Help Rebuild Misty's Beloved Barn

In the summer of 2023, the Museum of Chincoteague Island was fortunate to purchase the Beebe Ranch property thanks to generous donations from thousands of friends from around the country. Since then, we have been dedicated to renovating the home, creating exhibits inside the house and maintaining the property and ponies that live there. It has been an exciting and extremely rewarding experience.

Now, we are ready to move into the next phase.

With the house opening to the public for visitation the end of June, the Museum staff and volunteers are ready to work on the next phase.

Rebuilding Misty’s Barn.

Misty spent most of her life right here on the Beebe Ranch. Her barn, although small, became a place people found familiar and it was even incorporated into several illustrations from Wesley Dennis while he visited the ranch.

Over the years, guests would be able to explore the barn while visiting the ranch, learn about Misty and imagine what it was like when she lived there. Unfortunately, the barn was lost in 2019 due to an accidental fire while the Beebe family was out of town. Although the family was devastated, they were also grateful that none of the ponies were injured. One wish has remained: To rebuild the barn and make it look as close as possible to the original. That would sure make the ponies happy!

It is our goal to rebuild that barn!

Fundraisers have already been happening over the last year. As in the past, people with a love for Chincoteague, the ponies, Misty and Marquerite Henry have already found ways to support this dream. We are asking you to consider helping to make this dream come true. We have raised enough money to break ground and begin the work but much more is needed. We are asking you to rally around the Museum one more time to make this addition to the property happen.

100% of any money donated will go towards the building of Misty’s barn.

any donation is 100% tax deductible. The Museum Island is a 501(c)(3) organization.

EIN #54-0899483

as some of you may know, our museum opened in 1972 as the Oyster Museum. Officially, we have changed our name to the Museum of Chincoteague Island, but for tax purposes, it still will read Oyster Museum DBA Museum of Chincoteague Island