The Town of Urbanna is a well-known treasure in Middlesex County located on Urbanna Creek and Rappahannock River. The town has a laid-back hometown feel and is a great place to visit. Whether you are interested in shopping, dining, or exploring history, there is a little something for everyone. Urbanna has a potpourri of historical buildings ranging from colonial structures from when it was a British port town to buildings built before and right after the Civil War. Come and spend a night in town and be sure to carve out enough time to enjoy all that the town of Urbanna has to offer.
1. Enjoy culinary delights
Seafood can be enjoyed year-around in Urbanna restaurants. The town has a half dozen eateries serving seafood in some form. Softshell crab season starts in the spring. Delicious fried, crisp, softshells just the right size are a seasonal delight served at Virginia Street Cafe. Look for the sign on the door that says “Fresh Softshells.” Oysters are served year round, fried, stewed, frittered and raw, in local eateries as a prelude to the 50,000 plus people who attend the town’s annual Urbanna Oyster Festival, the first weekend of November. The latest eatery to come to town, “Small Town Burger,” features Maine and Connecticut styles of lobster rolls.
2. Take a history stroll
Urbanna was founded in 1680 as a British Colonial seaport. A heritage walking tour, called “Museum in the Streets” starts on Cross Street at Bristow’s Store. Brochures with a directional tour map and information on stops is at the main station at Bristow’s. You can also visit virtually on a cell phone. The self-guided tour has 14 historical panel sites with information and photos. There are four town Virginia highway marker signs, which include the Grave of Arthur Lee, Lansdowne, Old Middlesex County Courthouse and John Mitchell’s Map. The tour spans the town’s Colonial tobacco days, steamboat era, growth of town schools and churches, the seafood industry and the spread of commerce along the waterfront. It speaks to Urbanna Creek being a water transportation center for more than 300 years.
3. Relax and picnic at the park
A grand opening will be conducted on Memorial Day weekend for the town’s new public 75-by 42-foot swimming pool. The pool is located at Taber Park, at the corner of Bonner Street and Rappahannock Avenue. The park is town owned and has a fenced playground and a new pavilion with picnic tables. There are several take-out eateries in town and one of the favorite of locals is the lunchtime hot food and fried and baked chicken at the Urbanna Market within walking distance of Taber Park. Also, on the way between the market and park on Grace Avenue is the Urbanna Branch of the Middlesex County Public Library. The library provides summertime reading programs for children and adults, internet access, and this year the library acquired a bookmobile that travels throughout the county promoting literacy.
4. Explore history
The town has several buildings standing from the Colonial period and three are open to the public. Owned by the Town of Urbanna, the James Mill’s Scottish Factor Store, circa 1766, is one of the oldest surviving colonial mercantile structures in America. The ancient building is used as the town’s visitor center and museum. It houses an original 1755 John Mitchell Map referred to as “The most important map in American history.” The map was purchased by the town in 1980 as part of the 300th celebration of the founding of the town. It was created by Dr. John Mitchell who was a mapmaker and Urbanna town doctor in the 1740s. The town has several gift and clothing shops within walking distance. One of those, Urbanna Trading Company is located in the, circa 1748, Wormeley-Lee-Montague building, one of the oldest wood frame buildings in town. A trip inside it is a step back into history within a modern retail store setting.
The circa 1748 Middlesex County Woman’s Club Building on Virginia Street was the Colonial Middlesex County Courthouse building. Urbanna was the county seat of Middlesex County from 1748 to 1852 when the courthouse was moved to Saluda. The building is open to the public from time to time.
5. Enjoy public water access and view
Urbanna Town Marina and the Urbanna Boatyard and Marina, nicknamed “Urbby,” have transient slips and amenities for long term stays. They are within walking distance of restaurants, grocery store, drug store and other amenities. The Urbanna Town Marina is one of just a few public-owned marinas on Chesapeake Bay and is a place to go to the water’s edge where visitors are always welcome. Another public spot on the water is Urbanna Watermen’s Park located on the Rappahannock River. On a clear day you can see far past the Rappahannock River Bridge.
