Hog Island (Machipongo, Virginia) facts for kids

Hog Island is a special place located off the coast of Virginia. It's one of the Virginia Barrier Islands, which are long, narrow islands that protect the mainland from ocean storms. Hog Island is part of a nature preserve called the Virginia Coast Reserve, managed by The Nature Conservancy.

A Look Back at Hog Island's History

Hog Island has a long and interesting past. It was first settled in 1672 by 22 English colonists. They called it Machipongo Island back then. After a while, the island was left empty. People didn't return until around the time of the American Revolution, which was a big war for America's independence.

Hunting and Fishing Clubs

In the late 1800s, Hog Island became a popular spot for wealthy people who loved to hunt and fish. Several fancy clubs were built on Virginia's barrier islands, and one of the biggest was on Hog Island, in a town called Broadwater. These clubs were a favorite getaway for sportsmen from the Northeast.

President Cleveland's Visits

A famous visitor to Hog Island was Grover Cleveland, who was the President of the United States. He was the only president to serve two terms that were not back-to-back! In 1892, after winning the election, President Cleveland visited the Broadwater Club for 10 days of duck hunting. He liked it so much that he came back the next summer to go fishing. During his visits, President Cleveland even checked on the old Hog Island Light, a lighthouse that was in danger from the ocean washing away the land. Because of this, a new, stronger lighthouse was built in 1895.

The Town of Broadwater

The town of Broadwater was founded in the mid-1800s. It was located in a clearing in the pine forest, about two miles from the ocean. It was a small community on the island.

Moving a Town

Life on Hog Island wasn't always easy. In the 1930s, strong hurricanes hit the island. The ocean water flooded the entire island, and the land was washing away very quickly. It became too dangerous to live there. So, the people of Broadwater did something amazing: they floated many of their houses and buildings on large boats called barges to the mainland! You can still see some of these old Hog Island homes today in the towns of Willis Wharf and Oyster.

The Hog Island Lighthouse

The Hog Island Light was a very important lighthouse. For 50 years, it stood tall on the southern end of Hog Island, near Broadwater. It was once the second tallest lighthouse in the entire United States! But just like the town, the lighthouse was threatened by the ocean washing away the land. In 1948, it was taken down because it was too dangerous to keep it standing. Today, the spot where the lighthouse once stood is nearly a mile out at sea. A Coast Guard station on the island was also closed later on.

Remembering Hog Island

In 2008, a filmmaker named James Spione made a documentary called Our Island Home. This film featured three of the last people who were born on Hog Island. It was part of a project to record the memories of people who lived on the island, so their stories and way of life wouldn't be forgotten.

Hog Island Today: A Place for Science

Since 1987, Hog Island has been a major location for scientific research. It's part of the Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research (VCR/LTER) project. Scientists and students from the University of Virginia use Hog Island as one of their main research stations to study the environment and how it changes over time.