Reedville is an unincorporated town in Northumberland County in the Northern Neck region of the U.S.
Reedville is home to the fishing trade for Atlantic menhaden, a small oily fish found in great abundance in mid-Atlantic coastal waters.
Reedville is a destination itself, steeped in the history of the menhaden fishing industry.
Its Millionaire's Row of Victorian-era mansions in the Reedville Historic District and two of the Fishermen's Museum's watercraft are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1874, Reed, a sea captain from Maine, came south to the Chesapeake Bay and recognized the potential of the menhaden fishing industry.
Captain Reed moved his company from Brooklin, Maine, to the Northern Neck, and brought to the established improve of watermen a health of extracting large quantities of petroleum from the fish, by rendering them by the millions.
By 1885, Reedville was heavily engaged in the menhaden fishing industry.
Menhaden refining factories on Cockrell Creek produced fish oil, meal, and fertilizer from menhaden.
The menhaden fishing trade brought tremendous richness to Reedville and to Northumberland County.
Reedville, a town of roughly 500, was once known as the wealthiest town in the United States, due to its large income produced by the menhaden industry. Dozens of fish refining factories, most recently Omega Protein Corporation (successor to Zapata Haynie, Reedville Oil and Guano Company, and Haynie Products Company) and Standard Products Company, have dotted the Northumberland waterfront near Reedville and other fishing communities.
The Reedville Fisherman's Museum has restored the earliest home in the community; known as the Walker House, it homes the exhibition in conjunction with contiguous buildings.
The exhibition, which dedicates itself to preserving the watermen's heritage, has historical knowledge about Reedville, the Chesapeake Bay, and the menhaden fishing industry.
Municipalities and communities of Northumberland County, Virginia, United States Avalon Beverlyville Blackberry Blackwells Blundon Corner Browns Corner Browns Store Bryant Corner Bundick Burgess Burtons Corner Byrdton Callao Chesapeake Beach Chestnut Grove Claraville Coan Cowart Crabbe Mill Ditchley Dodlyt Downings Corner Edwardsville Fairport Fleeton Folly Georgetown Gibeon Gillick Corner Gonyon Hamlins Corner Hardings Hardins Corner Harryhogan Harveys Highland Landing Horse Head Howland Hyacinth Jetts Store Kayan Lake Lankford Corner Lara Lee Dale Shores Lewisetta Lilian Lodge Lottsburg Luttrellville Luttrels Corner Lynhams Middletons Corner Mila Miskimon Moon Corner Morrisons Corner Mount Olive Nokomis Oak Grove Ophelia Rainswood Reedville Regina Remo Reynolds Corner Sandy Point Sissons Corner Slash Stately Oak Sunnybank Surprise Hill Tibitha Tipers Village Vir-Mar Beach Waddeys Walkers Corner Walmsley Wicomico Church Williams Corner
Categories:
Unincorporated communities in Northumberland County, Virginia - Unincorporated communities in Virginia - Fishing communities in the United States - Populated places established in 1874 - 1874 establishments in Virginia - Populated places on the Chesapeake Bay
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