Chesapeake Bay Maritime Heritage

9:00 a.m.
Depart one of the Northern Neck’s delightful bed & breakfasts or country inns after breakfast and travel to Reedville to see this turn-of-the-century fishing village historic district. Visit the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum and its exhibits detailing the traditions of the working watermen and fishermen of the Chesapeake Bay. Also tour several boat restorations, including the replica of John Smith’s barge, “The Spirit of 1608”, a third generation working boatyard and the Walker House, a modest 1875 fisherman’s home. 804.453.6529www.rfmuseum.org

12:00 p.m.
Walk down Main Street to lunch at a casual waterfront setting, The Crazy Crab, located at 902 Main Street. 804.453.6789 reedvillemarina.com

1:30 p.m.
Option 1: Cruise aboard the skipjack Claude W. Somers from Reedville. Watch the crabbers in their traditional Chesapeake Bay workboats tending their crab pots and unloading their catch at a local crab house. Available during the season on various Saturdays so call for a reservation. 804.453.6529 www.rfmuseum.org

Option 2: Tour The Gables, one of Reedville’s fine Victorian sea captain’s mansions, and learn how Captain Fisher built his stately home from bricks brought from England as ballast and how he included the mast of his favorite schooner into the construction. 859 Main Street, 804.453.5209 or www.thegablesbb.com

3:30 p.m.
Located on a low bluff at the end of the Yeocomico River, the historic village of Kinsale was established in 1706. It is the oldest colonial port town on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. Learn about the 1813 battle on Kinsale Creek and the many schooners that frequented the busy port at the Kinsale Museum located in a late 1800′s barroom, then board the Virginia W at nearby Port Kinsale Marina. Built in 1904 and one of only 22 known skipjacks still on the Bay, this stylish former oyster workboat has been restored by the Port Kinsale Foundation. 804.472.3001 or www.kinsalefoundation.org

For further information, contact the Northern Neck Tourism Commission at
804.333.1919 or nntc@northernneck.org. Visit our web sitewww.northernneck.org or on Facebook

Northern Neck's Potomac Heritage Itinerary

A Route 3 driving tour along the Potomac River

9:00 a.m.
Off of Pope's Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River, is George Washington Birthplace National Monument, which includes the heart of Augustine Washington's plantation, the 17th century homesite of the immigrant John Washington, and the Washington Family Burial Ground. Tour the Colonial Revival memorial house and dependencies constructed in honor of the bicentennial of Washington's birth and as part of the creation of the national park in 1932. Visit the colonial farm where George Washington was born and took his first steps and immerse yourself in an 18th century experience that includes, gardens, outbuildings, fields and heritage breed animals. Walk along creekside paths to enjoy unspoiled waterfront vistas. 804.224.1732 or www.nps.gov/gewa

11:30 a.m.
Either travel through Montross stopping at The Art of Coffee for lunch, which features homemade soups, pastries, gourmet coffee, lattes, frappes and smoothies. Browse through their gallery as art is always on the menu! Located at 15722 Kings Highway in downtown Montross. 804.493.9651. Or continue on to Stratford Hall dining room for lunch and tour of the Great House.

1:00 p.m.
Stratford Hall is the home of two signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee, and birthplace of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The Georgian Great House was built in 1738 and the grounds still encompass 1900 acres of the original land which sits high along the bluffs overlooking the Potomac River. Explore the many dependencies, formal gardens, grist mill and hiking/nature trails. 804.493.8038 or www.stratfordhall.org

3:30 p.m.
Return back up Route 3 to Oak Grove and Ingleside Plantation Vineyards and Winery. Ingleside was built in 1834 and vineyards now cover about 50 acres of gently rolling countryside. Enjoy tours and tastings at one of Virginia's oldest and largest wineries. 804.224.8687 or www.inglesidevineyards.com

Option: Stop by the Westmoreland Berry Farm to stock up on fresh fruit and produce in season (closed until March), and the farm's own line of gourmet fruit preserves. Enjoy a fresh fruit sundae on their pavilion deck overlooking the Rappahannock River. 804.224.9171 or westmorelandberryfarm.com

For further information, contact the Northern Neck Tourism Commission at 804.333.1919 or nntc@northernneck.org. Visit us at www.northernneck.org or on Facebook

What’s the Northern Neck?

What’s the Northern Neck?

