Near Valentines in Brunswick County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Brunswick County, Virginia

"The Original Home of Brunswick Stew"

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, October 27, 2012

1. Brunswick County, Virginia Marker

Inscription. According to local tradition, while Dr. Creed Haskins and several friends were on a hunting trip in Brunswick County in 1828, his camp cook, Jimmy Matthews, hunted squirrels for a stew. Matthews simmered the squirrels with butter, onions, stale bread, and seasoning, thus creating the dish known as Brunswick stew. Recipes for Brunswick stew have changed over time as chicken has replaced squirrel and vegetables have been added, but the stew remains thick and rich. Other states have made similar claims but Virginia's is the first.

Erected 1997 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number SN-58.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Political Subdivisions. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1828.

Location. 36° 32.705′ N, 77° 48.133′ W. Marker is near Valentines, Virginia, in Brunswick County. It is on Christanna Highway (Virginia Route 46) near Dromgoole Road (County Road 669), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Valentines

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VA 23887, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southern Virginia,

specifically in the Piedmont,

and in Southside Virginia.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Mason's Chapel (approx. 1.8 miles away); Brunswick Circuit (approx. 2.3 miles away); Raleigh and Gaston Railroad (approx. 6.1 miles away in North Carolina); Allen Jones (approx. 6.7 miles away in North Carolina); Plummer Bernard Young (approx. 9.2 miles away in North Carolina); Ella Baker (approx. 9.2 miles away in North Carolina); Andrew Joyner (approx. 9.7 miles away in North Carolina); Willis Alston, Jr. (approx. 9.8 miles away in North Carolina). Touch for a list and map of all markers

Christanna Hwy (facing north) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, October 27, 2012

2. Christanna Hwy (facing north)

in Valentines.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Five state markers have this same title and text.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 30, 2017. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2012, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 547 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 29, 2012, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.