Urbanna in Middlesex County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Prettyman’s Rolling Road
Photographed By Tom Fuchs, January 16, 2010
1. Prettyman's Rolling Road Marker
Inscription.
Prettyman’s Rolling Road. . This historical landscape hasn't really changed in the past 250 years. The Factor Store has gone through many transitions from a tobacco inspection facility and general store, to private homes, to the Urbanna Library and, finally, to the museum you see today. The Factor Store is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Walk up to the site and enjoy the view - and discover its history and charm. More than 200 years ago, Virginia Street was called "Prettyman's Rolling Road." Laborers rolled "hogsheads" - barrels of tobacco - downhill to the merchant ships or uphill from the ships to the inspection office and store. Caption of picture in upper left hand corner Rolling the hogsheads (barrels) was hard work. Do you think any hogsheads got away? How would you stop one?
This historical landscape hasn't really changed in the past 250 years. The Factor Store has gone through many transitions from a tobacco inspection facility and general store, to private homes, to the Urbanna Library and, finally, to the museum you see today. The Factor Store is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Walk up to the site and enjoy the view - and discover its history and charm.
More than 200 years ago, Virginia Street was called "Prettyman's Rolling Road." Laborers rolled "hogsheads" - barrels of tobacco - downhill to the merchant ships or uphill from the ships to the inspection office and store.
Caption of picture in upper left hand corner
Rolling the hogsheads (barrels) was hard work. Do you think any hogsheads got away? How would you stop one?
Location. 37° 38.194′ N, 76° 34.38′ W. Marker is in Urbanna, Virginia
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, in Middlesex County. Marker can be reached from Old Virginia Street near Cross Street (Virginia Route 227), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Urbanna VA 23175, United States of America. Touch for directions.
This is now called Old Virginia Street, sloping down from the town to the Rappahannock River where the wharfs used to be. The Old Tobacco Warehouse, or "Factor Store" is on the right. This marker is partially hidden behind the "Tobacco Was Money" marker visible to the left of the telephone pole.
4. The Factor House / Old Tobacco Warehouse
Close-up of illustration on the marker. Front porch must have been a recent addition. Notice the two hogsheads being rolled up Prettyman's Rolling Road at the bottom of the illustration.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on January 19, 2010, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland. This page has been viewed 821 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on January 19, 2010, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland. 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 24, 2010, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.