Westmoreland County: History in the Northern Neck

Stratford Hall’s Great House dates to around 1738 and can be visited on self-guided audio tours. The historic site offers insight into life on a colonial plantation and the history of the Lee family. Other things to explore in Westmoreland County include museums and waterfront activities. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can focus your search on the places that interest you most.

Colonial History and Memorial Sites

Stratford Hall’s water-powered gristmill is also part of the site’s history. Stratford Hall currently operates the only active water-powered gristmill in the Northern Neck. The Great House and mill offer different perspectives on life and work on a historic plantation.

The James Monroe Birthplace is an archaeological site in rural Westmoreland County, near Colonial Beach. Restoration of the birthplace farmhouse and farm complex was completed in late 2020; the grand opening of the James Monroe Birthplace & Boyhood Home was celebrated in 2021. The project aimed to create an authentic mid-18th-century farm experience. The archaeological site and the documented restoration thus offer two distinct ways to explore this memorial site.

The Westmoreland County Museum opened in 1941 and was the first museum in the Northern Neck to open regularly. The Presidents’ Garden at the museum was the first garden in the Northern Neck designed by Charles Gillette and honors the eight U.S. presidents from Virginia. The museum was built to display a portrait of William Pitt (Lord Chatham) painted by Charles Willson Peale in 1768.

In Montross, the Mural Collection comprises fourteen murals on or inside various buildings in the town center. The project also includes the restoration of the Coca-Cola Mural. Montross First Fridays is a music series held on the first Friday of each month from May through September. Individual event dates may change, so check the dates before making plans.

The Kinsale Historic District is at the eastern end of the Northern Neck and preserves buildings and other historic resources. They trace the village’s development from the late 18th century to modern times. Kinsale was established at the head of a rare deep-water creek with direct access to the Chesapeake Bay. The village’s history and its waterfront location are part of the same story of its development.

Water, Craft, and Regional Perspectives

At George Washington Birthplace, cycling offers visitors a way to experience the landscape and history on two wheels. The picnic area there overlooks Popes Creek. The Spinning and Weaving Shop demonstrates 18th-century craft techniques. These offerings have different focuses: outdoor activity, time by the water, and a hands-on look at historic work.

Westmoreland State Park offers opportunities to search for fossilized shark teeth along the Potomac. The Northern Neck Heritage Trail offers a different perspective on the region: its 60-mile route runs between Westmoreland State Park and Reedville, connecting historic sites, small towns, and waterfront access points. Travelers can choose between a specific connection with nature and a longer regional route as different themes for trip planning.

The A.T. Johnson Museum offers rotating exhibits, educational programs, and community events. Westmoreland County is one of five counties in the Northern Neck National Heritage Area. This larger area brings together Rappahannock Tribal perspectives, the founding of a nation and early American history, and the legacy of commercial fishing and agriculture.

Hague Winery also pairs a visitor destination with a historic building: its tasting room is in a former barn on the historic Buena Vista Plantation, dating to around 1835. The tasting room’s gift shop stocks local crafts, cheese, preserves, jellies, and salame; selection may vary. Tasting availability may also change, so check before planning a visit.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Colonial Beach, Montross, Buckingham County, Augusta County, Floyd County, Giles County, Greene County, Rockbridge County.

For the broader travel guide: Virginia.