Coast Guard Station Cobb Island

Cobb Island Station.
Cobb Island Station

Coordinates: 37°17′24″N 75°55′20″W / 37.290103°N 75.922164°W / 37.290103; -75.922164

Coast Guard Station Cobb Island (aka Cobb Island Station) is a former United States Coast Guard Station that was built on the southern end of Cobb Island, Virginia, one of Virginia's Barrier Islands, on Virginia's Eastern Shore, in 1936, to replace an earlier c.1877 Coast Guard Station. The Coast Guard decommissioned Station Cobb Island in 1964. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) acquired the abandoned former Station Cobb Island in 1973. TNC moved the buildings comprising the former Station Cobb Island, by barge, eight miles across Cobb Island Bay, to a newly prepared site in Oyster, Northampton County, Virginia, on Virginia's Eastern Shore, in May 1998. TNC subsequently restored the former Station Cobb Island as a nature education center/lodge/conference center through adaptive reuse. The property is currently listed for sale.

History

United States Coast Guard (c.1877/1936-1973)

Coast Guard Station Cobb Island was built by the United States Coast Guard on the southern end of Cobb Island in 1936 to replace an earlier c.1877 Coast Guard Station. The architecture stye of the new Station was Colonial Revival, as designed by the Coast Guard’s Civil Engineer’s office.[1] Station Cobb Island was decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1964 and abandoned. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) acquired the former Station Cobb Island in 1973.[2]

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) (1973-2006)

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) acquired the former Station Cobb Island, from the U.S. Federal Government in 1973, included as part of TNC's Virginia Coast Reserve (VCR). In early May 1998, Expert Construction and House Movers, a Virginia Beach, Virginia, based commercial company contracted by TNC, lifted the three-story former Coast Guard Station building onto a barge. On May 6, 1998, they towed the barge eight miles across Cobb Island Bay to a newly prepared site in Oyster, Northampton County, Virginia, on Virginia's Eastern Shore. On May 7, 1998, the three-story former Coast Guard Station building was unloaded from the barge and moved on land to a newly prepared site. An associated boathouse had also been moved by barge to the newly prepared new site at an earlier date.[3] TNC subsequently restored the former Station Cobb Island as a nature education center/lodge/conference center. A Keeper’s cottage and other secondary buildings were subsequently added to complement the original Station.[4]

World Healing Institute (2006-c. 2011)

The former Station Cobb Island was acquired by Cobb Island Station LLC from The Nature Conservancy, c. 2006. The property was leased as a retreat center by the World Healing Institute until 2011.[5]

Property for sale (2018)

The property, including the restored buildings and structures comprising the former Station Cobb Island, is currently (2018) listed for sale. The property is 32.3 acres. Included are: 17 acres of tidal salt marsh, 4 acres of intertidal emergent and scrub/shrub wetlands, and 5 acres of high ground and forest.[6][7][8][9]

Kagawa, Ron M. and J. Richard Kellam. Cobb's Island, Virginia: The Last Sentinel. Virginia Beach, Virginia: The Donning Company Publishers, 2003

This publication examines the history of Cobb's Island, Virginia. Chapter 3: "Transformations: The Cobb's Island Life-Saving Stations", pp. 27-119, details the history of Cobb Island's two life-saving stations. This includes the planning for the move of the 1936 Coast Guard Station to the mainland, the move in May 1998, and the subsequent restoration of the former Coast Guard Station's buildings.

"…As part of Shore Financial Corporation's ongoing commitment to the Eastern Shore, we are proud to sponsor the effort to preserve the history, heritage, and traditions of our community. We are pleased that the proceeds of this book will benefit the Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce…"[10]

References

  1. ↑ http://uslife-savingservice.org/station/stations-for-sale/ Former Coast Guard Stations for Sale: Cobb Island, Virginia, Oyster, VA
  2. ↑ http://uslife-savingservice.org/station/stations-for-sale/ Former Coast Guard Stations for Sale: Cobb Island, Virginia, Oyster, VA
  3. ↑ https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/doc/408382173.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=May+7%2C+1998&author=&desc=Old+Coast+Guard+Station+Relocated
  4. ↑ https://www.jtsamuels.com/details/residential/543880/ Former Coast Guard Station Cobb Island. Real estate listing by Jos. T. Samuels, Inc. Realtors, Charlottesville, VA
  5. ↑ http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/life/outdoors/2014/11/09/oyster-virginia/18763441/ Carol Vaughn, "Oyster: A delicacy, a community's way of life, Nov. 9, 2014, Delmarvanow
  6. ↑ https://www.jtsamuels.com/details/residential/543880/ Real estate listing by Jos. T. Samuels, Inc. Realtors, Charlottesville, VA
  7. ↑ http://virtualtours.visionaryperspectives.com/idx/695339 Real Estate listing by Jos. T. Samuels, Inc. Realtors, Charlottesville, VA (Virtual tour)
  8. ↑ http://www.dailyprogress.com/lv/cobbislandstation/ Real Estate listing by Jos. T. Samuels, Inc. Realtors, Charlottesville, VA. LV Luxe Virginia
  9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7YC3I4PGVY Cobb Island Station For Sale. Samuels Virginia Real Estate. Published on July 22, 2016. Video produced from a drone in an aerial flyover. (YouTube video - 3 minutes:10 seconds).
  10. ↑ http://lighthouseantiques.net/books2/books2.html Kagawa, Ron M. and J. Richard Kellam. Cobb's Island, Virginia: The Last Sentinel. Virginia Beach, Virginia: The Donning Company Publishers, 2003, Frontispiece.
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