This history-laden peninsula between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers has impact.  Impact because of the Washington and Lee families who settled here, built homes, farmed tobacco, and raised families who grew up to chart the course of our nation’s  development.  Impact that predates John Smith’s 1608 explorations when the Virginia Indians encountered Smith’s shallop, or sailing barge, in the Northern Neck’s numerous navigable creeks and along the rivers.  The earliest impact started about 35 million years ago when the Chesapeake Impact Crater was formed by a hit from a mountain-sized meteorite off the coast of Virginia and formed the Chesapeake Bay.

And now, the Virginia Indians are gone from the Northern Neck, but English settlers kept their names on their villages and rivers.  The dense quiet woods that provided the resource for the early log homes later propelled the timber industry, when sawmills dotted the area.  The mill ponds remain, which bear the names of old families whose descendants live here today, and appear unexpectedly around curves on scenic drives through the Northern Neck and provide mirror-like reflections of the surrounding forests. 

New Book on Virginia's Northern Neck!

"Waterfront Destinations" visits the Northern Neck

Writer and podcaster Domenic Mantoan came to the Northern Neck in late October and took gorgeous photographs and produced a fabulous podcast interviewing Paul Reber, Director of Stratford Hall and Chair of the Northern Neck Tourism Commission.  Look here for photos:  http://www.boatingcruising.com/boatingcruising/Destinations/Virginia/NothernNeckVA/tabid/417/Default.aspx
Listen here for the podcast: http://www.boatingcruising.com/boatingcruising/WaterfrontDestinations/tabid/391/Default.aspx

Press Release on Tourism Marketing Grant for Northern Neck

Commonwealth of Virginia

Office of the Lieutenant Governor

For Immediate Release:

September 28, 2010

Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Contact: Ibbie Hedrick

Phone: 804-786-2078

Email: Ibbie.Hedrick@ltgov.virginia.gov

Virginia Tourism Corporation

Contact: Tamra Talmadge-Anderson

Phone: 804-545-5573

Email: ttanderson@virginia.org

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BOLLING ANNOUNCES TOURISM MARKETING GRANT FOR NORTHERN NECK

-Regional partnership secures $7,500 grant to promote area to visitors-

Richmond, VA - Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling traveled to Montross today to announce a $7,500 tourism marketing grant to help fund an advertising and outreach campaign to promote the Northern Neck as a tourism destination.  The grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation is designed to assist local and regional tourism entities to leverage local marketing dollars.  The successful grant application was a partnership between the Northern Neck Tourism Commission, Westmoreland County, Richmond County, Northumberland County and Lancaster County.  The local partners provided a $15,000 match for the grant, making a total of $22,500 available to market the Northern Neck to potential visitors.

“Tourism is a proven revenue producer in Virginia. This grant will help the Northern Neck region increase its tourism revenue and give it greater exposure to prospective visitors.” said Lieutenant Governor Bolling.  “I congratulate the local organizations on their successful partnership for the benefit of the region.”

The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) Marketing Leverage Program is designed to stimulate new tourism marketing through partnerships and to extend the “Virginia is for Lovers” brand.  The objective of this program is to leverage limited marketing dollars, resulting in increased visitor spending.  A minimum of three entities must partner financially to apply.  Partners may consist of Virginia towns, cities, counties, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, other local or regional destination marketing organizations, private businesses, museums, attractions, cultural events, and other not-for-profit entities.  In total, VTC awards approximately $1 million annually - matched and leveraged on average three to one by partner dollars - to more than 80 communities across the Commonwealth.

“Our agency is proud to support local and regional partnerships like this that will bring greater attention to the Northern Neck and its many tourism destinations.” said Alisa Bailey, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation.  “This grant is a positive step to help the region market itself to prospective visitors.”

The Northern Neck is one of the most historic regions in Virginia and is the birthplace of George Washington, James Monroe and Robert E. Lee. The waters of the Potomac River, Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay provide a haven for boaters and water enthusiasts and have supported a fishing industry for generations. Colonial architecture, small town charm, Bed & Breakfast inns, wineries, historic sites, marinas and retail shops are among the valuable assets that attract visitors to the area. The marketing grant will help support advertising and outreach through magazines as well as participation in the VTC Consumer Travel Program.

Tourism generates $19.2 billion in revenue for Virginia, supports 210,000 jobs and provides $1.28 billion in state and local taxes for communities.

For more information about the Northern Neck area and travel and tourism in Virginia, visit www.northernneck.org andwww.Virginia.org or call 1-800-VISITVA to request a free Virginia is for Lovers travel guide.

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