County of Northampton

Land Between Two Waters. 

History 

Nassawadox rose to local prominence as a center of trade and commerce due to the steam powered sawmill that was once located in town. Named for the Nusswatok Indians, the name derives from the Native American word for “land between two waters.” 
Nassawadox  is 5 miles south of Exmore and 25 miles north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It’s made up of an area of 0.4 square miles and is located on U.S. Route 13. The Pennsylvania Railroad was established in 1884 and Nassawadox had a platform for receiving mail along the rail line.  The train didn't stop in Nassawadox but would hook the mail bag on a "mail hook" as it passed through Nassawadox and proceeded down the track.  

According to the Historic Architectural Survey of Northampton County, Virginia,  "The area around Nassawadox was settled in 1656. The name comes from an Indian term meaning "a stream between two streams". The large area including the towns of Franktown and Bridgetown was originally known as Nassawadox. According to Turman, when the Eastern Shore was divided into two counties by Act of the General Assembly of March 1663, the dividing line was located below the present village of Nassawadox. That would place Nassawadox in Accomack County.

William Robinson, a Quaker* who entered the Virginia colony about 1656, was arrested by the Anglican churchmen. He was eventually released and aided fellow Quakers by pretending to help them leave the colony. In fact, he took the dissenters to Nassawadox Creek, where Levin Denwood provided a log-cabin meeting house.
The present town of Nassawadox was established along the railroad in 1884. The rise of Nassawadox contributed to the decline of Franktown located one mile to the east, and not on the rail line. The town of Nassawadox was incorporated in 1958."

* "The Religious Society of Friends, whose members are commonly known as Quakers, was a Christian movement founded by George Fox in England during the early 1650s. Quakers opposed central church authority, preferring to seek spiritual insight and consensus through egalitarian Quaker meetings. They advocated sexual equality and became some of the most outspoken opponents of slavery in early America." -Source: history.com 
Virginia was the first permanent English colony in the New World and the Church of England was the official church of the colony. It was supported from the public treasury. Quakers refused to pay a tithe to the Church of England. So naturally anyone who went against the Church of England was upsetting the power of England and rule of law.  

Train Taking Up Mail Bag from a Mailcrane from SmithsonianNPM Youtube page. 
Short, silent 1903 film demonstrating how "mail-on-the-fly" worked. The original film is in the collection of the Library of Congress.
Read more at:  Mail on the Fly. Smithsonian National Postal Museum

Town Hall 

TOWN OF NASSAWADOX Elected Officials

MAYOR (2 YEAR TERM)

Patricia Stith
PO Box 820,
Nassawadox, VA 23413
757-442-3439

MEMBER OF TOWN COUNCIL (2 YEAR TERM)

Thomas Wilson Rippon, Jr.
PO Box 346 
Nassawadox, Virginia 23413

Andrea Fox
PO Box 396
Nassawadox Virginia 23413

Marianne Diangelo
8007 Seaside Road
Nassawadox, Virginia 23413

John W. Hallett, Sr.
PO Box 124,
Nassawadox, Virginia 23413

Claude F. Jones
PO Box 291,
Nassawadox, Virginia 23413

Kevon P. Rice    
PO Box 724
Nassawadox, Virginia 23413

Public Safety 

Northampton Fire and Rescue 

Station 16 Northampton Fire & Rescue
 10239 Pine ST Nassawadox, VA
757-442-9365

Website: https://www.nfr16.net/ 
Northampton Fire & Rescue Facebook page

Fundraisers: 
Eastern Shore Trail Ride: http://easternshoretrailride.com/
Bingo (first Sunday of the month) 

Dial 911 for Emergencies

For more information see our Volunteer Fire and Rescue page.

Businesses 

Nassawadox offers a variety of businesses and services. There is a hardware store, a post office, a farm market, an art and frame shop,  two restaurants-Little Italy and The Great Machipongo Clam Shack,  a florist, an insurance co., medical offices, The Citadel nursing home, Rayfield's Pharmacy, a gas station, an auto repair shop,  the Northampton County Health Department and a motel.  

Northampton Lumber Company

Northampton Lumber Company Established 1887. Photo by Jean E. Flynn

The Northampton Lumber Company was "established in 1887, Northampton Lumber Company is the oldest building supply store still in operation on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The business has evolved and changed with the times to meet its customers needs and remains a mainstay in the community." 

