Beebe Ranch was owned by Clarence and Ida Beebe and was located on the southeastern part of Chincoteague Island. The couple was married in February 1908 and raised five children. Clarence was a horseman and had a herd of Chincoteague Ponies. He bred and sold ponies that ran on Assateague and on Chincoteague, later just on Chincoteague. In 1924 and 1931 Clarence was described as the largest owner of Chincoteague Ponies. A pony sale and roundup was held at the ranch alongside the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's Pony Penning for many years. The ponies from Assateague rested at Beebe Ranch after they swam to Chincoteague in part of the 1940s and 1950s. During World War II Pony Penning was cancelled in 1942 and 1943 but a roundup and sale was still held at Beebe Ranch. In 1948 Clarence and the Fire Company were the principal owners of the ponies on Assateague.

Clarence Beebe and Beebe Ranch Ponies in 1938. The Richmond News Leader.

Clarence Beebe and ponies. Pictorial Life Story of Misty.

The lives of Beebe family were forever changed in 1946. Author Marguerite Henry met them while researching to write a book about Chincoteague. A filly foal born on the Ranch during Pony Penning week captured her heart. Clarence agreed to sell the foal to Mrs. Henry and ship her to Illinois after the foal was weaned. The subsequent Misty books made the ranch and the Beebe's famous. Clarence became Grandpa Beebe and Ida became Grandma Beebe to generations. Their grandchildren Paul and Maureen were the central charters of Misty of Chincoteague. Illustrator Wesley Dennis drew the ranch and the Beebe's true to life for the Misty books. The Beebe's received a lot of fan mail from readers, which they usually forwarded to Marguerite Henry. The author became a friend and was a frequent visitor to the ranch through the years.

Clarence and Ida Beebe. Beebe family photo printed in MCF calendar,

Grandma and Grandpa Beebe. Stormy Misty's Foal Illustration

Misty returned to Beebe Ranch in 1957 to great fanfare. Life Magazine was on hand to photograph and write about her return. Clarence passed away only a month after Misty returned to the Ranch. Ida was unable to care for Misty and the Ranch on her own so their son Ralph took over management. Ida passed away in October 1960.

Misty's return to Beebe Ranch. Life magazine.

Misty on a 1959 Beebe Ranch flyer

Thousands of people visited Beebe Ranch to see Misty. Signs showed tourists the way to Beebe Ranch the "Home of Misty". Visitors could purchase souvenirs such as postcards, books, and other items. The Beebe's continued to breed and raise ponies with a pony sale held during Pony Penning week.

Beebe Ranch ponies in the 1960s. Postcard.

Two of Misty's foals, Phantom Wings and Wisp O' Mist, were born and died on Beebe Ranch. Her grandfoals Cloudy, Sandpiper, Thunder, Windy, and Breezy were born on the ranch. There was great fanfare at the birth of Misty's first foal Phantom Wings and many visitors came to celebrate his birth, including Marguerite Henry and Life Magazine. Phantom Wings and Wisp O' Mist died on Beebe Ranch in December 1964 after becoming sick on cattle feed.

Misty, Phantom Wings, and Ralph Beebe. Life Magazine.

Stormy's son Thunder on Beebe Ranch in 1969. Photo by Joseph R. Spies

A movie adaptation of Misty brought more attention to Beebe Ranch in 1961. The actual ranch wasn't in the film but a fictional version was. A farm owned by Carroll Bull on Folly Creek near Accomac, Virginia was the movie version of Beebe Ranch. Billy and Denny Beebe were extras in the movie. Maureen and Ralph Beebe helped famed Hollywood trainer Les Hilton with the ponies for the film. Five weeks before the film began shooting Ralph Beebe and Hilton started training the ponies. Misty attended the movie premiere on Chincoteague and was paraded down the street by Ralph Beebe.

Misty, David Ladd, and a movie Misty. Pictorial Life Story of Misty

Dennie Beebe in Misty

Billy Beebe in Misty

Beebe Ranch was greatly affected by the Ash Wednesday nor'easter of March 1962. Misty was due to foal her third offspring and was brought into Jeanette's kitchen for safety. She was evacuated to Pocomoke, Maryland after the storm. Her last foal Stormy was named after the devastating storm. Ralph estimated he lost 90 Beebe Ranch ponies in the storm. Misty's older offspring Phantom Wings and Wisp O' Mist were some of the survivors. The events inspired Marguerite Henry to write the fictionalized book Stormy, Misty's Foal. The story was set on the ranch and Chincoteague during the storm.

Stormy, Misty's Foal Illustration

Misty, Stormy, Jeanette, Billy, and Dennie. National Geographic

Ralph and Jeanette Beebe Ranch Home

Misty died at Beebe Ranch on October 16, 1972. The Beebe's decided to have Misty taxidermied and planned for her to be the center of a Misty museum on Beebe Ranch. Unfortunately this was not to be as Ralph suddenly died December 29, 1973. Ralph and Jeanette's son Dennie passed at age 21 in 1969. The Misty family ponies were sold and moved to the Chincoteague Miniature Pony Farm. Ownership of Stormy and the taxidermied Misty remained with Jeanette Beebe, although they were on display at the Pony Farm. Jeanette lived in her Beebe Ranch home for many years. Pieces of the property were sold off in the years after. Clarence and Ida's house was sold and burned down in 1996. Jeanette Beebe passed away January 30, 2002. Her son Ralph had passed away in 1991.

Clarence and Ida Beebe House Misty of Chincoteague Illustration

Clarence and Ida Beebe House 1995

Clarence and Ida Beebe House 1996

Ralph and Jeanette's son Billy King Beebe opened his mother's home for tours starting in 1999. He later partnered with Step Through Time Tours to help welcome visitors. Billy and his wife Bonnie purchased a descendant of Misty Nightmist's Little Angel in 2005 to bring Misty ponies back to the ranch. Angel's Stormy Drizzle was born in 2016 and is the first Misty descendant to be born on Beebe Ranch since 1977. The remaining barn on the property burned down June 25, 2019. A number of historic artifacts were lost including the stall signs of Misty and her foals. Billy passed away May 26, 2024.

Billy Beebe in 1999

Ralph and Jeanette Beebe Ranch Barn

Misty and Phantom Wings Stall Signs

A small portion of the original Beebe Ranch was preserved from development. It was purchased and dedicated in 1996 after a large fundraising effort. It's called Misty's Meadow or Misty's Pasture and is on the southeast side of Ridge Road. A statue of Misty was erected on a part of the property called "The Thicket" in July 1997. The statue was moved to downtown Chincoteague in 2006. The original statue location is on the west side of Ridge Road.

The remaining 10.3 acres of Beebe Ranch and the home of Jeanette Beebe was sold to the Museum of Chincoteague Island on June 30, 2023. There was a huge fundraising effort from many people all over the world to raise the $625,000 purchase price. The Museum is working to preserve the property and home to keep it open for the generations to come. During Pony Penning week 2024 the Museum auctioned off wood siding tiles removed from Ralph and Jeanette's house that had been made into art pieces.

Art made from Beebe Ranch wood siding

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