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Northampton Historic Preservation Society

Interpreting life in Northampton County, Virginia through the preservation of historical sites and educational programs.


2022 NHPS Programs, Meetings, &  ACTIVITIES

2022 NHPS Annual Meeting & Dinner

NHPS was indeed fortunate to have Dr. Carl Lounsbury visiting Northampton County when the featured December 7th Annual Dinner & Meeting speaker Archaeologist Nicholas Lucketti was unable to attend. (Lucketti scheduled presentation will be given at a later date). Dr. Lounsbury's presentation “entitled “House Detective, the Determination of the Age and Construction of Historic Buildings” was well-received by the 70+ attendees at the Mimosa Barn. As the Emeritus Senior Architectural Historian of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Dr. Lounsbury was responsible for long-term architectural research projects and various architectural matters in the Historic Area of Colonial Williamsburg. His writing and research career focused on architecture in Colonial Williamsburg and a broader look at the first two centuries of building in the southern U.S.  Dr. Lounsbury's public buildings studies in the American colonies include courthouses, clerk’s offices, jails, churches, and more. The Northampton County Court Green historical buildings were featured in his book The Courthouses of Early Virginia. His most recent book is The Material World of Eyre Hall: Four Centuries of Chesapeake History.  In describing the book, the Executive Director of the Jamestown - Yorktown Foundation, Christy S. Coleman, said, “This work is a rare confluence of a historic place, objects, and people captivating readers with a compelling historical narrative that spans over 350 years.” 


Read NHPS 2022 Fall Newsletter

Interested in becoming a member of the Northampton Historic Preservation Society?

Types of Memberships

NHPS Lecture on the Lawn

At the Site of

Arlington House and the Custis Tombs

Sunday, October 30th at 2:00 pm


Please join us for the NHPS Lecture on the Lawn at the site of Arlington House and the Custis Tombs Sunday, October 30th at 2:00 pm. Arlington House was a late 17th Century brick mansion built by John Custis II in 1670. In 1696, the property was inherited by his grandson, John Custis IV (portrait on the left), who lived there until sometime after his marriage to Frances Parke (portrait below). He then moved to Williamsburg but, when he died, he wished to be buried at Arlington House in Northampton.  Their son, Daniel Parke Custis, married Martha Dandridge who, following Daniel’s death, married George Washington.

All that remains of the house today is the brick foundation and the tombs of John Custis II and John Custis IV. This outdoor lecture at the site by Dr. David Scott who will cover the history of the Arlington mansion, the Custis tombs, and the Custis family - including the turbulent marriage of John and Frances Custis.  The site was saved from development by the Arlington Foundation and is now owned by the Archaeological Conservancy, who will preserve and manage it for the future. NHPS is partnered with the Archaeological Conservancy for the interpretation and promotion of the site.

Bring your friends and family to acquaint them with this Northampton treasure. You will also need to bring lawn chairs. Please refer to the NHPS website for more information about NHPS and for any rescheduling of the event due to weather. Advance tickets are not required but a donation ($10 per person) to support the restoration of the 1907 Jail and other Northampton Historical Preservation efforts would be appreciated.


Directions to the Lecture: The Arlington house and Custis Tomb site is west of Route 13 about three miles south of the Cape Charles light. Follow the “Custis Tomb” sign off the highway onto Arlington Road (Rt. 644). Continue straight onto Custis Tomb Road (still Rt. 644) where Arlington Road makes a left turn. The site is about two miles on the right. NHPS “red arrow” signs will be in place to direct you.

NHPS has started the restoration of the 1907 Jail.


Please join us for a NHPS “Lecture on the Lawn” at Pear Valley featuring new research information from historian David Scott. Previous Pear Valley lectures have been well attended because Pear Valley is such a unique and important landmark in Northampton County and Virginia. The home was constructed about 1740 and was belonged to one branch of the Eastern Shore Nottingham family. Pear Valley is an example of a middle-class home in the mid 1700’s and is the only remaining structure of that vintage in Northampton County. There is reason to believe that there was an earlier structure here that was home to a few generations prior to 1740.

