Angel and Dazzle with Billy Beebe on the Beebe Ranch. Credit Darcy and Steve Cole, DSC Photography
After Marguerite Henry’s 1947 book, “Misty of Chincoteague” was released, crowds flocked to the island where two pony-loving siblings brought home a wild pony of their own.
In the April issue of East Coast Equestrian, we shared how the iconic Beebe Ranch where Misty was raised was on the market. The Museum of Chincoteague was fundraising to buy this piece of history so visitors could come and be a part of the story they loved as a child.
After the article was released, your donations showed up - along with many others - and now the museum’s dream is about to become reality. Museum executive director, Cindy Faith said more than $450,000 has come in. A contract has been signed and they are set to close on June 30. Even though the full price of $625,000 has not yet been raised, Faith is confident they will reach their goal. With your help, it will happen.
“We had $317,000 when we announced that we had a matching grant for $100,000,” Faith said, revealing how philanthropist, David Landsberger stepped in. Landsberger has donated to nearly every nonprofit on the island, including the library, the theater, the Community House, Brianna’s Park, and the YMCA - named in his honor. “He is a very generous person,” Faith said.
Landsberger said he is lucky to be able to give.
“My passion is the eastern shore and especially Chincoteague. I always want to preserve the lifestyle of this island and green spaces,” he said. “I donate to a number of causes on the island. If you live here and you know the ponies and how Misty affected their story you know why.”
The ranch’s storied history is important. After all, Misty rode out the Ash Wednesday storm of 1962 in the ranch house kitchen.
“When we spoke, Cindy needed $200,000 to get to her goal,” Landsberger said. “I offered up to $100,000, matching every dollar that is donated, but I do have some stipulations that we are getting down on paper. I want to make sure the land stays in perpetuity, never to be developed. It is 10.2 acres, and I don’t want them to ever sell any of it off.
“When you live in a community, you have to help preserve whatever made you fall in love with that community in the beginning,” he said. “The bottom line is the Beebe Ranch is part of our history. You can’t replace it with five acres of McMansions.”
In addition to Landsberger’s donation, other donations – large and small – have poured in, many with letters, notes and cards. Faith said donors are sharing how Misty made a difference and how her story gave them reasons to dream and to hope – especially for children whose lives didn’t offer much hope.
“Everyone is doing the most amazing things,” she said. “We just got a donation today with a letter from a mother and daughter who make decorative cookies. They sold pony cookies online to raise funds and sent $550. Someone else sold $1,200 in Chincoteague memorabilia. One person had a jewelry party and sent $1,200, but then she sent us another $500 in last-minute sales. One woman did lithographs of Misty and sent us $1,000. Another sold stickers and ornaments in her Etsy store, then gave us more to sell in the museum store.”
The museum also held a dinner with an auction in April. They made $5,500 on the dinner and $11,000 on an auction that day. Then, they sold over $10,000 in 5” x 5” canvases from kids in an ArtSea exhibit they hold annually for the museum. This year the funds were dedicated to the ranch fund.
“We usually make about $5,000 on the ArtSea exhibit, but because it was for the Beebe Ranch, we made over $10,000,” Faith said.
In addition, Miss Molly’s Bed & Breakfast (where Marguerite Henry stayed while researching and writing Misty’s story) held a raffle for a week’s stay in the Marguerite Henry Room for Pony Penning week 2024 with a package of many extra items, like a donated boat tour and gift certificates. It brought in $12,000.
According to Faith, island photographer, Darcy Cole (known for tracking foal births on the island and hiking 3-7 days a week year-round to check on the ponies) was her cheerleader.
“Darcy is a big part of why this fundraiser is happening,” Faith said. “In the beginning, I was getting a little discouraged. Some board members thought this was too big for us to take on. I was doubting myself, but Darcy shook the sense into me with her words. She told me, ‘You can do this!’ So, I went back to the board and presented it again and they agreed that we had to at least try.”
One big blessing came in an offer by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, who had previously donated $5,000, but wanted to do more. They own the wild Chincoteague Pony herds.
To control the wild pony population, the foals are auctioned off annually on Thursday of the last full week of July. Each year, six to 10 foals are selected for future herds. Called buybacks, these foals are also sold, but the price they bring does not purchase the pony, it’s a donation to the fire company.
In a Facebook post on April 25, fire company public relations officer, John Leonard wrote, “With special consideration from some members of the Pony Committee it has been decided that we will choose one foal that will be sold as a buyback in a one-time online auction with all of the proceeds going to help save the Beebe Ranch.”
The auction will be online from June 9 to June 14.
“Our goal is first to choose a foal that is a good fit for the herd, then the next priority - if we are able - is to have the foal be a direct descendant of Misty or at the very least look like Misty,” Leonard wrote. “The purchaser would of course be granted the right to name the foal which will become part of our herd and live its life in the wild. We are extremely excited to see what this foal brings, and we encourage everyone to start spreading the word near and far!”
Last year, two buybacks brought in over $30,000 each.
After social media posts drew their attention, the Breyer model horse company also sprang into action. In a Facebook post they wrote, “To support the Museum of Chincoteague Island's ongoing efforts to save the Beebe Ranch, Breyer is offering a special Gold Misty and Stormy test run set via eBay auction, with all proceeds to be donated to the Museum's fundraiser.”
That auction ended April 22 with a final bid of $12, 875.
Faith reflected on her vision for the ranch.
“Everybody loves the thought of the Beebe ranch from the book, from a simpler time,” she said.
“Here’s an opportunity for us to not make it a glammy, shiny carnival attraction, but a place where people can walk back in time, visit the ponies, maybe take a walk on a trail in the back of the property or attend a lecture to learn about Chincoteague ponies. I’d love to see the house looking like Grandma Beebe just stepped out and still has coffee brewing. We want visitors to have an authentic visit.”
Donations may be made online at chincoteaguemuseum.com or https://gofund.me/bd12d625 or mailed to the Museum of Chincoteague, PO Box 352, Chincoteague, VA 23336. The museum can be reached at (757) 336-6117.