NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
LEGISLATION
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THE NORTHERN NECK NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
On Dec. 22, 2022, the United States Congress passed the
bi-partisan legislation proposed by Rep. Rob Whitman (R-VA) and U. S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) designating the land between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers, known as the Northern Neck (NN), which spans the five counties of King George, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland, as a National Heritage Area. (NHA) The NHAs are congressionally designated places where, “natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive nationally important landscape”.
The NN retains its rural character, with many historic homes and churches, and miles of delightful waterfront and forests. This legislation recognizes the Northern Neck, which has often been called the cradle of democracy, as a national treasure. Birthplace of three Presidents, Washington, Madison, and Monroe, and two signers of the Declaration of Independence,
brothers Richard Henry and Francis Lightfoot Lee, the Northern Neck’s designation as a NHA resonates with the NHA goal of communicating nationally important stories that celebrate our nation’s diverse heritage.
The Northern Neck Hidden History Trail (NNHHT) welcomes the NHA designation as we tell our stories through the lenses of people of color, both African Americans and Native Americans, to reveal a more comprehensive and inclusive historic picture of our diversity. The trail consists of a 360-degree experience through all the senses for the purpose of educating and establishing a more memorable experience of all ages. The NNHHT will be telling our story from the pre-colonial era down through the present. This is being accomplished in various forms such as a digital website, apps for self-guided tours, historic markers, and tasting stations to enjoy the foods of the diverse cultures who have lived here.
