Shakespeare

 04 Apr 23:

One of our local art celebrities.

Steamboats and Schooners

 04 Apr 23:

In the good old days, steamboats and schooners used to visit the waterfront. We hope to learn more about the ships and small boats that helped this area grow.

Powhatan Fleur Map

 02 Apr 23:

The Powhatan Flu, now called the James River. Smithfield was the home of the Warrasquoyake until English "settled" the area. Now we can't seem to find them. Did they disappear or are they hiding? We're on the trail.

The Warrasquoyake were here long enough to have one of the 8 English Shires named for them, but about 30 years leater it was changed to Isle of Wight.

Hayden Lane Brick Walk Patrons

 02 Apr 23:

Ben Franklin Bronze

02 Apr 23:

One of the sights in Smithfield, plus 3 others. New theater stage going in in the background.

Smithfield Foods Red Barn

 02 Apr 23:

To some it's just an old red barn, owned by Smithfield Foods and used for storage decades ago. Today it is a hazard due to a rotting false floor and leaky roof, among other issues. CUrrently located behind the Smithfield Inn, its future is being discussed. 

We looked it over, it does need repair but with the pandemic induced inflationary price of materials, it could be economically repaired. We'd hope that the repair would be taken a step further to repurpose the structure into a multi use event-training-museum space. But it's not our money or our building.

In the meantime we took measurements and photos in case that will be the only record of it. At a minimum, there is a lot of good lumber there that could be salvaged, or the structure could be rebuilt elsewhere ala Barnwood Builders.

We think it would make a good small boat chandlery and boat shop :) Only a block from the waterfront.

South Quay Surprise

07 Feb 23:

We are doing some maritime research for Colonial Virginia during the 18th Century. One of the first things we came across was a seaport and shipyard at South Quay, established in 1657, one of the busiest in the area. Located on the Blackwater River near the Virginia-North Carolina border, the port there provided a protected spot for Colonial goods to flow in and out of the region of southside Virginia.

What surprised us was that large 3 masted schooners could make their way 120 miles from the Atlantic, through Albemarle Sound, up the Chowan River and into the Blackwater. Back in the day you could hop onboard get a non stop ride to England. If we were to go to this spot today, we might be lucky to drag a kayak over downfall from riverbank vegetation. How did they navigate schooners drawing 8-9 feet up river? Well for one, the land nearby was still in its natural wooded state,  there had not been clear cutting of trees that created erosion of nearby soil. But moreso, colonists made great effort to keep the river clear of debris. 

There were two small American rowing galleys built there that played a role in the Revolution, the CASWELL and GENERAL WASHINGTON, denying the British access to the area for much of the war. They were well armed and well suited for close quarters combat in confined areas. For 5 years supplies streamed up river to buoy the American cause, and finally in 1781 British units under the command of Colonel Banastre Tarleton occupied South Quay and destroyed the buildings and shipyard. 

The buildings at the village were rebuilt but South Quay did not long remain an important shipping port for the region, as more seaports were established and trading highways expanded inland.

FMI: Blackwater River