Smithfield & Isle of Wight County Real Estate
Smithfield & Isle of Wight at a Glance
Welcome home to Smithfield and Isle of Wight County, where neighbors embrace life’s slower pace and ham never tasted so good! Smithfield is among the best preserved of Virginia’s Colonial seaports, distinguished by its unique architecture that spans Gothic cottages to quaint Victorian gingerbread to larger waterfront homes that offer all the amenities of modern living. Linger in downtown Smithfield’s walkable, picturesque Main Street, part of an historic district with gift shops and specialty restaurants.
You’ll even be living in a town with a castle – Windsor Park Castle that dates back to the 1600s is part riverside park in the heart of Smithfield.
Speaking of history, you’re surrounded by it throughout Isle of Wight County, which also includes the incorporated town of Windsor and the rural communities of Ivor, Carrollton, Battery Park, Carrsville and Rescue. Windsor, known as “the hidden jewel of Western Tidewater,” benefits from expanded port facilities and its strategic location as the gateway to Hampton Roads.
ARTS, MUSEUMS & ENTERTAINMENT
The ham with its own Twitter account and a live feed, the Ham Cam, attracts locals and international visitors to the Isle of Wight Museum. The world’s oldest ham dates back to 1902. The museum also showcases the world’s oldest peanut from 1890, and yes, it’s still edible.
Explore nearly 500 years of history at St. Luke’s Historic Church & Museum, also known as the Old Brick Church.
Smithfield is a small town with a vibrant arts presence thanks to Isle of Wight Arts League, which operates four robust programs. The Arts Center @ 319, the number refers to its Main Street address, showcases original works of art, offers classes and houses working artists’ studios. Sundays at Four is a series of concerts at Christ Episcopal Church. The Smithfield Little Theatre hosts concerts and live performances. Free concerts outdoors all summer comprise Smithfield’s Summer Concert Series.
Life-sized, painted porcelain pigs scattered throughout Smithfield’s downtown, capture the whimsy of the art scene. Each is painted by a local artist to reflect an aspect of the town’s rich history and memorialize its agricultural roots.
ColorScapes Fine Arts Gallery features the paintings, sculptures and creative clay of local artist Ann Hubbard.
Find live music and specialty charcuterie at family-owned SummerWind Vineyard.
Smithfield/Isle of Wight County is home to three festivals annually — the BOB Fest held the Saturday before the Martin Luther King weekend, the Bacon, Bourbon & Beach Music Fest in October and The Wine & Cheese Brew Fest in April.
Book a tee time at Cypress Creek Golfers’ Club, carved from the mature hardwood forests and centuries old peanut fields. Smithfield and Isle of Wight are located in close proximity to as many as 30 golf courses.
Yes, you can get your Christmas tree and learn about alpacas at Zuni Tree & Alpaca Farm.
EAT & DRINK
As Smithfield is the leading provider of premium pork products, ham is on most every menu along with bacon and sausage. Taste of Smithfield is the flagship restaurant and store of Smithfield Foods. With water, water everywhere, Smithfield restaurants serve the freshest seafood. You won’t know what to choose from at The Restaurant at Smithfield Station on the Pagan River; a waterfront inn is on the premises. For beef born and raised in Virginia, Farmer’s Table is your go-to burger place with an ice cream parlor onsite. Family owned Anna’s Ristorante Pasta, Vine & Pizza, a pizzeria that dates back to the ’70s, features a seasonal Sunday brunch and daily specials.
Have dessert at an old fashioned booth at Smithfield Ice Cream Parlor or at Smithfield Gourmet Bakery, which also offers breakfast, lunch and Sunday brunch.
Monthly tastings, Virginia wine and locally sourced cheeses and peanuts at Pagan River Wine Merchants located on the Smithfield Station Boardwalk.
Carrollton, fish tacos or a full seafood platter are always on the menu at Dock of the Bay, right next to the James River Bridge.
You’ll think you’ve crossed into England stepping into Wharf Hill Brewing Co., a full-service restaurant, bar and craft brewery where you can unwind with Isle of Wheat or Old Brick Church, the pub’s homage to St. Luke’s, among others. An expanding craft brewery scene unfolds with a trip over the James River Bridge.
Blue Sky Distillery offers premium handcrafted spirits with free tastings and tours.
Seasonal farmers markets on Fridays in Windsor and Saturday mornings in Smithfield.
EDUCATION
Nine schools and more than 500 students attend Isle of Wight County Public Schools, ranked first in South Hampton Roads by schooldigger.com and third among all school districts in the Tidewater area.
Isle of Wight Academy is a private pre-kindergarten to 12th grade nonsectarian, coeducational school.
Paul D. Camp Community College is one of 23 colleges in the Virginia Community College System. In addition to an educational center in Smithfield, campuses are in nearby Franklin and Suffolk.
Christopher Newport University, Hampton University, Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University and William and Mary are each located within an hour’s drive.
PARKS & RECREATION
Look no further than downtown Smithfield for Windsor Park Castle and its 208 acres of natural beauty nestled along the banks of the Pagan River and Cypress Creek. Visit the historic house or stay outdoors to picnic, kayak, canoe, fish, mountain bike or simple walk along one of the nature trails.
Mark your calendar for the Spring Fest every April and the Isle of Wight County Fair held every September in Windsor.
Fort Boykin Historic Park’s well-preserved architecture from the Civil War era turn any visit there into a history lesson. Find the commonwealth’s oldest walnut tree at Fort Boykin, listed on the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail.
While the shoe conglomerate isn’t behind Nike Park in Isle of Wight County (it rhymes with bike), the swish in this case comes from Jones Creek, home to ample great blue herons, fiddler crabs and other varied waterfowl. The 150-acre park in Carrollton has been developed for multi-use recreation. FYI: The park was created for an old Nike missile sight, hence the name.
MEDICAL SERVICES
Riverside Smithfield Hospital, scheduled to open in 2025, will provide local residents with convenient access to high-quality, affordable health care. Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News and Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk are 20-30 minute drives from Smithfield and other parts of Isle of Wight County.
SHOP
Find major grocery chains Kroger and Food Lion in Smithfield along with Darden’s Country Store, featured in the New York Times and Virginia Living for its legendary history of curing and smoking ham. Meat and sausages are cut, cured and smoked on the premises at Jeb the Butcher in Carrollton.
Antiques, gifts, Celtic treasures, specialty soaps and a year-round Christmas shop make up the treasure hunt that keep Main Street shoppers on the hunt for hours.
In the market for furniture? Handmade, solid-wood finds spread among 24,000 square feet at Carrollton Furniture make it a locals favorite.
Isle of Wight County is an easy drive to the greater Hampton Roads area, which contains multiple major grocery chains and a plethora of shopping centers, including the Norfolk and Williamsburg outlets. Find historical and one-of-a-kind gifts at Colonial Williamsburg and Merchants Square, less than an hour away.
WORK
The job growth in Isle of Wight County continues on an upward trend. Smithfield is home to Fortune 500 company Smithfield Foods and just 15 minutes from the James River Bridge, the connector to hundreds of employment options in the greater Hampton Roads region, home to one of the largest concentrations of armed forces in the nation. Newport News Shipbuilding, the largest industrial employer in the commonwealth, mere minutes from the exit off the 4.5-mile James River Bridge. Riverside Smithfield Hospital, set to open in 2025, will provide employment of hundreds of professional and support staff.