Richmond County
Richmond County lies along the north / eastern banks of the Rappahannock River in Virginia’s Northern Neck. Warsaw, the largest town in Richmond County, also serves as the county seat. Richmond is accessed via the Downing Bridge / Route 360 and Tappahannock from points south and via State Route 3 from points north (Fredericksburg / Washington DC / Annapolis.)
Newest Listings in Richmond County
History
Richmond County, Virginia was formed in 1692 from old Rappahannock County. There is no consensus on the origin of Richmond County’s name, but it has been accepted that the county was named for the First Duke of Richmond, cousin to King William and Queen Mary. It is believed that Richmond County was inhabited by the first Indians, who migrated to hunt and gather food for their small, mobile families, more than 10,000 years ago during the Paleo-Indian period in 11,000 B.C. Artifacts from this time have been found around the county.
Richmond County is located in the heart of the Northern Neck of Virginia, where it lies on the north side of the Rappahannock River. Its 192 square miles of community is within one hour’s drive of the city of Richmond, Virginia and within two hours’ drive of Washington D.C. Throughout its existence, farming, fishing, and forestry have formed the backbone of the county’s economy. Serving as the crossroads of U.S. Route 360 and State Route 3, the county seat of Warsaw is currently the headquarters for many regional government agencies as well as a regional community college, vocational center, and jail.
Lifestyle
“It’s a place where the morning coffee comes with a view of eagles and osprey and where tonight’s seafood special is whatever takes your bait. It’s a place where history lives in the bricks and mortar and where traditions are more important than trends. It’s a place where rush hour is a hay baler crossing the highway, where passing motorists smile and wave, a place where you’re always welcome. It’s Richmond County. For the weekend or forever.”
In 2004 the Menokin Bluegrass Festival (later changed to Menokin Music Festival) was launched in Richmond County at the ruins of Francis Lightfoot Lee’s (a signer of the Declaration of Independence) ancestral home, Menokin. The festival attracts thousands of music fans every year in a celebration of the Northern Neck’s historical legacy.
Access to Water
Due to the fact that Richmond County lies along the northern banks of the Rappahannock River, the majority of the water access in Richmond is naturally at points along the Rappahannock. It should be noted however, that Richmond County’s inland location makes the waters a bit calmer than closer to the exposed areas near the Chesapeake Bay. Furthermore, the waters in the upper Rappahannock tend to be more brackish and subject to the ebbs and flows of rainfall than they do downstream.
Driving distance from:
- Richmond – 54 miles (1 hour 11 minutes)
- Norfolk – 110 miles (2 hours 10 minutes)
- Washington, DC – 94 miles (2 hours 3 minutes)
