Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05
CHESAPEAKE BAY
HAS PARADISE ISLE
Autos and Telephones Are
Absent From Picturesque
Tangier Island.


romance. There is perhaps no other
Mace quite like it. in all the United
States A little readymade paradise II
seems tn one sick Of the 1arrlng noises
the CRIME and connection OF city me.
Tsngier Island. Va. is hllly NIUE
island with a population of about l,5Oo'
in the Chesapeake Bay. II miles two
hours by boat from CriSfeld, Md. the
islanders always have made their nv
ing entirely from the water, from hSn'
- oysters. crabs and clans.
So completely different is Tangler-
discovered and named in 1908 by Capt
John Smith-from the usual conception
of a small American town, even an
island town, that 1t might well be thou-
sands of miles away.
No Autos on Island.
No honking of horns or screech of
automobiles diSClrbS the peace or the
town. for there isn't an automobile on
the island. The Tangiemen are Just
little afraid of being considered back
ward because they have no motor cars.
horses and buggies or street cars, ana
they hasten to point out they have none
because they have no need for them.
Modes Of transportation simply would
be In the way for the street is narrow.
distances are short, and they are
hardy people who enjoy walking. They
have. in fact, passed an ordinance
against automobiles.
Neither are there any telephones or
wireless stations in the town-no need
for them You can get to any place
on the island in or 10 minutes, and
as for quick outside communication
with the world, it just isn't necessary
Once during a cold and frozen Winter
the island was completely cut of from
any communication with the world for
almost two months.
Paint Houses Every Spring.
The islanders take an infinite amount
Of pride in their island. Those who can
afford it, paint their houses each Spring
Everything, including prettily dressed
little children. is bright and spick-and-
span-yelloW houses. with soft green or
brown trimming. shining white houses
with salmon pink, blue or green trim.
1t looks more like a charming toy
village, a miniature Venice OF newly
painted dolls houses, than anything
else
The town is made up of three sections
separated by canals over which are
built little wooden bridges with gaps
in the center for the maStS of fishing
boats. There is Canton, the oldest sec
ton inhabitated by Pocomoke Indians
until 1886 when the first white settle
nlent was begun by John Crockett, from
the mainland.
The other two sections are West
part of the island which seems to have
no name While the island is about
three miles wide and four long. much
of it is not habitable, because of sWamps.
Has Only One Street
The main part OF town is built on
either side OF the only street. Main
street which is eight feet wide and eX-
tends almost the length of the island.
Charming little houses, each surrounded
by a freshly painted white picket fence
and separated from each other BY a
narrow dirt path. line the street Gates,
following a town ordinance. are built in
from the fence 10 protect children play
ing in the street
In the front yard of each home is
we'll kept lawn and flower garden. most
~ rose bushes. some pinks, peoples and
hollyhOcks. Also. in most of the yards,
close to the street, but not on 1t, for
there isn't room are beautiful tall
maple trees which afford shade in Sum-
ner and protection from rough sea
winds in Winter
Each home has a large back yard
with a vegetable garden for the familys
use. Fig bushes and a Kiefer pear tree
for Winter preserves are considered an
essential part of the garden.
While there are several pumps in
town. the water is hrack'sh and un-
pleasant because Of the low marsh land,
drink rain water and use il for all pu.-
poses. AT the side OF each house is a
rain water cistern with strainin2
equipment
TownSpeOplP Sensitive
There is no running water plumbing
or gas Electricity for lighting. l..lfOr
tunately for the picture5queneSs ot the
town, has replaced the lamps in use as
recently as last year. Th-re also are
radios. but in keeping with the quiet
ness of the town they are tuned in
50 softly as to be unnoticeable.
The front yard of some Of the
homes is divided by walk with The
garden on one side and the family
hurying plot on the ojher. In the old
days this was the usual custom for All
hurials. There was no community
cemetery But during the past 30 years,
the Tangiermen have developed a dis
like for this custom. They now have
two cemeteries and are vcrv sensitive
about the homes with family burying
plots. which the heirs - the property
refuse to have rer?Oved.
In all things they arc a highly sensi-
tive people. fearing criticism and LAUGH
ter They are proud. and ri2htfullv
81. Of their town, and are fearful Of
having It appear in the wrong li"ht,
The very lack Of traffic Jams and fac
tories and the retention If ClA-time
simplicity and peace. so attractive .
the comparatively few outsiders who
have been on Tangier the townsnren
feel apologize about
They cannot know the real thrill it
gives city person to watch groups OF
women in their great PIX and blue
sunbonnets sauntering down the street
TO the grocery store. 0" Of tho beauty
Of a group OF little girls. thei" smiling
faces almost hidden nv Sunb1nnets.
{oto lie tIorir fcar IF !, Wv, No
island appear in the wrong li~ht. thaT'
have passed a citv ordinance f0roiG-
ding photog phing by an outsider.
Two New York movie men lost Their
cameras for diyo5nyng the Ord'naNc'.
The apparatus waS not returned until
the men boarded the boat hack n the
mainland At Cri7fie,d. il is said. the
anger of the Tangiermon was 50 great
they pushed one photographer over
board.
H0spitable TO Strangers.
We were allowed to photograph the
town only after a visit 10 Sheriff Nor
man Parks. ancth'r to the town clerk.
George Parks, and after a special meet
ing of the five members OF Town COUn-
Gil, at which the photographer proved
himself an able orator After his ad-
dress to the Town Council and a gath
ering Of townsmen, it was decided that
we might make a tour of the town If
accompanied by the town clerk. on the
promise that we would shoot" only
those things he considered fit subjects.
tOlan Oft