Retire, Relocate, or Purchase a Second Home in Smithfiled, Virginia: Home of History Ham and Peanuts

 by: Elaine VonCannon

Walking down Main Street in Smithfield, Virginia, any visitor will have the sense that they are returning to America’s past. The downtown district is small and filled with history, and townspeople are congenial. You will feel like you may see Aunt Bea, Opie, Barny Fife or Sherrif Andy of Mayberry as you stroll the Streets of Smithfield, Virginia

Folks greet each other by first names. A casual trip to the deli and bakery is an opportunity to greet neighbors. Contrary to many metropolitan areas on the East Coast, Smithfield is not fast paced or stressful.

A visit to Smithfield is a journey into America’s beginnings. Smithfield, Virginia and Isle of Wight County were settled in the 17th Century, and their rich history dates to Colonial times, when this part of the world was still under the governance of England.

• Celebrate Smithfield’s past during the Smithfield Olden Days Celebration (www.hamptonroads.com)

• Downtown’ boasts of an antique shop, a Mom & Pop grocery store, a marina, a bakery, a post office, several banks, a library, offices of doctors and lawyers, a florist, restaurants, a bed and breakfast, a Police Station, a Fire Department, a YMCA Exercise Center, a newspaper office, art galleries, a drug store, a hardware store, an auto parts store, a laundry mat, a veterinarian, an ice cream parlor, antique stores, a jewelry store, and a five and dime.

• A sense of pride is pervasive in the whole community. The town is a neat as a pin.

• Houses are in pristine condition in the historic district and pride of ownership is reflected everywhere – even on the outskirts of town.

• Take a time out to visit Smithfield, Virginia’s museum.

• Just outside of town there are a choice of major grocery stores and banks.

• Smithfield is very close to metropolitan areas of Virginia such as Newport News and Hampton which are easily accessible via the James River Bridge.

• Smithfield is also within a half hour from Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. These areas are accessed via Interstate 264, a newly built highway.

• Smithfield, Virginia and Isle of Wight county are areas experiencing an economic boom, since Interstate 264 allows such easy access to these rural areas.

• Williamsburg is 40 minutes away by a pleasant, free, ferry ride from Surry to Jamestown. To the west of Smithfield is Richmond and Petersburg, a mere 45 minutes away.

• Smithfield Hams – are salt country hams that are an internationally known brand of a gourmet Southern treat originating in this region.

• Once an area that was covered with tobacco plantations, Smithfield, Virginia and Isle of Wight County are now known for peanuts, a crop that still grows plentifully in the soil depleted by tobacco crops.

• Visit nearby Chippokes Plantation, preserved and overseen by Virginia State Parks. Each summer, Chippokes Planation hosts the “Peanuts, Pork, and Pine Festival” with shad planking and pig picking. The festival is a celebration of Southern food, culture, and music.

• For those who want to live and play in their own backyard, Smithfield is home to Eagle Harbor, a gated golf community with an exclusive club. A public golf course, Sleepy Hollow, is also located in Smithfield.

• In addition to Eagle Harbor, there are several other upscale communities in and around Smithfield Virginia and some newly constructed homes.

• For the boating enthusiast, Smithfield offers a choice of marinas, and a yacht club. Marinas offer access to the James River, which meets the harbor in Norfolk and Hampton at its mouth, and leads to the Chesapeake Bay.

For the retiree who wants a taste of small town American life, or the professional who is tired of the fast pace of urban areas, Smithfield is a perfect place to retire, relocate or purchase a second home. I can offer a wide variety of choices for real estate in this area, and would be happy to show any interested homebuyers around this lovely southern version of ‘Mayberry.’