About Hog Island
Hog Island stands out among Virginia’s barrier islands due to its history of having supported the only established town along the Virginia barrier island chain. The town of Broadwater was founded in the mid-19th century, supported up to 250 people at one point, and persisted until a series of hurricanes drove the last residents off the island in the early 1930s. Today, much of the footprint of the town itself lies underneath the ocean as the island has moved and changed, as barrier islands are meant to do. But the history of the island and the people that called it home are well preserved and showcased, in particular at the Virginia Eastern Shore’s Barrier Island Center Museum in Machipongo.
Today, Hog Island is largely owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy as part of its Virginia Coast Reserve. The island is almost entirely undeveloped and provides important habitat for an incredible diversity of coastal plants and animals. The island also serves as one of the primary research sites for the University of Virginia’s Long-Term Ecological Research Station in Oyster, Virginia. Researchers and students from all over the world have been studying coastal dynamics and processes on Hog Island since the late 1980s.
Private inholdings exist on Hog Island and visitors are encouraged to access the northern and southern inlet beaches which are encompassed within the Virginia Coast Reserve. Before visiting, please familiarize yourself with site use policies and seasonal restrictions in order to help protect sensitive resources.