Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-07-28
The Northern Neck Of vi ginih.


mentioned in our sketches OF few OF It's coun-
tics, and as we have observed to many persons
it is very indefinite territory, we have thought
it might not be uninterestlng to give BRIEF ac-
count of its geography, topography, history, etc
The Northern Neck is bounded on the north
bv the Potomac River to the Blue Ridge, on
the cast by the Chesapeake Bay, on the south
by the Rappahannock River to the Blue Ridge,
| and west by the Blue Ridge.
A part of it's southern boundary requires
little more explanation as 1t Is not very well W.
derstood generally. :,
About fifteen miles above the town OF Free
cricksburg, at the head Of tide water, the hap
| pahannock meets its south branch, the famous
Ranidan: thence about fifteen miles westward
# divides into the Hazel and Hedgeman, which
branch divorces somewhat to the north Of west,
dividing the counties of Culpepper and Eau
ouier. forming the southern boundary Of the
INNER part of the Northern Neck. This Neck
is comnoscd Of eleven counties, Loudoun, Eau.
nu;er, Alexandria, Fairfax, Prince William,
Stafford, King George, Wcstn,oreland Rich
mond. Northumberland and Lancaster. Nine
of these counties lie below tide water, two only
above it. These counties differ in many re-
snccts as to their SITUATION, soil, etc. As the
writer has visited all of them, he will venture
an brief description The counties lying be-
low tide water of the Rappahannock resemble
each other generally in their climate, soil and
| productions.
a ridge begins in Lancaster near the Chesa-
peakc, which continues to rise, running about
midway through the Neck for its whole lcngIh
to the spurs of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The soil of this ridge is Of rather poor quality,
vet there arc many exceptions. 1t Is well tim.
bcrcd, and when the contemplated railroad
traverses its length, it will rapidly become a
prosperous region. On each side OF the ridge
the lands bordering on the Potomac and Rap
pahannock rivers are, considering their natural
advantages in every respect, unsurpassed per
laps in the whole world. The far famed Val
lev of Virginia. though indeed garden spot,
canuot be compared to the lower Northern
| Neck in anything but the fertility Of its soil
Stafford and King George each extend from
the Potomac to the RappahaDuock, aud as
they are narrow, they are easy OF access, both
on their north and south sides. The lower
counties, besides being bordcrcd by the great
rivers and bay are intcrscctcd by navlsaLlc
creeks and inlcts, 50 that there are few parts Of
the country more accessible to various markets
at small cost OF transportation.
The climate, owing to the peninsular charac-
ter of the land, is suited to variety OF pro-
duets, including some of more southern !atl-
tudc. The f., with little attention, ilourishes
in many places Cotton was formerly raised in
considerable quantities. and during the late war
it was 10 many cases cultivated successfully for
domestic use. The wlter raised cotton tor
home consumption during the war, and one
wear made two hundred pounds Of glnned cot
ton from one acre OF land
| Tobacco was formerly extensively cultlvated
old tobacco hills may be still seen IN some OF the
pine woods.
This region of country needs an Industrious
white population. able aud willing to work
| The present nominal class Of laborcrs are not to
be dcpended on Tor farm work, hence agrlcul-
,ure is at rather a low ebb.
The counties of Fauquicr and Loudoun lie
above tide water; they are mostly composed OF
hilIy, rolling and mountainous land, the soil in
solne parts is poor, but is very good in the up
Der parts Of both counties. 1t is generally
rocky, as is the case 10 parts of the counties
above the tide water of the Rappahauuock.
Thomas Lord Fairfax was the proprietor Of
| the Northern Neck, which vast estate he lu-
herited from his mother, the daughter Of Lord
| Culpeppcr, who received his graut from Charles
the Second Lord Fairfax also owned an ex
tensivc territory lying along the southern border
of the Potomac between the Blue Ridge and
the Alleghanies,
! 1t was in this region, then m almost un-
| broken wilderness, that General Washington
encountered the first adventures Of his eventiul
life; and there Lord Fairfax established his
residence near the Shenandoah river, we'll
| known n its day as Grcenway Court, where he
lived very much in the old feudal style.
We have heretofore mentioned several euil
| ncnt men as natives Of the Northern Neck.
| President Monre was also born IN King George
county, at Port Conway, on the Rappahannock.
Stafford county was the residence of the Hon.
John Taiaferro, who represented his district
| in Congress for more than thirty years, and
| who enjoyed the respect and esteem OF, all par
| ties.
There was, and may be still, in the Court
House of Wcstmoreland county, suspended
over the Judge seat full length, nearly life
size portrait, of the Earl OF Chatham; he is rep
| resented in his senatorial robes in the act OF
| delivering one of his great speeches in defence
| of the American colonies.
| The history of the Northern Neck, during
the four years Of the late war, Is very cvcntlul.
Within its bounds were fought the first and
second battles Of Manassas; also many severe
combats preceding those terrible fields of Slaugh-
ter, besides numerous minori engagements in
every county, which stained their soil with the
| blood Of friends and foes The upper parts of
the Neck were occupied during the most of the
war by immense Federal armies also frequently
| by the Confederate forces. All those portions
| which were the immediate scat Of war, were
cleared of trees, fences, and 10 many cases Of
houses; the river sides we're constantly subject
ed to predatory attacks from gun boats,
while the whole tide water region was several
times swept by large bodies of Cavalry, which
took away all the horses, mules, and contra
| bands they could find, or pursuade to go with
them, besides every thing else they could carry,
SO that by the end Of the war the whole Neck
was in very destitute condition, from which,
owing to various causes, + has but slightly re-
covered The lower portion of the Neck suffer
ed considerably during the war of 1872 chiefly
through the acts of the British Admiral Cock
burn, who has been greatly excecd by the ex-
| PLOTS of modern naval heroes.
Several railroads traverse the upper portions
of the Neck; the Orange and Alexandria,
Manassas, Loudoun and Hampshire, ETC.; others
are contemplated which will greatly add to the