—Reedville—
A Few Notable Historic Sites:- Reedville Fishermen’s Museum
- Historic Christ Church (Weems)
- Mary Ball Washington Museum & Library (Lancaster)
—Tangier Island—
Notable Historic Sites: Prior to the arrival of the Colonists, Tangier Island was seasonally used as a retreat for Pocomoke Indians for centuries. While not much is known about these indigenous peoples, thousands of stone arrowheads have been found on the island, suggesting that the land mass was once much bigger than the remaining acreage, allowing for hunting of wild game. In addition to these arrowheads, historians discovered a large pile of oyster shells off the shore that dated back thousands of years. The shells reveal a much longer history of oyster cultivation than previously thought; native peoples had the equipment, knowledge, and expertise to work as watermen long before the Colonists emigrated to Virginia. The first Colonists to discover Tangier Island were led by Captain John Smith in the summer of 1608. After an exploratory mission to what is now Washington, D.C., Smith traveled south along the Chesapeake Bay towards Jamestown and came across a group of small islands in the middle of the waterway. He collectively named them the “Russell Isles” for a doctor onboard the ship with him; today, these islands are Tangier, Smiths, and Watts Islands. When discussing Tangier, you may often hear about the watermen that have lived here for generations, but when the island was first permanently settled in the 1770s, the land was mostly used for farming. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that islanders began harvesting crabs and oysters from the Chesapeake Bay, laying the groundwork for Virginia’s role as a world-class seafood producer. During the War of 1812, the British used Tangier Island as a staging area and base, mobilizing their forces towards Washington, D.C. during planned attacks. Nothing is left of these temporary structures, but the Swain Memorial Methodist Church was established shortly after in 1835, and is the oldest building left on the shrinking island; since the 1850s, less than 33% of Tangier Island’s land mass remains. Although measures have been enacted to prevent further erosion, much of the current acreage could be lost to the Bay in the next 50 years. Travel to Tangier Island is fairly limited, but visitors in Virginia can take a ferry from either Reedville or Onancock on the Eastern Shore to reach this historic town. Since its inception, the island community has remained very tight-knit, and you’ll notice a distinctive dialect of American English spoken on Tangier that is not found anywhere else in the world, thought to be remnants of the 17th-century English dialect brought over by the island’s first colonial settlers. Learn More About Tangier Island History—Gloucester—
A Few Notable Historic Sites: Tucked between the waterways of York River to the south and the Lower Chesapeake Bay on the East, the peninsula containing Gloucester was once the site of Werowocomoco, the capital of the powerful Powhatan Confederacy. Historic artifacts found from this region revealed proof of a large, populated community living here from approximately 1200 AD to the early 17th century. Colonial settlements forced the native peoples to relocate, and the region was founded as Gloucester in 1651, named for Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester. One of the earliest residents of the region was George Washington’s grandfather, who built Warner Plantation in 1657. While the house no longer stands, today the plantation grounds hold the Inn at Warner Hall, an elegant bed and breakfast that reflects the land’s historic roots. Gloucester has two historic churches worth a visit; Ware Episcopal Church was built in 1690, while Abingdon Episcopal Church dates to 1755. Abingdon Church stands on land donated by George Washington’s ancestors, and both churches were attended by Presidents Washington and Jefferson. During the Revolutionary War, the Battle of the Hook took place in Gloucester while the Siege of Yorktown occurred simultaneously just a few miles down the road. One hour after Cornwallis surrendered in Yorktown, the British forces in Gloucester surrendered, as well. Another historic site in Gloucester is the Rosewell Ruins. These crumbling walls once contained the luxurious mansion home of Rosewell Plantation, built in 1725. The estate was built to be a symbol of early American wealth, with designs even more ostentatious than the Governor’s Palace of Williamsburg, the early Virginia capital. John Page, grandson of the original owner, eventually inherited the property, and would often receive visits at the home from his close friend, Thomas Jefferson. It is even rumored that early drafts of the Declaration of Independence were written and edited in the mansion. Gloucester faced war yet again with the beginning of the Civil War; the first shots fired in Virginia happened at Gloucester Point. In the following years, the bordering York River became an vital focus in the Confederacy strategy. Early Colonial settlers recognized the importance of the river and built fortifications as early as 1667 to protect the waterway from invaders. These fortifications were maintained and improved over the years. With the start of the Civil War, Confederate forces seized the Point in a strategic move to maintain control of the York River, going to great lengths to prevent the Union ships from traveling along the river towards the Confederate capital of Richmond. Learn More About Gloucester History—Norfolk—
A Few Notable Historic Sites:- Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church
- Moses Myers House
- Willoughby-Baylor House at the Chrysler Museum of Art
- Fort Norfolk