![]() ![]() A popular wedding and event site, the park includes walking and mountain bike trails, playgrounds, a kayak launch, dog park, and more. There’s also a smokehouse exhibit, American Indian and Civil War artifacts, and prehistoric fossils.Īdjacent to the historic area, Windsor Castle Park features a 1725 manor house with 11 outbuildings on 208 acres. A recreated country store complete with a potbelly stove takes visitors back to yesteryear. Dating back to 1902, this ancient ham celebrates a birthday every July. Incredibly, you can see the world’s oldest, edible cured ham here at the Isle of Wight County Museum on Main Street. But in 1921, when a fire in the warehouse district along the river curtailed the growing peanut industry, Hamtown’s fate was sealed. Before ham became the city’s main industry, peanuts were king. The British just added salt, and voilà-Smithfield ham was born. Smithfield’s famous hams came about when colonists saw American Indians smoking wild boar meat, Mountjoy explains. ![]() Several are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, says Mountjoy as she points out the home of Captain Mallory Todd, who began curing and shipping hams in the late 1700s. Better yet, take a walking tour with Kathy Mountjoy, a proud local who delights in telling stories about her town and the Victorian and Greek Revival buildings that line its streets. Drop by the visitor’s center and pick up a guide to the architecture in the old town district. Originally a thriving port city, Smithfield was established by British merchants and sea captains in the 18th century. In fact, I’m seriously considering moving here myself. This charming town is attracting newcomers seeking to escape the hectic pace of larger cities. I’m visiting with my friend Sue, and we’re discovering that Smithfield is more than an ideal getaway destination. We’re exactly what all those town centers are trying to do.” Judy Winslow, tourism director, says, “You can’t make this up. And why would they? This historic city has the perfect Main Street ambience with cute-as-a-button shops, cozy outdoor cafés, arts and culture, nature, and an authentic vibe. Everyone I meet says they couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. There’s pride everywhere I turn in Smithfield-a small town on the banks of the Pagan River near Suffolk. No wonder she takes such pride in her family business. ![]() The taste of salt and smoke is perfectly balanced. We walk over to the store where Darden hands me thin slices. The hams will be layered in salt for 42 days then, from March to December, they’ll hang in the smokehouse, where they absorb the tantalizing flavors of hickory and applewood smoke. DeeDee Darden-co-owner of Darden’s Country Store in Smithfield with her husband, Tommy-grabs a long pole and deftly unhooks one before releasing it into a wooden bin, where it lands with a bam! Hanging from the rafters, 20-pound hams are undergoing a magical transformation into cured pork. I'm standing in a dark old shed, redolent of smoke. ![]()
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