| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — K-242 — Basse’s Choice |
| | In Nov. 1621, Capt. Nathaniel Basse received a grant of 300 acres of land, now known as Basse’s Choice, located nearby. It was one of the first English settlements in Isle of Wight County, though humans had lived there more than 5000 years. On Mar. 1622, during the Powhatan-English War of 1622–1632, attacks coordinated by Chief Opechancanough struck various English settlements including Basse’s Choice. Basse was in England when this event occurred. He resettled the region by 1624, when . . . — Map (db m2678) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — K-246 — Benn’s Church |
| | This Methodist Church was known in 1804 as Benn’s Chapel. Bishop Asbury preached here in 1804. — Map (db m2674) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — K-241 — Bennett’s Plantation |
| | By Nov. 1621, Edward Bennett had obtained a patent from the Virginia Company to establish Bennett’s Plantation, also known as Warrascoyack and Bennett’s Welcome. By Feb. 1622, the Sea Flower arrived with the first residents and they began settling the south bank of the James River at the lower reaches of Burwell’s Bay. On 22 Mar. 1622, the Powhatan-English War of 1622–1632 began with attacks coordinated by Chief Opechancanough against many English settlements including Bennett’s . . . — Map (db m2677) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — Fort Boykin |
| | True Southerners Do and Dare. The 1862 Peninsula Campaign. Directly in front of you is the entrance to Fort Boykin. Originally built in 1623 to protect the colonists against “Spaniards by sea and Indians by land” and called “The Castle,” the fort was rebuilt during the Revolutionary War and renamed Fort Boykin in honor of Major Francis Boykin. This seven-pointed star-shaped fortification was also activated to defend Virginia against the British during the War . . . — Map (db m2699) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — 35 — Fort Boykin Historic Park |
| | The Warraskoyack Indians had a town south of
Fort Boykin in the vicinity of Tormentor Creek and
another on Jones Creek near the mouth of the
Pagan River. John Smith stayed with them on his 1608
mission to Powhatan’s residence on the York River and
on a similar mission the following year. The latter meeting
was fraught with tension.
By 1609, drought had withered the crops, and the Natives were weary
of English demands for food. A peace treaty and the marriage of Powhatan’s
daughter . . . — Map (db m2757) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — K 327 — Fort Huger |
| | One mile northeast, at Hardy’s Bluff on Lawne’s Neck, existed Fort Huger, a Civil War earthen fortification. Virginia State Engineer Col. Andrew Talcott authorized this and other forts to block any Union naval advance up the James River to Richmond. Beginning in July 1861, enslaved and freed blacks assisted in the construction of Fort Huger. It formed the right riverine flank of Confederate Gen. John B. Magruder’s Peninsula defenses in 1862. Union gunboats engaged Fort Huger on 8 May 1862 and . . . — Map (db m18619) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — 34 — Fort Huger — Captain John Smith’s Adventures on the James — www.johnsmithtrail.org |
| | Shells have been found in amazing quantities along this area of the river. The Indians who lived beside the saltwater stretches of river did not have tuckahoe and other freshwater plants to sustain them in poor crop years, when shellfish likely became a substantial part of their diet. Shellfish contain protein, iron and calories, and kept early settlers alive during droughts.