David Scott will discuss the history of this house, including its significant architectural features as examples of 1​8th century construction. He will also discuss the Nottingham family which owned Pear Valley for several generations. If you missed last year’s event or would like to see this special place again and learn more about it, we welcome you.


Registration or advance tickets are not required but a donation ($10 per person) is suggested. This will be an out of doors lecture (please dress comfortably and bring your own folding chair) and the interior of the house will be open for viewing. Check this NHPS website for updates regarding this lecture in case of unfavorable weather.

The Northampton Historic Preservation Society Presents

A "Lecture on the Lawn" at Elkington

Sunday, May 22nd at 2 p.m.

On Sunday, May 22nd at 2 p.m. the first NHPS “Lecture on the Lawn” in 2022 was held at Elkington in Eastville. Built about 1795, Elkington exhibits a classic Eastern Shore architectural style and has been the home of several prominent families including Stratton, Parker, Upshur, and Willis. The history of this land goes back to the very earliest days of the Eastern Shore and was part of a gift from the Native Eastern Shoremen to Thomas Savage.


This lecture featured guest speaker Dr. David Neff, professor of history at Tidewater Community College. Dr. Neff is a Stratton and Parker family descendant.

At: Christ Church, Eastville, VA

Two Dates Available: Friday, April 22rd

or Saturday, April 23th

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon

At 10:30 a.m. on both Friday, April 22nd and Saturday, April 23rd, Dr. David Scott and Jenean Hall will conduct the fourth lecture in his genealogy series, entitled, "Finding Data in Atypical Places.’ To accommodate the expected interest, NHPS is offering the same session on two​ consecutive days and will limit the number of participants in each session to 25. The lectures will be held at Christ Church Parish Hall in Eastville. Although this is the fourth in the series, participants do not need to have attended the previous lectures. To see if the session you are interested in has reached the 25 limit, please check the Northampton Historic Preservation Society website.


In this current lecture, Dr. Scott will offer a three-part presentation to:

  • explore a complex Chancery Court Case and estate division;
  • work with the 1840 Northampton County census;
  • use land and personal property tax lists to keep your research on track.


Jenean Hall will present "A Tale of Two Thomases" to illustrate how the records can sometimes offer physical clues to an ancestor's identity.


NHPS is fundraising to restore the historic 1907 jail on the Northampton Court Green for use as a museum and genealogy information center. In lieu of a registration fee, we hope you will consider donating to the 1907 Jail Restoration Fund. Register now and specify your selection of either April 22nd or April 23rd by using the button below. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmatory email from us within a day or two.


Note to Participants: A lecture refresher can be found at this site:  Part 1 and Part 2.


Register

1907 Jail Donation

NHPS Receives Grant From

Virginia Humanities

The Northampton Historic Preservation Society is pleased to be included in the 24 grants awarded in the fall of 2021 by the Virginia Humanities.


Northampton Historic Preservation Society: $10,000


Production of an exhibit exploring the history of jails in Northampton County on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The exhibit will consider events involving the many historic jails in context along with the surrounding events of the times and the prevailing philosophies and methods of incarceration. Exhibits will also include a Genealogy Information Center.


For more information about the grants:

Click Here



2021 NHPS Programs and Meetings

NHPS 2021 Annual Meeting and Dinner

NHPS held its Annual Meeting and Dinner at the Mimosa Barn in Cheriton, Virginia on December 8, 2021. The guest speakers for the program were Roger Buyrn, owner of Eyreville, and Mike Clem, Archaeologist. VA Department of Historic Resources.  In 2016, an ancient beech tree at Roger Buyrn’s home “Eyreville” died and was cut down. As the stump of that tree was being removed, an astonishing treasure trove of artifacts from the early 1600s came to light for the first time in hundreds of years. What was also unearthed was a mystery that raised questions about early settlement, trade, people, and culture. Many believe that the Eyreville archeological excavation work rivals that of Jamestown in importance. More information about the Eyreville project can be found here.


