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• Town of Saxis

The Town of Saxis, Virginia, is located on the Bay side of upper Accomack County on the tip of the Freeschool Marsh peninsula and is often referred to as Saxis Island. The area of Virginia's Chesapeake Bay is characterized by expansive marsh islands, shallow sand and mud flats, narrow beaches, and multiple small tidal creeks. Saxis Island is narrow, with a land area approximately 0.33 square miles. The local mean tide range is 2.2 feet. Excluding a dredge spoil area, the highest elevation of the Isalnd is five feet above mean low water. The western boundary of Saxis Island, approximately 1.8 miles long, has a long-term historical erosion rate of 4.9 feet per year. The physical vulnerabililty of Saxis Island continues today, with only a short portion of the western boundary protected by a broken concrete revetment.The Town of Saxis is a small remote coastal community located on Saxis Island that was incorporated and chartered in 1896. The local and regional economies are known for extensive agricultural and seafood production. The Town of Saxis maintains a rich seafood industry-based traditon and its 350 residents primarly contribute to the great regional economy through the harvest and wholesale of seafood, and by maintaining one of the largest seafood landing ports on the Bayside of Virginia's Eastern Shore. The port is located at the southenmost point of Saixs Island, adjacent to Starling Creek, and supports a fleet of approximately 57 workboats, 13 seafood businesses, and a large seafood processing plant.