Wallops Island facts for kids
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 Wallops Island
Location in Virginia
Wallops Island
Location in the United States
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| Geography | |
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| Coordinates | 37°51′N 75°28′W / 37.850°N 75.467°W |
| Area | 6 sq mi (16 km2) |
| Administration | |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Accomack County |
| Additional information | |
| Time zone | |
| • Summer (DST) | |
Wallops Island is a 6 square mile (15.5 square kilometer) island. It is located in Accomack County, Virginia, in the United States of America. The island is part of the Virginia Barrier Islands, which are long, narrow islands along the East coast of the United States. It sits just south of Chincoteague Island, a well-known place for visitors.
Wallops Island is mostly used for the Wallops Flight Facility. This includes the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, which is a place where rockets are launched. Sometimes, the name "Wallops Island" also refers to the nearby land area for mailing addresses. The Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge and the Chincoteague Bay Field Station are also found on the island.
Some parts of the World War II movie Our Father were filmed on Wallops Island.
Island History
Wallops Island was first called Kegotank Island. In 1692, the King gave the island to a man named John Wallop. Over many years, the island's ownership was split up.
In the late 1800s, the state of Virginia took control of the land because taxes were not paid. Later, the island was owned by different people for the Wallops Island Club.
The club officially became the Wallops Island Association, Inc., in 1933. Members and their families would spend their summers on the island. They enjoyed fishing and swimming. The Association also raised sheep, cattle, and ponies there until the mid-1940s.
Becoming a Launch Site
In 1947, the U.S. Navy started using the top two-thirds of the island. They rented it to test weapons for airplanes.
Around the same time, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) leased the lower 1,000 acres (4 square kilometers). NACA was the group that later became NASA. They used this part of the island to launch rockets.
Island Climate
Wallops Island has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters. The island gets rain throughout the year. Snowfall is usually light and does not last long.
See also
In Spanish: Wallops Island para niños
