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Project removes downtown sidewalks, but Misty's famed cement hoofprints are safe. And hidden.

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Harvey Spurlock, public works director for the town of Chincoteague, with Misty's famous cemented hoofprints. The slab of concrete was moved to a secret location while sidewalks in the downtown area are being replaced. Phot by Jennifer Cording.

From the Chincoteague Beacon | Written By Jennifer Cording

They’re likely the most famous hoofprints in the world, and they’re missing.

At least, they’re missing from the place they were last seen by most folks – millions of folks, actually, from all over the world and across a half-century.

But, don’t worry, the Town of Chincoteague knows exactly where they are. And they’ll be back very soon.

Misty of Chincoteague was a smallish pony, so the hoof prints were not large anyway.

But she laid them down, famously and with flash bulbs exploding, at the world premiere of 20th Century Fox’s movie “Misty,” back in 1961, right on this tiny island.

Still, time deteriorates most things – though the hoofprints and Misty’s signature (actually the handwriting of Marguerite Henry, author of the 1947 award-winning children’s book “Misty of Chincoteague”) are as distinct today as when Misty and Henry left them in wet concrete in front of the Island Theater on Main Street.

So it’s the sidewalk in front of the theater that deteriorated. The sidewalk is missing now, too, but that’s by design of the town and the state grant that funded the upgrade.

But replacing the sidewalk meant moving the slab of concrete with the hoof prints and Henry’s signature, both clearly irreplaceable – a one-of-a-kind piece of horse history.

But Misty’s (and Chincoteague’s) millions of fans need not fear. That slab is exactly where it should be, right now.

It’s in an “undisclosed location,” and a very safe one.

Harvey Spurlock, the town’s public works director, escorted a visitor to the slab last week.

No one would ever guess where it is, but it’s there. Just waiting to for the sidewalk contractor, a very reliable set of workers, according to Spurlock, to carefully set it back in its rightful place.

And it’ll be back at least by Memorial Day, when the first serious rush of Chincoteague and Misty fans hit the town.

It will be again seen by the visitors who fill the town each summer and enjoy the Pony Penning, which was portrayed by the book and movie and draws tens of thousands to town each July.

Not even recent repeated blasts of snow and rain have slowed the project, said Spurlock, who spoke highly of local contractor Branscome Eastern Shore, which is handling the sidewalk renovation.

He also praised Chincoteague’s public works crew, which is involved in several other town-improvement efforts.

“The town of Chincoteague is fortunate to have such a talented public works crew, capable of doing most of these projects in-house,” Spurlock said, as he stood near the historic concrete.

Other projects include further sidewalk work, drainage improvement on North Main, and a new fishing pier on a fender of the now-defunct Main Street swing bridge.

Spurlock, who’s been a Scoutmaster among other life accomplishments, seems the perfect person to stand watch over the pony prints. It’s a job he takes seriously, along with his other job responsibilities, which are numerous.

And there are millions of people counting on it, not to mention the economy of an entire town and beyond.

The whole thing was planned to “have the least impact on the downtown merchants that have so much impact on the Chincoteague economy,” Spurlock said.

So Misty’s hoof prints will be back where they belong by the official beginning of summer. On this cold and windy Chincoteague day, warm weather seemed far off.

But the hoof prints are right where they should be.

This article was published by Chincoteague.com on 3/3/2014.
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