• Updated

In this photo provided by the Maine State Fire Marshal, flames burn through Robbins Lumber following an explosion, May 15, 2026, in Searsmont, Maine. (Maine State Fire Marshal via AP)

Before Chincoteague Island became a bustling attraction, two devastating fires swept through Main Street more than a century ago. This changed the island's layout, architecture and history, according to the Museum of Chincoteague Island.