About the Saxis Island Museum
Saxis Island, which is actually a
peninsula, is connected to the mainland
by the Saxis Wildlife Management Area,
a 5,500 acre network of pines, marshland
and creeks. It is located on the Eastern
Shore of Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay
in North Accomack County. Captain John
Smith and his crew were the first
Europeans to view and map the coastline
of the Saxis peninsula in 1608. At its
peak, between 1910 and 1920, the
population of Saxis was over 600. Its
current population is 220.
The Saxis Island Museum was created to preserve the history of Saxis Island
and to document the lives of the people that made a living in the waters of the
Chesapeake Bay. While documenting the fading lifestyle of the Saxis Island
watermen, the museum will help educate current and future generations on
the dangers of misuse of the Chesapeake Bay and its ecosystems.
The Saxis Island Museum is incorporated in the State of Virginia as a not-for-profit organization and has a 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the Federal Government. The documents of incorporation can be seen below.
The Saxis Island Museum is incorporated in the State of Virginia as a not-for-profit organization and has a 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the Federal Government. The documents of incorporation can be seen below.