gift shops, eating
establishments, and overnight accommodations now to accept credit and debit
cards, but not all. Attractions include the Tangier History Museum &
Interpretive Cultural Center (a must see), gift shops (check several out before
buying if you have the time), restaurants, a private beach and lots more.
Tangier Island is known for its seafood dishes, especially its soft shell crab
sandwiches as well as its unique corn pudding (I have made corn pudding a number of times but it never was as good as
what I found at Hilda Crockett’s Chesapeake House on Tangier Island).
In 2010 Tangier
Island got internet access and cable TV through a new microwave link. Before 1966 when Western Electric hooked up a
wired telephone system they could only make and receive calls by 3 radio
telephones on the island. Until
Christmas 1947 residents only had intermittent direct current electrical power
from local generators when the Rural Electrification Administration (REA)
created the Chesapeake Islands Electric Cooperative with Smith Island and
Tangier Island providing modern alternating current. It wasn’t until many years later that they
were connected to the power grid and the generators were put into a backup
capacity.
One of the more
unusual attractions is hearing the unusual and old accent of the watermen.
Because of the centuries of isolation, the islanders still speak in a unique
island way that is similar to the speech spoken when Tangier Island was settled
in 1686. It is still strong enough that some people say they cannot understand
everything said.
Enjoy dropping off
the face of the earth for a while. Even
if you have some cell phone reception, turn it off and claim you don’t. It’s not Brigadoon but it’s likely
the closest thing you will ever find.
Sadly the island is
sinking. Channel dredging in the
Chesapeake Bay could help save the island but it is being used to build up
uninhabited islands in Maryland because of state boundaries. They also need a barrier wall to slow down
the erosion.
If you are a Tangier
Island business and wish to be added or to update your information please
contact me at patentlaw@acm.org with
full details and when I am able to I will, please be patient.
Bed and Breakfast
Bay View Inn 757-891-2396 tangiergetaways@yahoo.com
16408 West
Ridge Road
Very nice people – fantastic huge breakfast
with made to order omelets & much more, stuff yourself
at breakfast then just eat dinner with only a snack in between. Kayaks available free for guests.
Hilda Crockett’s Chesapeake
House 757-891-2331 chesapeakehouseinfo@yahoo.com
16243 Main
Street (PO Box 232)
FYI the Chesapeake House B&B and Restaurant are currently being offered
for sale to outsiders for the first time ever.
House Rentals
Mimosa Cottage 804-450-6039 please call
Island Girl Get-a-Way 757-787-2351 or 757-710-7293 (cell) yryan@verizon.net
16574 West Ridge Road
Waterman’s Hideaway
757-891-2999 contact Tony at fourbrothers@nnwifi.com
Gift Shops
Crab
Shack Gift Shop
Island
Treasures
Jim’s
Gift Shop
Sandy’s
Place – lots of t-shirts, clothing, etc.
There is
also a small but very unique gift shop at the Museum.
This is
all I have, sorry I don’t have a complete list, locations or descriptions (shop
owners & shoppers please contribute more info & pictures).
One thing
to note if you are a good shopper, the further from the dock you walk you will
find some of the exact same items less expensive (location convenience pricing
for the day trippers). They each have their own unique
offerings. If you like the meals at the
Chesapeake House they have a cook book they will sell you, just ask as it’s
usually not on display $3 there or $4 with free shipping.
Guide
http://www.tangierisland-va.com/
History
Tangier History Museum &
Interpretive Cultural Center
757-891-2374
Hours 11:00am – 4:00pm or there about Tangier time. Admission
only $3 – children under 11, military & Tangier Island residents free.
16215 Main
Ridge Road
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Tangier-History-Museum-103672463001524/
A must see on your visit. Watch
the video presentation and look at the wonderful exhibits. Make sure you see the displays about
telephones and electrical power. We went
into space before they had telephone service, think about that.
Information
http://www.tangierisland-va.com/water_trail_brochure/water_trail.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangier_Island
Other
Places
Daley & Son
Grocery Inc.
The only food store
on the island. Located next to Lorraine’s.
Open 8am to 5pm Monday – Saturday.
