As we are in the "Land of History", it’s fitting that there are several historic places to explore in Northampton County. We begin with the Historic Court Green in Eastville, home of the oldest continuous court records in the United States.
Explore more about the "Land of History" by clicking on the links below.
- Northampton250 The United States of America’s story starts well before 1776 right here in Northampton County. Don’t be fooled by the beautiful idyllic landscape before you today. These roads, buildings, and waterways are teeming with Revolutionary stories: wartime stories of fierce independence, spies and international smuggling, waterfront battles, divided loyalties, religious discord, political intrigues and protests, even a colorful scandal or two.
- Custis Tombs at Arlington Plantation along Old Plantation Creek is the historical home site of John Custis II and his grandson John Custis IV. The Custis name is important because years later, the Custis women married George Washington and Robert E. Lee.
- The Barrier Islands Center in Machipongo, Virginia is rich in history of the families who once called the barrier islands home. They had a unique way of life living off the land and water and depending on each other. No one lives on the barrier islands anymore. The islands are now owned and protected by The Nature Conservancy.
- Eyre Hall Gardens owned by the Eyre family since 1668. The property is one of the state's best preserved colonial homes with gardens among the oldest in the United States. The parterre gardens are open to visitors year round.
- Cape Charles Museum and Welcome Center which chronicles the making of this once booming railroad town. Located inside a historic power plant are displays of photos & artifacts depicting the history of Cape Charles, the railroad and ferry service and a large model collection of Chesapeake Bay steamboats. The campus has a collection of rail cars, a locomotive, jetty house and pilot house of the Capt. Edward Richardson Railroad barge.
- Cape Charles Rosenwald School was built in 1928 as part of a movement inspired by a partnership between Jewish philanthropist, Julius Rosenwald, and education pioneer, Booker T. Washington, to educate African-American children during legalized segregation.