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Local: 757-357-5182
Smithfield & Isle of Wight Commemorate the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War
The Civil War in Smithfield & Isle of Wight
Smithfield & Isle of Wight County is proud to host
three sites on the Virginia Civil War Trail!
Download the story of "the Peninsula Campaign"
produced by the Virginia Civil War Trails.
Aerial view of Historic Fort Huger along the James River. Photo by David Sawyer
A Civil War Tour of Smithfield & Isle of Wight County
Established in 1634 as one of the original 8 shires of the Virginia Colony, Isle of Wight County, with its quaint towns of Windsor & Smithfield, is rich in history and played a key role in the Civil War. If you're looking for a way to commemorate the Sesquicentennial, you will find plenty of fascinating attractions to visit here!
Begin in downtown Smithfield at the Visitor Center - also home to the Arts Center @ 319 - for information and maps of the various attractions in the county.
Make your next stop the Isle of Wight County Museum which offers an overview of the county’s history and the world's oldest ham, as well as a Civil War display and information on the Roberts Brothers of Windsor, 7 brothers who fought in the Civil War.
The Battle of Smithfield took place in January of 1864 when the Union gun boat USS Smith-Briggs landed where Smithfield Station sits today. After a skirmish, the Confederates trapped 150 Union troops, who then surrendered. The gold eagle from the ship is on display at the Old Courthouse of 1750.
Historic Fort Huger, the “Gateway to the Confederate Capital,” situated on the bluffs of the James River, was built by slaves and freed slaves. It features a self-guided walking tour to view mounted cannon and the ghost fleet on the James River. The names of those who worked and were stationed at the fort are displayed.
Further south along the James, in a beautiful natural setting, Fort Boykin Historic Park was begun in 1623 to protect the early colonists.
Both Fort Boykin and Fort Huger were engaged in a critical battle in May of 1862. When overwhelmed by Union warships on the James, the forts fell, thus opening the river route to the Confederate Capital.
While the battle over the forts raged, the county’s Clerk of the Court charged his slave Randall Boothe to take the court records into hiding. He took them by cart to Greenville and Brunswick Counties just before the Union cavalry arrived in July. After the war Boothe returned the records, was freed and served as Courthouse Caretaker. Isle of Wight County’s rich history has been preserved because Boothe’s efforts prevented its records from being destroyed. You can visit the Isle of Wight Courthouse of 1800, still in use today, and peruse these records yourself.
Other important civil war sites include Saint Luke's Church (c1632), where Confederates camped & stabled horses in the church, Boykin’s Tavern and Ivy Hill Cemetery, the burial site of several Civil War soldiers and a Confederate Monument.
Photo by Brett England
15080 Talcott Terrace, Smithfield, Va. 23430
Open daily from 8 a.m. until dusk
Dedication of Fort Huger - May 8, 2008
Historic Fort Huger is listed on the following:
National Register of Historic Places
Captain John Smith’s Trail: Lower Oyster Loop
Photo by Brett England
Fort Boykin Historic Park
7410 Fort Boykin Trail, Smithfield, Va. 23430
Open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk
Fort Boykin Historic Park is listed on the following:
National Register of Historic Places
Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail
Captain John Smith’s Trail: Lower Oyster Loop
The Black Walnut Tree is listed on the Remarkable Trees of Virginia Project
Historic St. Luke's Church
14477 Benns Church Blvd., Smithfield, Va. 23430
(757) 357-3367
November through March:
Tuesday - Saturday:
9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Closed Monday
April through October:
Tuesday - Saturday:
9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Monday
Closed in January
103 Main Street, Smithfield, VA 23430, (757) 356-1223
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday & 1-5 p.m. Sunday
Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
The gold eagle taken from the USS Smith-Briggs after the Battle of Smithfield
130 Main Street, Isle of Wight, Va. 23397
(757) 356-9016
February:
Friday and Saturday
10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed Sunday through Thursday
March - December:
Friday and Saturday
10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed Monday & the month of January
Isle of Wight Courthouse of 1800
Route 258 Courthouse Road, Isle of Wight, Va. 23397
(757) 357-3191
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Photo by Brett England
17130 Monument Circle, Isle of Wight, Va. 23397
(757) 365-9771
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday & 1-5 p.m. Sunday
Closed Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas-March 4, 2010
7 Wenley Circle, Smithfield, Va. 23430
A “Virginia Landmarks Register”
& listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB Staff:
Judy Hare Winslow, Director of Tourism
Lois Chapman, Marketing & Public Relations Manager
Cheryl Whitener, Visitor Center Manager
Terry Rhinier, Event Coordinator
Kristin Wilda, Farmer's Market Manager
Join our email list to receive our Tour-E Newsletter listing of local events.
Smithfield & Isle of Wight CVB and the Isle of Wight Arts League are partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
