Machicomoco State Park
| Machicomoco State Park | |
|---|---|
 Virginia Indians open-air interpretive pavilion at Machicomoco State Park | |
  Location of Machicomoco State Park in Virginia  Machicomoco State Park (the United States) | |
| Location | Gloucester County, Virginia |
| Nearest city | Hayes, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 37°18′40.48″N 76°32′30.40″W / 37.3112444°N 76.5417778°W |
| Area | 645 acres (2.61 km2)[1] |
| Established | 2020[2] |
| Governing body | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Machicomoco State Park is a 645-acre (261 ha) state park located in Gloucester County, Virginia.[1][3] The park is home to the historic Timberneck House, built in 1793.[4] The park also contains the Virginia Indians open-air interpretive pavilion, and a number of other exhibits on native history like those of the Powhatan Confederacy.[5]
It encompasses the nearby Catlett Islands and is administrated under the same banner as Middle Peninsula State Park.[6] The name "Machicomoco" comes from an Algonquin language word meaning "special meaning place." It lies near Werewocomoco, a village was the headquarters of Chief Powhatan.
History
[edit]The area was likely used by indigenous people dating back to at least 2000 BC, according to archaeological evidence found at shell middens.
The park's land was owned by the Catlett family whose house, Timberneck, still stands on the property. The property was sold in 2007 to a land developer, who constructed roads, a bike trail, and a gate house before the Great Recession halted initial plans.[7]
When the land reached market again in 2017, the non-profit Conservation Fund bought the land, allowing the state time to construct plans. Dominion Energy was responsible for part of the funding.[8] The architecture firm Nelson Byrd Woltz designed the facilities for the park. Though it was supposed to open in 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic the dedication was moved back to April 2021.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Machicomoco State Park".
- ^ "History of Virginia State Parks".
- ^ "Machicomoco State Park (U.S. National Park Service)".
- ^ "5 things to do at Machicomoco State Park".
- ^ "Machicomoco State Park dedicated to Virginia's Native American heritage". 21 November 2023.
- ^ Jenkins, Taylor; McMillan, Lauren; Bryan, David. "Machicomoco State Park 10-Year Master Plan Public Information Meeting" (PDF). Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ Cox, Jeremy (June 14, 2021). "Machicomoco State Park puts Virginia Indians at center of story". Bay Journal. Bay Journal Media. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Richards, Heather. "Virginia's Machicomoco State Park—A "Special Meeting Place"". The Conservation Fund. Retrieved 28 August 2024.