History
Nestled between Occohannock Creek to the east and Parting Creek to the west lies the stretch of the Delmarva Peninsula that is home to the Town of Exmore in the northernmost part of Northampton County, Virginia.
Although not incorporated until 1950, Exmore’s history dates to the installation of the New York Pennsylvania-Norfolk Railroad, which chose the location now known as Exmore as its first stop. With the railroad, which began operating in 1884, Exmore grew into a bustling middle-of-the-peninsula center of commerce and social activity.
John and Mary Cobb received a grant in in 1661 in the area that would become Exmore. The town of Exmore was created in 1884 – encompassing some of the Cobb’s original 600 acre land grant –and was designated as the first stop in Northampton County for the New York-Pennsylvania-Norfolk Railroad, which was began operations in October 25, 1884.
The railroad was centrally placed down the spine of Eastern Shore to carry produce from farms to the large consumer markets north in Philadelphia and New York City. Until the railroad was built, the distance from water transportation had kept the area away from the kind of bustle that port towns experienced, but the advent of rail transportation not only created Exmore, but transformed the
community into a lively center of commerce for the Eastern Shore’s abundant produce and its burgeoning tourism industry on the barrier islands.
Automobile transport and a robust ferry system connecting across the Chesapeake Bay brought a second wave of prosperity, and by the 1950’s, downtown Exmore was the undisputed transportation
nexus for the entire Eastern Shore. Eight intercity bus stopped daily in Exmore’s downtown.
In 1964 the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel opened to traffic, allowing spontaneous and quick travel to the Eastern Shore, and providing a convenient short-cut for traffic traveling to northern destinations.
While it opened up land for development along its bypasses, including some that remains undeveloped in Exmore, the price was abandoned downtowns that took decades to recover.
Today Exmore boasts three commercial areas, solid – if aging - housing stock, an educated work force, and a populace that is optimistic about its progress and future.
From the Town of Exmore Comprehensive Plan (2015)
Take a self-guided walking tour of Exmore history: Exmore History Walking Tour