Chincoteague, Virginia: Misty of Chincoteague: Literary Hero Horse

Spent 10 days on Chincoteague Island in October. I scoured the island looking for the stuffed Misty the Horse. The 'museum' who used to have her sold her back to the original owners, who trot her out during the Pony Festival days. Rumor has it you can see her then but only for a hefty price.

Also, the Uniroyal gal is no longer at the miniature golf. Where she went to is unknown. The few locals I asked hadn't seen her for quite a while.

For a truly stunning level of boredom you could always visit the Oyster Museum. Lots of pictures of people diggin oysters out of the mud.

Pretty grim news...However, there is a guy named Captain Bill who has an antique/junk/flotsam shop at the south end of the island. I am told he collects bricks which have the name of the factory (or city) where they were made embossed on them. Bring him a brick and you are friends for life.

Misty, the hero of Margaret Henry's book, Misty of Chincoteague, is stuffed and talks when you push a button on the wall. When I was last there in Maryland, her granddaughter was still alive and performing. She's a little moth-eaten, and very scary to children. That was in 1990.

More Faithful Steeds: The pages are great, but missing one famous (and now stuffed) steed.

Known to children, especially young girls, everywhere thanks to the books of Marguerite Henry is Misty of Chincoteague. Chincoteague is a small island off the coast of Virginia on the DelMarvia peninsula and there is (or at least was) a small museum there where Misty has been "preserved" for all time. Many of her descendants live there too.

Misty was born a wild pony out of the herds that still roam Assateague Island. They are rounded up every year by the Chincoteage Fire Department and the foals are sold off to keep numbers on the island down.