Today, the earthwork remains of the Confederate Fort Huger stand guard over Burwell Bay, described by Smith as . . . — Map (db m18641) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — K 238 — Old Town |
| | Half a mile north, stood the Warrascoyack Indian village. Captain John Smith obtained corn there for the starving colonists in 1608. The Warrascoyacks took part in the massacre of 1622 and their village was destroyed in 1623. In 1680, Old Town was established. — Map (db m18655) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — Saint Luke's Church |
| | Saint Luke's Church
Mother Church of
Warrasquyoake
now Isle of Wight County
The earliest original Gothic architecture structure in the United States of America
1632
An unique bridge between our civilization and the rich culture of medievil Europe — Map (db m3957) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — K-243 — Smithfield |
| | The town was established in 1752. The Masonic Hall was built in 1753. Benedict Arnold occupied the town, January 15, 1781. At Cherry Grove Landing near by, skirmishing took place on April 13-15, 1864, and the Confederates made a daring capture of a Union vessel on December 5, 1864. — Map (db m2676) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — K-245 — St. Luke’s Church |
| | St. Luke’s Church, also known as “The Brick Church,” and the Newport Parish Church, is likely America’s purest expression of Gothic architecture. Its buttressed walls, lancet side windows, and traceried east windows link the building to the architecture of the Middle Ages. Although oral tradition dates the structure to 1632, architectural evidence suggests that the church with its tower was constructed during the last quarter of the 17th century. After the dis-establishment of the . . . — Map (db m2675) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — Z-242 — Surry County |
| | Surry County, named for the county of Surrey in England, was formed from James City County about 1652. The Quiyoughcohannocks, whose villages were primarily situated in present-day Surry County, were among the first Virginia Indians the English encountered in 1607. By 1609 the English had begun settlements in the county at Hog Island and Smith’s Fort, a defensive fortification erected on the south side of the James River along Gray’s Creek. One of the nation’s outstanding examples of high-style . . . — Map (db m2680) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — 35 — Welcome to Fort Boykin Historic Park — Captain John Smith’s Adventures on the James — www.johnsmithtrail.org |
| | Fort Boykin was named after Francis Marshall Boykin who was a Virginia state senator, general in the state militia and owner of the property on which the fort was built. The topography at Fort Boykin provided the best possible location for monitoring river traffic to Richmond. Laid out by Col. Andrew Talcott of the Confederate Engineers, Fort Boykin fronts the James River on the highest point of land in the area. In addition, shallow areas in the river here bring the navigable channel close to . . . — Map (db m18638) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Smithfield — K 240-b — Wrenn’s Mill |
| | Wrenn’s Mill stood south of here on Pagan Creek. A mill powered by water for grinding grain existed there before 1685, when Thomas Green bequeathed it to his wife. The mill was referred to as Little Mill and Green’s Mill before Charles Wrenn obtained it in the 1820s. On 14 April 1864, members of the 23rd Massachusetts Volunteers drove Confederates from their position there, capturing a signal officer and two privates of the 7th Confederate Cavalry. The Union troops then fell back to Fort Boykin. The mill was dismantled by the early 1990s. — Map (db m2679) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Wills Corner — Z-113 — Isle of Wright County / Nansemond County |
| | Isle of Wright County. Area 314 Square Miles.
One of the original Shires formed in 1634. Its name was at first Warrascoyack, changed in 1637 to Isle of Wrigth. Of the oldest churches in the United States is in this County.
Nansemond County. Area 423 Square Miles. Formed in 1637 from New Norfolk County, it was first called Upper Norfolk County, but in 1642 it was named Nansemond for an Indian Tribe. Dismal Swamp is partly in this county. — Map (db m2673) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Zuni — Z 191 — Southampton County / Isle of Wight County |
| | (Obverse)
Southampton County
Area 604 Square Miles
Formed in 1748 from Isle of Wight and Nansemond. Named for a locality that was originally named for the Earl of Southampton, active in the first settlement. General William Mahone was born in this county.
(Reverse)
Isle of Wight County
Area 314 Square Miles
One of the original shires formed in 1634. Its name was at first Warrascoyack, changed in 1637 to Isle of Wight. One of the oldest churches in the . . . — Map (db m18109) |
| Virginia (Isle of Wight County), Zuni — U 121 — Zuni |
| | Zuni, a rail stop along the Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad, was established by 1736. Confederate forces were stationed here in 1861 to protect the railroad bridge and the road leading to Suffolk. In May 1862, they destroyed the bridge to prevent Union forces from crossing the Blackwater River. From Sept. 1862 to Mar. 1863 skirmishes between Confederate and Union troops took place here and throughout the area. About 5,000 Confederate soldiers were here in Oct. 1862. After the war, the bridge was . . . — Map (db m18160) |
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