71 The Essex County seat, Tappahannock, is finally coming into its

TOWNS
Clockwise from top: Here, a view of Hoskins Creek; St. Margaret’s
School’s Brockenbrough House, which dates from 1763 and was hit by
cannonball in the War of 1812; an art class at Water and Queen Studio;
a swing overlooking the Rappahannock at St. Margaret’s.
Rappahannock to a T
L
The Essex County seat, Tappahannock, is finally coming into its own.
Long known as a sleepy pass-through for summer people headed to The Northern Neck and
points east along Rt. 360, Tappahannock is waking up to the possibility that we might want to
stop and stay awhile. Although the arrival of Wal-Mart a decade ago seemingly threatened the
existing business base of the town, there are those who’ve kept the faith and remained and others who are investing in the future, with energetic Mayor Roy Gladding cheering them on. He’s
the man behind the big new food-and-fun event in town, RivahFest! The following are a few more
signs of life to consider:
While it may not sound glamorous, the new Hoskins Creek bridge is making a big difference
for those who live in and visit Tappahannock. As things have started to pop around town, a thing
called traffic, a heretofore unknown phenomenon, was getting a little snarly. The new four-lane
PHOTOGRAPHY by JOHN HENLEY
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TOWNS
bridge promises to make access to Tappy
town a bit easier.
Evidence of commitment to preserving the town’s Colonial past are two
restoration projects in the works in the
historic district, and old house buffs will
be interested to
Clockwise: The unique
take a peek at the landscape at the Essex
progress of both. Inn; a countryside
view outside of town;
The older of the
pair is the former fishing near the bridge
Emerson’s Ordinary
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to Warsaw; Victorian
architecture in town;
broiled crabcakes at Burkeville
Lowery’s, a major stop
Crewe
on Route 17.
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Evidence of commitment
to preserving the town’s
Colonial past are two
restoration projects in
the works in the historic
district, and old house
buffs will be interested to
take a peek at the
progress of both.
A
10
PRINCE
(c. 1710), possibly
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156
NOTTOWAY
GEORGE
the oldest house
460
Petersburg
in Essex County,
Williamsburg
460
460
Cape Charles
and definitely
DINWIDDIE
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301
the pet project of
Blackstone
40
architect George Jennings, who is pains1
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takingly reviving the place from its crumMcKenney
Victoria
40
40
bling foundation up to its gambrel roof.
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VIRGINIA
Lunenburg
When the work is complete, Jennings
40
Kenbridge
Richmond
plans to live in the back of the house and
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run a gallery in the front rooms. A halfAlberta
LUNENBURG
block away on the banks of the Rappahannock is St. Margaret’s School, a day/
and available for public gatherings.
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boarding school for girls. A 47
component of the campus is the historic (ca.
Want to know more about the history of the environs? The Essex County
BRUNSWICK
1763) Brockenbrough House. Commanding a panoramic view of the RapMuseum, staffed by volunteers, offers a chronological snapshot of the area’s
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Chasehouse47
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pahannock River, this late Georgian
was theSouth
site of a demonstration
history, ranging from prehistoric fossils up through the Revolutionary and
City
Hill
against the Stamp Act in 1766 and a target for British artillery in the War Lawrenceville
Civil Wars. Photographs and historical items detail the days of steamboat
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MECKLENBURG
92has
of 1812. Extensive termite damage
necessitated a massiveBrodnax
preservation
travel along the Rappahannock.
effort, which is now under way.
The finished
beCrosse
used for offices
For the treasure hunter, Tappahannock has become a great town for meBoydton
58 space will La
andering through aisles of old stuff. From the venerable
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A-Z Antiques and Nadji Nook, two of the oldsters on the
1
Clarksville
4
block, to the upstart Pizazz now housed in an old filling
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station, there are plenty of places to satisfy the scavenger.
Queen Street Mall and the Essex Square Antique Mall offer
N o r t h
C a r15o l i n a
multiple dealers under one roof. Vintage books, glassware, furniture and furnishings, jewelry and oddities are
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all part of the offerings.
For a bite to eat other than the standard fast food
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fare, there’s the Riverside Café on Prince Street. Sandwiches are all priced under $5 and you can eat in or
carry out. The old guy in town is Lowery’s, a longtime
favorite of locals and purveyor of specialties like fried
shrimp. The Crabby Oyster on Rte. 360 also offers seafood. Locals also tout Roma’s for Italian and Ferebee’s
for drinks, dinner and live music.
Visitors who find that they need more time to explore
will find shelter at the new Essex Inn. Built on Duke Street
in 1850, this Greek revival home has been transformed by
Aylett native John Owen Gwathmey and wife Kelly. With four
guest rooms in the house proper and two apartments adjacent,
the National Historic Landmark is perfect for overnighting or
throwing a party. From the Inn, guests can easily walk to antique shops, the Essex County Museum, eateries and St. Margaret’s School, which dominates Tappahannock’s waterfront.
Open just slightly more than a year, the Inn’s guest book already
boasts names from as far as Texas and Illinois. — Elizabeth Cogar
The Essex in at (804) 443-9900, toll free (866) ESSEX-VA or
EssexInnVa.com. For general information, visit Essex-Virginia.org.
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MAP by HANNAH SCHUM