At 10:30 a.m. on both Friday, October 29th and Saturday, October 30th, Dr. David Scott will conduct the third lecture in his genealogy series, entitled, "How to use DNA testing to further your genealogy research".  To accommodate the expected interest, NHPS is offering the same session on two consecutive days and will limit the number of participants in each session to 25. The lectures will be held at Christ Church Parish Hall in Eastville.  Although this is the third in the series, participants do not need to have attended the previous lectures.  To see if the session you are interested in has reached the 25 limit, please check the Northampton Historic Preservation Society website.


In this current lecture, Dr. Scott will discuss the various DNA tests that are available and explain how you can use those results to advance your genealogical research.  DNA testing can produce results which are difficult to understand or interpret.  This lecture will help immensely.


NHPS is fundraising to restore the historic 1907 jail on the Northampton Court Green for use as a museum and genealogy information center.  In lieu of a registration fee, we hope you will consider donating to the 1907 Jail Restoration Fund.  Register now and specify your selection of either October 29th or October 30th by using the button below.  Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmatory email from us within a day or two.


Note to Participants:  Dr. Scott has provided information from his lecture here.

Donate

NHPS Lecture on the Lawn


Arlington House Site & Custis Tomb

Sunday, October 17th at 2:00 p.m.

Lecture by Dr. David Scott

Please join us for the next NHPS Lecture on the Lawn at the site of Arlington House and the Custis Tombs. Arlington House was a late 17th Century brick mansion built by John Custis II in 1670. In 1696, the property was inherited by his grandson, John Custis IV, who lived there until sometime after his marriage. He then moved to Williamsburg but, when he died, he wished to be buried at Arlington. His son, Daniel Parke Custis, married Martha Dandridge who, following Daniel’s death, married George Washington. All that remains of the house today is the brick foundation and the tombs of John Custis II and John Custis IV.


The site was saved from development by the Arlington Foundation and is now owned by the Archaeological Conservancy, who will preserve and manage it for the future. NHPS is partnered with the Archaeological Conservancy for the interpretation and promotion of the site.


This will be an outdoor lecture at the site by Dr. David Scott who will present the history of the Arlington mansion, the Custis tombs, and the Custis family. There will also be a presentation on the Archaeological Conservancy and their plans for the site.


Please refer to this website for more information about NHPS and for any rescheduling of the event due to weather. Advance tickets are not required but a donation ($10 per person) is suggested. All donations will go toward the NHPS restoration of the 1907 Jail in Eastville.


Directions to the program: The Arlington house and Custis Tomb site is off Route 13 about three miles south of the Cape Charles light. Follow the “Custis Tomb” sign off the highway onto Arlington Road (Rt. 644). Continue straight onto Custis Tomb Road (still Rt. 644) where Arlington Road makes a left turn. The site is about two miles on the right. NHPS “red arrow” signs will be in place to direct you.

At 10:30 a.m. on both Friday, September 17th and Saturday, September 18th, Dr. David Scott will conduct the second lecture in his Genealogy Series, entitled, "Ancillary Sources for Researching Genealogy in Northampton County". To accommodate the expected interest, NHPS is offering the same session on two consecutive days and will limit the number of participants in each session to 25. The lectures will be held at Christ Church Parish Hall in Eastville. Although this is the second in the series, participants do not need to have attended the first in the series to participate in either of the sessions. To see if the session you are interested in has reached the 25 limit, please check the Northampton Historic Preservation Society website.


This lecture will complement Dr. Scott’s first lecture on researching genealogy at the clerk's office in Northampton County. He will review many sources of published and unpublished information essential for anyone interested in the families of Northampton County. Examples include published transcriptions of the early record books, abstracts of wills, census records, tax records, bible records and more. He will also include information about several valuable online sources and show participants how to use them.


