New Kent in New Kent County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
A Tale of Three Structures
A second half-acre lot was added about 1823-24 and two more acres about 1848. The log kitchen—later covered with siding— may date as early as 1837, but probably is from the 1850s. The frame smokehouse may also be from the 1850s.
The size of the kitchen and its rare surviving smoke hood suggest that they were used for smoking meat, perhaps on a commercial scale. The smokehouse building may have been only for curing or storage, while meat continued to be smoke-fired in the log kitchen. Or, the later addition of a chimney and fireplace to the kitchen building could mean that the smoke hood was abandoned, prompting construction of a separate smokehouse.
In either case, when stoves replaced fireplace cooking, the kitchen building took on other functions, briefly serving as a school, and later as a separate home called “The Cottage.”
Erected by New Kent Courthouse Village, LLC.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1810.
Location. 37° 31.007′ N, 76° 58.761′ W. Marker is in New Kent, Virginia, in New Kent County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of New Kent Highway (Virginia Route 249) and Court House Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11861 New Kent Highway, New Kent VA 23124, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Wilson House: Witness to Three Centuries (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to New Kent (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Martha Washington's Birthplace (about 400 feet away); John Parke Custis / Martha Dandridge (about 400 feet away); New Kent Courthouse (about 500 feet away); Samuel Wilson Crump (1919-1995) (about 500 feet away); James Lafayette (about 500 feet away); Calvin Coolidge Green, Th.D., Ed.D., Ph.D. (1931-2011) (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Kent.
More about this marker. On the lower right is a photo of "The Cottage" before restoration.
Regarding A Tale of Three Structures. This 19th century log kitchen and smokehouse have been restored as part of Preservation Park, a new development at New Kent's county seat which adapts historic structures for current use. The unique fireplace in the log kitchen is the only existing structure of its kind in the U.S.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 10, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 30, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,177 times since then and 59 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 30, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.