To better explain the Historic Sites book, it was put together by a group who was then part of Preservation Virginia based in Richmond. Since that time the Richmond headquarters disbanded the branches of the group and kept the central one intact. Our local group had to set themselves up independently when this happened. Prior to that, though, they put together the book. My understanding is that there had been an "inventory" of pre-Civil War structures in the Northern Neck done around the end of World War II. And that a lot had changed and that perhaps there was more information to be had at around 2010. The members of this group divided up the counties (and there are 6, includes the 4 on the Northern Neck and then King George and Essex) and they researched what might be included in this book and then they met to vet these ideas and vote in what should go in and what wasn't necessary. They wrote up the descriptions and these were discussed and then they were edited by Thomas A. Wolf (who may still be putting together the excellent work by the Historical Society in Northumberland county). In addition to editing the work he also wrote the first two chapters that put the book into context. Each chapter has an introduction which includes those statistics I referred to on Sunday as well as any other particularly pertinent county factors.

In addition to the pre-Civil War sites there were a handful of other sites that are incuded because they are considered significant. There is even a set of archeological sites or locations associated with the indian population. There may not be anything to be seen of them now, but they are know. The book includes many maps as well as hundreds of photos of the structures.

This is an amazing way to look at the Northern Neck. It is so easy to think that this is such a simple place with waterfront homes, inland homes, a bunch of timberland as well as some massive farms. There is so much more than that. And it isn't really simple. This was a thriving economy in the 1700s and there are vestiges of it everywhere whether restored and in full glory, or needing attention.

Now that you've indulged me in that, here are a few statistics for the day.

Million dollar plus properties that have sold in the Northern Neck over the last few years ....the sales look like this:

2016, 4 sold

2017, 17 sold

2018, 8 sold

2019, 12 sold

Thus far, until the 7th of April, 3 have sold

The active $1,000,000 plus properties total 24.