Westmoreland State Park

Westmoreland State Park
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)

Potomac River shoreline within Westmoreland State Park
Location Virginia
Nearest city Montross
Coordinates 38°9′45″N 76°51′58″W / 38.16250°N 76.86611°W / 38.16250; -76.86611Coordinates: 38°9′45″N 76°51′58″W / 38.16250°N 76.86611°W / 38.16250; -76.86611
Area 1,299 acres (5.26 km2)
Established June 1936
Governing body

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Westmoreland State Park Historic District

Cabin 7, one of the original CCC-built cabins in the park
Nearest city Montross, Virginia
Area 1,299 acres (526 ha)
Built 1933 (1933)
Architectural style Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements, Modern Movement
NRHP Reference # 05001265[1]
VLR # 096-0089
Significant dates
Added to NRHP November 16, 2005
Designated VLR June 1, 2005[2]

Westmoreland State Park lies within Westmoreland County, Virginia. The park extends about one and a half miles along the Potomac River. The park covers 1,311 acres. The park's Horsehead Cliffs provide visitors with a panoramic view of the Potomac River. The park offers hiking, camping, cabins, fishing, boating and swimming.

History

Westmoreland State Park is one of the six original state parks opened in June 1936. The park was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Most of the roads and trails found in the park were originally dug by hand.[3] Located on the Northern Neck Peninsula, the park is close to George Washington’s birthplace and Stratford Hall, the birthplace Robert E. Lee.

The Tayloe and Helen Murphy Hall is a recently renovated restaurant built by the CCC in 1936. The facility contains exposed wood beams, wrought iron hardware, and a large fireplace. The restaurant has been renovated and now hosts meetings, special events, and educational programs. The hall is named for W. Tayloe Murphy Jr., former delegate to the Virginia legislature and Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources, and his wife, Helen, both of whom are from Westmoreland, Virginia.[4]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005, as a national historic district.[1] The property has 32 contributing buildings, 6 contributing sites, and 16 contributing structures.[5]

Attractions

The park's popular "Beach Trail" leads from the Visitor Center to the shore of the Potomac, below the Horsehead Cliffs. Embedded in these cliffs are fossil remains of porpoises, whales, and sharks from as long as 15 million years ago. Erosion over time exposes these remains and hunting for shark's teeth is a popular activity for visitors.[6]

Lodging

Westmoreland State Park has 26 cabins available for renting. These range from one-room efficiency log cabins to two-bedroom log or cinderblock cabins.

The park has 133 camping sites available for tents or recreational vehicles.

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "Westmoreland State Park". Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  4. ↑ Harper, Jean. "Westmoreland State Park". CCC Legacy. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  5. ↑ Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff (November 1969). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Westmoreland State Park Historic District" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. and Accompanying four photos and Accompanying map
  6. ↑ Guide to the State Parks of the United States. National Geographic Society. ISBN 9781426202513.
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