A recent article published in the American Farmer Publication  expounds on the steam powered sawmill which was an important component of the early lumber business in Nassawadox. 
"Once a powerhouse of the Nassawadox economy, the Northampton Lumber Company’s steam-powered mill employed more than 50 of the town’s 475 residents in 1920, according to the National Register of Historic Places.
“They said the whole town lived by the time of the whistle,” Dryden said. “This mill provided a lot of jobs for this community.”
Resting on a concrete slab and semi-enclosed by a gabled roof, the 9,100-square-foot space houses two boilers that drove the large engine to make lumber and barrels for the Eastern Shore’s booming potato industry.
The mill gained attention again in the 1990s as part of an Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act grant that helped restore some of its structure.
“At that time, they said this was one of the most complete, steam-driven saw mills on the East Coast,” Lattimore [current owner of Northampton Lumber Co.] said.
In 2008, the Northampton Lumber Company Historic District joined the National Register of Historic Places. "  

Rayfield's Pharmacy

Rayfield's Pharmacy has served customers since 1975. It is located on Hospital Ave. across from old Shore Memorial Hospital. Photo by Jean E. Flynn 

Many medical offices and services sprung up around the Shore Memorial Hospital which opened in 1928 and later a more up to date building opened in Nassawadox in 1971. Rayfield's Pharmacy has served customers since 1975 and could be found directly across the street from the hospital for a patience's convenience. In 2017, the hospital moved to it's new location,  20480 Market Street Onancock, VA 23417.  

Please note, the hospital in Nassawadox is closed.  Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital can be reached at 757-302-2100 or 800-834-7035.  For emergencies, please call, 911.

Schools 

For a complete list of k-12 schools in Northampton, please see
Northampton County Public Schools.   

Montessori Children's House of Franktown 

7543 Bayside Rd
Franktown, VA 23354
Phone: (757) 442-2215  

Mission: 

"The Montessori Children’s House of Franktown seeks to provide a warm, loving, Christian learning environment for preschool children ages 2 ½ through 6 years old. The school, based upon the educational and developmental principles of Maria Montessori, is dedicated to nurturing the whole child (i.e. socially, spiritually, intellectually, physically, and emotionally) in a stimulating, creative and supportive Christian setting so they become confident, self-motivated individuals who have the proficiency to undertake that which inspires them in life.

While the main focus is the development of our children, we feel that it is imperative to engage educational partnerships between parents, teacher and staff, children and the community.

Montessori Children’s House of Franktown admits students of any race, color, or national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and other school-administered programs. We seek and welcome cultural and racial diversity to our school community as a colorful expression of the family of God." 

Community

Northampton Free Library 

Photo by Jean E. Flynn

7745 Seaside Rd
Nassawadox, VA 23413
Phone: (757) 414-0010

"The library is a wonderful branch of Eastern Shore Public Library (ESPL), located at the intersection of Rogers Road and Seaside Road, right off Route 13. Though a small library, great things are happening at the Northampton Free Library. NFL has public Wi-Fi and the blue ESPL library card can be used to access all library resources at the branch. The library also has a small meeting room for educational or nonprofit purposes at no charge. A notary is on staff as well as fax services. Public internet computers, a children’s early literacy station, and child-friendly iPads are also available for use..."  from the ESPL website

There is also a Master Garden at the library and a StoryTrail with inviting benches to sit under the shade and read a book.  

The Eastern Shore Public Library has put together a self guided Nassawadox History Walking Tour (PDF) that will provide more information about Nassawadox history and recreation!

Peninsula Tractor Organization (PTO) and Sawmill Museum 

Photo by Jean E. Flynn


10150 Mill Street
Nassawadox VA 23413

Preserving the rich agricultural heritage of the Eastern Shore of Virginia is the focus of the Peninsula Tractor Organization

 
"The Peninsula Tractor Organization (PTO) is a group of antique tractor and farm machinery collectors and enthusiasts on Virginia's Eastern Shore. PTO is an IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization whose mission is to preserve the agricultural heritage of the area and share this with others. Anyone who is interested in antique home and farming equipment is welcome to join, whether you have a collection or not." 

For more information read Group to awaken images of history
by Clara Vaughn published Jun 22, 2018 in The Delmarva Farmer. 

Please visit our Bountiful Northampton pages to learn more about agriculture in Northampton County.

Northampton County Health Department (VDH) 

Free Medical Clinics for qualifying applicants: 
Virginia Department of Health Eastern Shore District

Mission | To protect the health and promote the well-being of all people in Virginia.
Vision | Become the healthiest state in the nation.
Core Values | Our culture values service, equity and making data-informed decisions.

VDH is committed to eliminating inequity in health status by promoting access to those resources and opportunities that support quality health care, healthy behaviors, and healthy families, communities and environments.

Interpretive Services are available for non-English speaking participants.

