Update on the Beebe Ranch

Formatting on this is wonky and I cannot fix it nor do I have time to retype it. To read it in its entirety, go to horsiemama.blogspot.com

From the October, 2023 newsletter of the Museum of Chincoteague Island. Good news!

UPDATE ON THE BEEBE RANCH

So much has happened since June 30th when the Museum of Chincoteague Island was able to purchase the Beebe Ranch thanks to the support of thousands of people from around the country. We are still amazed at everyone’s generosity.    Let’s get up to date.    The Beebe Ranch Committee was formed. We are a collection of Museum volunteers, board members, staff, and pony and history enthusiasts eager to preserve the Misty story and the Beebe Ranch property. We have had several meetings planning for what is to come.    Work is beginning next month to complete a few repairs on the house and then add an entrance (including a ramp) that will accommodate a wheelchair. Then the fun begins! We have a few ideas of what the exhibits could include, but we would love to hear your thoughts. What do you think needs to be included? History of the Beebe family? How about a story of Marguerite Henry’s life? The events that led to the writing of ” Stormy, Misty’s Foal”?    We will be looking at your ideas and spending this winter and next spring creating a space that we hope you will be excited to see!    In addition, work is being started on the pasture to clear away overgrowth and nurture the pastures back to health!    This work has mostly been done by volunteers including Billy Beebe. Billy and his team have been hard at work over the last few months preparing the property for more difficult projects over the winter. Thank you, Billy, Pat and Mike!    During the winter months, heavy foliage and fallen trees will be removed to clear the way for new grass growth, leaving all the standing trees intact. We have a professional crew coming in to work on this.    If all goes as planned, we will be ready to open next summer.  We hope that you are all looking forward to visiting (or revisiting) the Beebe Ranch. We can not wait to share it with you.

Saving the Beebe Ranch

Recently I received a message from John Giusti, one of the board members of The Misty of Chincoteague Foundation. He'd been sent the press release below and passed it on to those of us on the board alerting us to the fact that a developer wanted to buy the Beebe ranch and develop it into housing units. 

John asked that our board meet and consider helping The Museum of Chincoteague Island (which is not connected to The Misty of Chincoteague Foundation) save and preserve the Beebes' former home and the place where Misty lived.

We have that meeting scheduled and will be discussing doing what we can to help. $625,000 is needed to do so. 

If you'd like to help, here is a news brief from Liz Cory, president of The Misty of Chincoteague Foundation:

How many of you remember the Misty of Chincoteague books? Marguerite Henry wrote a wonderful collection of children's stories, and today, the site of her most famous book is under threat of being redeveloped and turned into housing units. A Chincoteague museum is trying to save the Beebe Ranch, and they need our help. If you can, please help preserve Misty's legacy by making a gift to the local museum so they can save the property. The press release is here: https://mailchi.mp/c1663e03070d/press-release-museum-of-chincoteague-island-sets-goal-to-save-the-beebe-ranch?e=856d73180d

Thank you!

If you are able to help, thank you. Can't help financially at this time but still interested in preserving the Beebe ranch? Spread the word!