Northampton Historic Preservation Society

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Lebanon - Lecture on the Lawn  on September 23rd

On September 23rd, NHPS received a warm welcome by the owner to the Northampton historical home named "Lebanon".  The oldest section of the house was built by the owner's great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Thomas Nottingham, circa 1787. The smaller section was added by her great-great grandfather, Dr. Thomas J. L. L. Nottingham in the mid 1800's, using salvaged lumber from a shipwreck off Cobb Island. 

The cemetery has headstones dating back to the late 18th century. Nottingham’s oldest son served in Lee's Army of Virginia and was captured by the Union Army during the retreat from Richmond.  In 1828 William Nottingham gave 1/4th acre to the Methodist Church for the construction of Salem Methodist Church.  The lovely water view and learning about the many connections to Northampton families through the years provided a great afternoon. 

Johnsontown Tavern - Lecture on the Lawn on June 10th

The lecture series opened June 10th at Johnsontown Tavern located immediately south of Bridgetown.  The owners and Dr. David Scott presented the evolution of the tavern/house built by Johannes Johnson, who purchased 35 acres just south of Hungars Church in 1787.

Johnson, believed to have been one of the Occohannock Neck Johnsons, built the Tavern, Johnson's Methodist Church (1790) and a store (1820s) on this property. Johnson ran the tavern, which served people who were traveling north and south between Eastville and Bridgetown, for a number of years.  Many Northampton families owned or lived in “Johnson’s Town." 

On Sunday, March 25th, NHPS held a Pear Valley presentation and 23-minute video featuring Dr. Garrison Brown, Board Member and Pear Valley Overseer. In the video, Dr. Brown took us on a tour of the historic Pear Valley property indoors at the Cape Charles Civic Center at 500 Tazewell Ave. After the video, Dr. Brown was available for a question and answer session. 
 

Pear Valley represents what was once a common building in the rural landscape of the Chesapeake region. The yeoman planter’s cottage has been dated to 1740.  In 2013, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark and became one of only 2,596 landmarks in the entire U.S., 121 Virginia, and two in Northampton County.  This places Pear Valley in the company of Virginia’s Monticello, Montpelier, and Bacon’s Castle as a property officially recognized by the U.S. government for its national historic significance.

The 20-by-16-foot structure is a one-room, open or hall-plan house with a loft that was eventually subdivided into two rooms.  Its survival as a 2nd generation Chesapeake house was due in part to its construction on a brick frame foundation instead of the “earth fast” or post in the ground homes used by early settlers. Another factor in retaining its historical integrity was that it was used by one family, and Nottingham/Widgeon’s for 200 years. 

The quality of craftsmanship at Pear Valley can be seen by its architectural elements.  These include the Flemish bond chimney that features glazed headers in a Chevron pattern, a treatment employed in well-crafted buildings through the first half of the 18th century.  A false plate was used to carry the rafters and the interior exposed beams showcase chamfered edges and hand-wrought nails. Learn how Pear Valley has survived for almost three centuries and see the architectural elements that make it important to historians and scholars. (No cost for this program.)

The Roman Revival style of the Francis Makemie Presbyterian Church, built in 1837, was next on the tour. The history and furnishings of the Church was highlighted by Fitzhugh Godwin, Chairman of The Francis Makemie Society. He  also addressed the recent archeological dig at the Makemie Monument Park. Francis Makemie founded the organization.  Then the group went on to lunch at Onancock's Charlotte Hotel & Restaurant.

From May 9-21, 2017, the Department of Agriculture/Forest Service  sponsored a George Washington and Jefferson National Forest - Passport in Time excavation project in Northampton  Virginia.  In conjunction with the Archaeological Society of Virginia, Chesapeake Bay Archaeological Consortium, Department of Historic Resources, this field school, will test and document two important sites in Northampton County - Pear Valley and Newport House/Eyreville.

Pear Valley, owned by the Northampton Historic Preservation Society, is the earliest surviving, single-room-plan house in Virginia. The site was a small Yeoman’s Cottage, dating to ca. 1740, once occupied by a gentleman farmer raising crops for market. The field school undertook to test excavations in an attempt to locate the foundations of the structure’s outbuildings, which will aid in site management and interpretation.