NHPS is fundraising to restore the historic 1907 Jail on the Northampton Court Green for use as a museum and genealogy information center. In lieu of a registration fee, we hope you will consider donating to the 1907 Jail Restoration Fund. Register now to hold your spot on either September 17th or September 18th by using the button below.

On Sunday, August 29th at ​2:00 p.m., Northampton Historic Preservation Society will present another in its series of “Lectures on the Lawn” – but this program will be a “Lecture at the Church” featuring Hungars Episcopal Church in Bridgetown. It is one of the few colonial churches still in active service on the Eastern Shore, but old as it is, it is only the third and latest building to bear the name and serve Hungars Parish.   If its walls could talk, they would tell wonderful stories of its early days, when it was one of the largest brick churches in the new world, graced with a pipe organ in the time when Handel and Bach were current and popular.


Crimson velvet vestments and a sterling communion service attested to the congregation’s prosperity, aspirations – and presumably their desire to bring their best to the worship of God. But such grandeur could not last. The Revolutionary War, the arrival of other religious groups, the ravages of time, and many other forces have made this building’s continued quiet and lovely presence today seem quite miraculous.


The program will be presented by three members of NHPS with special interest in early Hungars history. The public is invited to attend the “Lecture at the Church”. There is no charge to attend, but donations toward the current NHPS restoration of Northampton’s Historic 1907 Jail for use as a museum will be welcome. The address for Hungars Episcopal Church is 10107 Bayside Road, Machipongo.

The Northampton Historic Preservation Society is offering the lecture “Researching Genealogy in the Northampton County Clerk’s Office” Friday, July 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Christ Church Parish Hall, Eastville, Virginia. This is the first in a series of Northampton Historic Preservation Society genealogy lectures planned by Eastville historian, Dr. David Scott.


Dr. Scott will share his tips on how to use the resources of the Northampton County Clerk’s Office, which houses the oldest continuous court records in America. Learn how to use these remarkable records to aid your research and, perhaps, to solve some mysteries in your family history. During a power point presentation, Dr. Scott will introduce participants to the record room in the clerk's office, detail how to use these valuable original records, and answer general research questions.


NHPS is fundraising to restore the historic 1907 Jail on the Northampton Court Green for use as a museum and genealogy information center. In lieu of a registration fee, we hope you will consider donating to the 1907 Jail Restoration Fund.


Register to hold your spot by emailing: [email protected] or go to the NHPS button below and provide your name and email address.

Drawing for the Buck Doughty's Pear Valley Sculpture

on June 13th, 2021 at the

Northampton Court Green Day:

Preserving History with the Restoration of the 1907 Jail

NHPS is pleased to announce that the lucky winner of the drawing for the Pear Valley Sculpture is

Rick Gregor from Franktown!

1st Northampton Court Green Day:


Preserving History with the Restoration of the 1907 Jail Held on June 13th, 2021

NHPS held it's  first Northampton Court Green Day the afternoon of June 13th. The day's activities for the attendees included open house viewing of four historic buildings from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Various artists and vendors were on hand and the event ended with the drawing for the Pear Valley Sculpture by Buck Doughty.

Why are the historic buildings on the Court Green in Eastville significant?   A quick look at the history of the Northampton County Historic Court Green.

A court green or courthouse square in the first settlements in America became the central location for all classes to hear and determine legal activities, transact business, and gather for news and social activities. They typically consisted of a courthouse, clerk’s office, and jail.


By 1634, the Virginia colony was divided into eight shires (including Accawmack) and each was required to hold monthly courts. Accawmack was renamed Northampton in 1642, and by 1663 was divided into two counties; the southern being Northampton and the northern being Accomack.

Learn more about Courts and Courthouses and the Clerk's Offices here and about the  Debtors' Prison and Jails here.

