Smithfield

Smithfield lies on the banks of the Pagan River. The town can be viewed through several themes: historic architecture, local history, art, and a river landscape at its center. When planning your trip, it is helpful to distinguish these highlights: the Historic District represents homes from several eras, the Isle of Wight County Museum covers a wide range of topics, and Windsor Castle Park offers riverfront areas and woodland trails. If you are looking for a hotel in Smithfield, these interests can help determine the cultural or scenic focus of your trip.

Architecture and History

The Historic District includes more than 70 architecturally significant buildings, including homes from the Colonial, Federal, and Victorian eras. The area is therefore not limited to a single period of construction. If you are interested in the development of residential architecture over time, these three eras provide a specific framework for understanding it.

The Smithfield Historic District was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register on February 20, 1973, and to the National Register of Historic Places on July 2, 1973. The two dates refer to listings in different registers. This allows you to place the District’s recognition in time, while the architectural periods put the homes in their historical context.

Museum, Educational History, and Art

Through interactive exhibits, the Isle of Wight County Museum explores Colonial history, Smithfield’s ham industry, the Blackwater River, and the Civil War and Cold War. Its scope covers local history and industry as well as different historical periods. The museum is also home to the “World's Oldest Ham”; the “World's Oldest Peanut” is among its exhibits as well. The ham also reflects the subject of Smithfield’s ham industry, while the peanut adds a distinct note to the collection.

The story of Black education includes the relocation of the Christian-Home-School building’s addition: it was moved to its current location in Smithfield in 2005. In 2007, the addition opened as the Schoolhouse Museum. Original artworks at the Arts Center @ 319 offer a different cultural perspective. Together, the museum, Schoolhouse Museum, and arts center cover different topics beyond architectural history.

Riverfront and Woodland Trails

Windsor Castle Park covers 208 acres and is a riverfront park in the center of Smithfield. Its features include a network of woodland trails. The riverfront location and trails give the park two distinct highlights to consider when planning your trip: the water and the wooded surroundings.

The kayak and canoe launch in the park provides access to Cypress Creek and the Pagan River. If you plan to use this water access, check operating information before your trip; details may change.

Market and Getting There

The Smithfield Farmers Market is a producer-only market: vendors sell only products they grow or make themselves. Products must also be homemade, handmade, or homegrown. These requirements give you a concrete sense of how the market ties the products on offer to the vendors’ own work.

The route to downtown Smithfield includes a free ferry ride across the James River, followed by a 20-minute drive through the rural countryside. Check ferry operations before departure. This will help you account for the ferry crossing and the drive that follows when planning your trip.

For the broader travel overview: Isle Of Wight County.