Assateague Island is a 37-mile barrier island on the Delmarva Peninsula, divided between Maryland and Virginia and protected largely as public land. Its beaches, marshes, dunes, and bays have been continually reshaped by wind, waves, and shifting sand, especially after the 1933 hurricane inlet near Ocean City and later jetties increased erosion and pushed the island westward. Mid-20th-century plans to develop part of the Maryland side were undermined when the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 destroyed roads and structures, helping lead to the creation of Assateague Island National Seashore in 1965. The island is also known for its feral horses, rich birdlife, recreation, and notably undeveloped character.