We're Fundraising To Restore the 1907 Jail as a Museum

NHPS has designed special notecards featuring two of the historic buildings on Northampton's Historic Court Green in Eastville, Virginia. They are perfect for sending messages of thanks, greetings from your vacation, get well notes, or just to send a little hello. Eight folded notecards and envelopes are included in each package and shipping is included.


Order your package(s) with any credit card using the button below or a paper mail in form can be found HERE.

Number of Notecard Sets

ABOUT THE 1907 JAIL

     NHPS needs your help to restore the 1907 Jail for use as a museum about Northampton County jails and an information center for genealogy research. With the restoration of the 1907 Jail, the Northampton County Court Green is certain to be one of the most intact and restored court greens in the Country. 

     If you would like to contribute to restore the 1907 Jail for use as a museum, a donation button is available below.  The museum will feature the role jails played in county governance in Eastville, Virginia from Colonial times until today.  

     To place the restoration of the 1907 Jail in perspective, in 1913 the founder of NHPS saved the 1800 Clerk's Office, 1814 Debtors Prison, and the 1731 Courthouse from destruction. Think about what a significant historical loss that would have been.  This time it is our turn to save this 113-year old structure for future generations to understand the role jails played in Northampton County governance, in conjunction with the other remaining historical structures, for over 300 years.

Learn more about the 1907 Jail and all the other jails that once stood on the historic Northampton County Court Green

by watching the video on Northampton jails found by clicking here.

Northampton Historic Preservation Society Awarded $50,000 Challenge Grant from The Cabell Foundation to Restore Northampton Court Green 1907 Jail

The Northampton Historic Preservation Society (NHPS) is pleased to announce that The Cabell Foundation has awarded a one-to-one $50,000 challenge grant to support the restoration and preservation of the 1907 jail building on the Northampton County Court Green in Eastville, Virginia. The Society plans to use the 1907 Jail as a museum to recognize the history of all the jails that once stood on the historic court green.


This project will complete a five-building combination of exhibits and buildings reflecting Northampton County governance over the past three hundred years. The existing self-guided tour includes an overview of the Northampton Court Green history in an exhibit room of the 1899 Courthouse (now County Administration Building) and exhibits in the 1731 Courthouse, the Old Clerk's Office (ca.1800) and the Debtors Prison (ca.1814). The addition of the 1907 Jail Museum will become the fifth stop on this educational tour.


Northampton Court Green buildings showcase architectural styles from the last three centuries and provide informative exhibits for students, academicians, and other visitors about activities that took place on the historic court green. With the restoration of the 1907 Jail, the Northampton County Historic Court Green is certain to be one of the most intact and restored court greens in the country. In order to receive The Cabell Foundation challenge grant, NHPS must raise $50,000 in cash and pledges.


The Cabell Foundation challenge grant relies on community involvement for the project through contributions to support preservation efforts!  Every gift counts!  One-time or monthly donations may be made with the donation button below.   Contact Mike Ash at 757-678-0963 or email: [email protected] for more information about the project or to discuss your pledge, contribution, or becoming a sponsor. 

For a form to use to send a donation by mail, click here: Donation Form


Please help support Northampton County's preservation efforts!

Already a member? Consider volunteering for the various NHPS activities.

If you wish to learn more about the Northampton Historic Preservation Society before becoming a member, receive our emails about our programs and exhibits by sending your email address to the link below and indicating you would like to be added to our mailing list.

Click here for: Membership Information

NHPS Joins AmazonSmile Program - An Easy Way to Donate to NHPS

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.


On your first visit to AmazonSmile, you need to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. Amazon remembers your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation. You will have to enter Amazon and shop at smile.amazon.com for NHPS to receive a donation.

 Northampton Historic Preservation Society History

In 2013, the Northampton Historic Preservation Society was granted 501(c)(3) status. The mission of the NHPS is to preserve the historic heritage of properties primarily in Northampton County, Virginia through education, advocacy, and restoration activities. The NHPS is dedicated to continuing its century long historic preservation mission as the Northampton Branch of Preservation Virginia (a.k.a. the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities).

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