2 locations:
Northampton County Department of Health
7114 Lankford Highway
Nassawadox, VA 23413
Phone: (757) 442-6228

Accomack County Health Department
23191 Front Street
Accomac Virginia 23301

Phone: (757) 787-5880

http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/eastern-shore/

Clinics and Programs VDH offers on the Eastern Shore:

Communicable Disease Investigations (STD, TB, and other Reportable Diseases) Accomack: 757-302-4258 [email protected] Northampton: 757-414-6243 [email protected]

HIV Services Case Management, 18 and over, Medication Access PrEP,
Donisha Fleming, BSN, RN 757-414-6245 [email protected]

Immunization, Vaccines for Children 18 and under, Vaccines for Adults (uninsured/under-insured)
Make an appointment: Accomack 757-787-5880 Northampton 757-442-6228

Nurse Family Partnership, Prenatal and Early Childhood Home Visiting
Kathy Lewis, BSN, RN 757-302-4264 [email protected]

Reproductive Health, Well Woman Exams, Birth Control, Maternity Services, Sexually Transmitted Infections and/or Diseases, Mammogram Vouchers Cheryl Revell, RN 757-302-4256 [email protected]

WIC and Breastfeeding Peer Support, Supplemental Food Program for pregnant women and children from birth to age 5 years Lorraine Strand, WIC Coordinator, 757-302-4243 [email protected]

WIC- Women, Infants and Children

Location: 
Northampton County Health Department 
7114 Lankford Highway
Nassawadox, VA 23413
Phone: (757) 442-6228

Accomack County Health Department
23191 Front Street
Accomac Virginia 23301
Phone: (757) 787-5880

The WIC Program aims to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care.

• Educates pregnant women and new moms about nutrition, with personalized assessments, counseling and support
• Provides pregnant women, new moms, infants and children (up to age 5) with nutritious supplemental foods
• Brings women the support they need to breastfeed their babies
• Offers referrals to additional social services and healthcare resources 

Regardless of citizenship status, WIC serves: 

Pregnant women- healthy babies begin with good nutrition for mothers. 

Breastfeeding women. Breastfeeding gives your baby all the nutrition they need from the very first moments. WIC offers breastfeeding support through one on one counseling with a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. For more information about the Learn Together. Grow Together program please visit: https://wicbreastfeeding.fns.usda.gov/

Non-breastfeeding postpartum women
Infants
Toddlers and children up to age 5

More information about food packages and formula offered through WIC.
Information on eligibility and how to apply for WIC.

Recreation

The Nature Conservancy's Virginia Coast Reserve/ Brownsville Preserve 

A tree tunnel to Brownsville Preserve. Photos by Jean E. Flynn

11332 Brownsville Road
Nassawadox, VA 23413 

"Birds and other wildlife abound at Brownsville Preserve. From the boardwalk and trails traversing this historic farm, you may see deer, fox, raccoons, blue herons, bald eagles, wild turkeys and many other species of birds."  

The house is closed to the public but the William B. Cummings walking trail is open from sunrise to sunset. 

For places to hike in Northampton County, see our Nature Trails page.

Randy Custis Memorial Park 

Custis Park photos by Jean E. Flynn


10239 Pine Avenue
Nassawadox, Virginia 23413

A 32 acre park of playing fields for baseball, soccer, volleyball and playground located behind the Northampton Fire Station. 

"THE RANDY CUSTIS MEMORIAL PARK WAS FOUNDED IN MEMORY OF A YOUNG BOY WHO LOVED SPORTS, ESPECIALLY BASEBALL.
Today, we partner with Shore Little League, Shore Soccer League and Shore Sand Volleyball to give our Eastern Shore youth an opportunity to play sports. The primary mission of The Randy Custis Memorial Park is to provide every child on the Eastern Shore an opportunity to build healthier lives through athletics and recreation in a safe environment. We know how important sports are to the lives of our youth. Sports build confidence, help build friendships, builds character and provides our youth the opportunity to get mentored by great coaches. The confidence you get from sports stays with you your whole life. The Randy Custis Park is so proud to offer every family on the Eastern Shore a safe facility for the pursuit of a healthy and responsible lifestyle." 
-from the About Us page on the Custis Park website 

Healthy Walks Nassawadox

A 1.61 mile loop, with two extensions, one to the west end of the sidewalk on Rogers Drive (0.5 mile) and the other on Pine Avenue to the athletic fields of the Randy Custis Memorial Park (0.36 mile).

For more information about this loop please visit, Nassawadox Walking Trail

Free Wifi 

Custis Park, Silas Court, Nassawadox, VA

Northampton Free Library    
7745 Seaside Road, Nassawadox, VA