What is the Northern Neck? By Alice French

 

Northern Neck Region of Virginia in shaded green

When you say, “I’m from the Northern Neck”, most people think you just said Northern Virginia. But the Northern Neck is instead a very different place. It is the northernmost peninsula of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay and one of the most beautiful places, in my humble opinion, in Virginia.

Set between the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers it boasts one of the largest nesting habitats of the American Bald Eagle with a wonderful aquaculture rich in crabs, oysters, and rockfish. The seafood here is always fresh off the watermens' boats and you can enjoy it at many of the local markets or restaurants. Also the rich farming soil is ideal for many varieties of wines to add to your dining palate from a variety of historic and contemporary vineyards.

American Bald Eagle

The scenic beauty is hard to compare and definitely worth exploring. Memorable hiking and paddle experiences can be found along Menokin’s Cat Point Creek, named by the governor as one of Virginia’s Scenic Waterways in 2016. The Northern Neck is also home to three state parks: Caledon State Park, Belle Isle State Park and Westmoreland State Park. WSP was one of the six original state parks built as part of Roosevelt’s national park system developed in the 1930s. The park was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Most of the roads and trails found in the park were originally dug by hand! Conservation efforts by groups like Friends of the Rappahannock, Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and Northern Neck Land Conservancy have established a culture of environmental stewardship and consciousness here.

Cat Point Creek

Besides the rural, scenic beauty this place has retained it is probably most known for it’s history. Home of the Rappahannock Tribe who ancestors named these waterways and many of the places here today, it is also the birthplace of two Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Francis Lightfoot Lee and Richard Henry Lee, as well as three of the nation’s presidents: George Washington, James Madison, and James Monroe. The Northern Neck presented itself as the intersection of the three transatlantic cultures - African, European and Indigenous Peoples.

For such a tiny area, with a population just over 50,000, we are also home to 20 cultural museums and historical societies celebrating the cultures of African Americans, Presidents, Life on the Water, Architecture, Ecclesiastical Life, Local History and Education. If you’re not sure where to begin your explorations, check out the Northern Neck Tourism Commission website for more! https://www.northernneck.org

To explore Menokin with a guided tour, traversing the landscape and more for your trip to Northern Neck, go to the Plan Your Visit area of our web site for all ways to book ahead.

Historic Site Rice's Hotel/Hughlett's Tavern, Heathsville, VA

Sample Lists and Links

Parks and Nature:

History and Cultural Resources:

Museums and Institutions:

  • AT Johnson Museum/Rosenwald Schools of the NNK

  • Historic Christ Church

  • Holly School

  • Kilmarnock Museum

  • Kinsale Museum

  • Lancaster Virginia Historical Society & Museum

  • Menokin

  • Morattico Waterfront Museum

  • Museum at Colonial Beach & Historical Society

  • Northern Neck Farm Museum

  • Northern Neck Historical Society

  • Northumberland Historical Society

  • Reedville Fisherman’s Museum

  • Richmond County Museum

  • Steamboat Era Museum

  • Stratford Hall

  • Westmoreland County Museum

Food List and Dining:

To explore Menokin with a guided tour, traversing the landscape and more for your trip to Northern Neck, go to the Plan Your Visit area of our web site for all ways to book ahead.

 
Cultural Immersions, Visit MenokinMichael Bellerreturn to menokinComment