David B. Nichols
Health Center
Muddy Toes Library
16215 Main
Ridge Road (located behind the Tangier History Museum &
Interpretive Cultural Center)
4432
Post Office Road, Tangier, VA 23440-3301
On Island Transportation (besides walking).
Four Brothers Crab House
& Ice Cream Deck
757-891-2999 Tommy@FourBrothersCrabHouse.com
Golf cart & bike rentals year
round. If you are staying
overnight the 24 hr rental is the best deal.
Restaurants
Fisherman's Corner
Restaurant 757-891-2900 ookire@hotmail.com
Located at the corner of Main Ridge Road and Long Bridge Road.
Also visit a crab shanty for a unique experience (for crab shanty visit
call 757-891-2269 and ask for Ookire {his home
number} or call 757-891-2900 and ask)
Hilda Crockett’s
Chesapeake House 757-891-2331 chesapeakehouseinfo@yahoo.com
16243 Main
Street (PO Box 232)
Enjoy a “family style” lunch
or dinner from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm (last seating) make
sure you eat the corn pudding (unique), crab cakes and more.
FYI the Chesapeake House B&B and Restaurant are currently being
offered for sale to outsiders for the first time ever.
Lorraine’s 757-891-2225
Open Year Round.
Simply the best food on the island and at very reasonable
prices. Short
walk from the dock. If you can only eat at one place this is it. They even deliver on the island or to your
boat.
Spanky’s Place
757-891-2514
16200 Main Ridge Road
Step back into the 50’s in an air conditioned Ice Cream Parlor with
music from the 50’s, pizza, nachos & sandwiches.
Waterfront
Restaurant 757-891-2248
Travel
You can of course take your own boat which
will give you the most flexibility for arrival and departure times and even
your own small plane or helicopter to their airport
(sorry no night landings as there are no runway lights, there also is no
control tower, no fuel available either – simply a runway).
Most
travel links when you search are broken, circular or dead ends. The following is what I have been able to
glean from that quagmire.
Carter Crabb provides air transportation to Tangier from the Accomack
County Airport, Melfa, VA.
Call
ahead for information & reservations.
757-789-3719
This
is not a scheduled airline but a small plane private charter.
Steven Thomas from
Crisfield, MD runs in the May to October season.
http://www.tangierisland-va.com/steventhomas/ 800-863-2338 or 410-968-2338 info@tangierislandcruises.com
While
the web site lists meals as being available only snacks and beverages are.
Courtney Thomas from
Crisfield, MD brings the USPS Mail, UPS, Fedex packages
& freight to the island. It runs
Monday – Saturday year round. Unlike
other boats they do not cancel because of low bookings, etc. Only bad weather will cancel their run
because of their daily government and private contracts.
757-891-2240 tocruise98@aol.com
RL Charters from
Kilmarnock, VA (Tangier charters).
http://www.tangierisland-va.com/tangier_charters/ 804-435-6907 (home) or 804-436-3395
(cell) rlcharters@hotmail.com
Sharon Kay III from
Crisfield, MD runs year round (subject to cancellation if limited bookings or bad
weather).
757-891-2440 shar@tangiercharters.com
Tangier Onancock
Ferry (aka Joyce Marie II) from Onancock, VA runs year round (subject to cancellation
if limited bookings or bad weather).
http://www.tangierferry.com/
757-891-2505 tangierferry@gmail.com
Chesapeake Breeze
from Reedville, VA is seasonal (May 6, 2017 – October 21, 2017).
https://tangiercruise.com/tangier-cruises/
804-453-2628
Travel Logs & Video
Tangier
Island Video
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tangier+island+virginia
http://www.ferrandi.org/20080224_Travel_Tangier_Island.htm
US Government Official Information
United
States Census Bureau
This web site is sponsored by 
®
a unique synergism of old world
professionalism with state of the art technology.
Please visit Ignatz®
to discover many interesting and helpful reference sources & links.
This web site was designed, created & is maintained by David P. Krivoshik.
A limited, non-exclusive, revocable license to link to
ignatz.net without framing is granted. This license may be terminated at any time
without cause.
©1997-2018. Unicorn Meadows, Dayton, VA, USA. All rights reserved.
This web page was last updated 28 January 2018