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 Richmond County, VA

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

Richmond County is one of 134 counties in Virginia. Maritime History Sites are spread across the country in places most people would not guess. The list below shows how close the nearest ones are to Richmond County, VA.

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 Richmond County, VA

The 10 nearest

10 listed sites on the record match maritime history sites within 60 miles of Richmond County, VA, out of 44 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 162 listed sites carry Richmond County as their county.

Piney Point Coast Guard Light Station16 miles from the center of Richmond County · Structure · Piney Point · listed 1976National Register of Historic Places
Point No Point Light Station26 miles from the center of Richmond County · Structure · Dameron · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places
Smith Point Light Station29 miles from the center of Richmond County · Structure · Smith Point · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places
Drum Point Lighthouse30 miles from the center of Richmond County · Structure · Solomons Island · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
Hooper Island Light Station33 miles from the center of Richmond County · Structure · Hooperville · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places
Cove Point Lighthouse35 miles from the center of Richmond County · Structure · Cove Point · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
Cold Harbor National Cemetery37 miles from the center of Richmond County · Site · Mechanicsville · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
Steamer Company Number 548 miles from the center of Richmond County · Building · Richmond (Independent City) · listed 1995National Register of Historic Places
New Point Comfort Lighthouse51 miles from the center of Richmond County · Building · New Point · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
Wolf Trap Light Station57 miles from the center of Richmond County · Structure · Poquoson East · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places

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

Maritime History in Richmond 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 Richmond County, VA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Richmond 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 Richmond 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.