People walking along a wooden boardwalk beside a harbor with a red and white lighthouse - maritime history sites

Self-guided · County in Virginia

Maritime History Sites in Northampton County, VA

Lighthouses, shipwrecks, life-saving stations, wharves and canals, the history of the coasts, lakes and rivers.

Every region holds some piece of the country's story. Northampton County is one of 134 counties in Virginia. The markers and register listings are where those pieces are written down, and the closest ones to Northampton County, VA are listed below.

A group of people walking towards a light house - maritime history sites — Photo: Timothé Durand on Unsplash

People standing near white concrete lighthouse during daytime - maritime history sites — Photo: Adrien Delforge on Unsplash

A woman in a red dress is walking towards two lighthouses - maritime history sites — Photo: Lucas Gallone on Unsplash

On the record near Northampton County, VA

The 12 nearest

15 listed sites on the record match maritime history sites within 60 miles of Northampton County, VA, out of 28 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 11 listed sites carry Northampton County as their county.

Cape Charles Light Station18 miles from the center of Northampton County · Structure · Kiptopke · listed 2003National Register of Historic Places
Wolf Trap Light Station19 miles from the center of Northampton County · Structure · Poquoson East · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places
New Point Comfort Lighthouse21 miles from the center of Northampton County · Building · New Point · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
Thimble Shoal Light Station31 miles from the center of Northampton County · Structure · Hampton City (Independent City) · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places
CApe Henry (Second Tower) Light Station32 miles from the center of Northampton County · Structure · Fort Story · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places
Cape Henry Lighthouse32 miles from the center of Northampton County · Structure · Virginia Beach (Independent City) · listed 1966National Register of Historic Places
Old Point Comfort Lighthouse34 miles from the center of Northampton County · Building · Hampton (Independent City) · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
Smith Point Light Station37 miles from the center of Northampton County · Structure · Smith Point · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Coast Guard Station37 miles from the center of Northampton County · Building · Virginia Beach (Independent City) · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
Newport News Middle Ground Light Station40 miles from the center of Northampton County · Structure · Newport News (Independent City) · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places
LIGHTSHIP No. 101, PORTSMOUTH44 miles from the center of Northampton County · Structure · Portsmouth (Independent City) · listed 1989National Register of Historic Places
Quarters A, B, and C, Norfolk Naval Shipyard44 miles from the center of Northampton County · Building · Portsmouth (Independent City) · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Northampton County, VA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Maritime History in Northampton County, step by step

1
Read the short history of the period for this area
2
Open the map filtered to the sites from that chapter
3
Visit the nearest site and read its full record
4
Ask what the marker leaves out and look for the rest
5
Add the site to a route that follows the period in order

What people in Northampton County, VA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Northampton County, VA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are the hard parts of this history included?

Yes. The record is shown as published, and the stories behind the markers include what happened, who it happened to, and how it was remembered. Leaving the hard parts out would make the stop less worth the trip.

Why are there so many of these sites near Northampton County, VA?

Most areas have more than people expect, because the registers list every surviving building and site tied to a period, not just the famous ones. The list on this page shows exactly what is on the record nearby.

How a visit works in Northampton County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Northampton County, VA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Northampton County, VA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.