30

460

81

64 64

66

95

Richmond

Roanoke

Charlottesville

81

857795

LEESBURG

BOWLING GREEN

HEATHSVILLE

TANGIER ISLAND

WAKEFIELD

VICTORIA

BRIDGEWATER

NEWCASTLE

CLARKSVILLE

WARM SPRINGS

The year 2012 marks the 15th anniversary of CooperativeLiving magazine’s popular DOWN HOME feature,so we’re revisiting the communities we profiledin 1997, the first year of the series.On this tenth and final stop,we’ll be …

DOWN HOME SERIES

DOWN HOME IN

WAKEFIELDSouthern fried chicken, collards, and itssignature peanut pie.

Throughout the town, peanuts are arecurring theme.

At Wakefield Peanut Company, visitorscan learn what it takes for peanuts to gofrom the fields to snack time. The Lainefamily offers tours of their facility, whereanywhere from 45,000 to 90,000 poundsof peanuts can be delivered by area farm-ers in one day. The goobers are graded,

cleaned, shelled, and cooked on-site.

by Kelly Ann Donnell, Contributing Writer

The very best peanuts are cooked atthe facility’s kitchen in small batches,canned, and made available for sale atthe company’s gift shop. All of thepeanuts available at the gift shop weregrown by Wakefield area farmers, saysSteve Laine.

Laine is the second generation of thefamily at Wakefield Peanut Company,and he has two young children of hisown. He remarks that in Wakefield, thepeanut business serves as a step into theworkforce for many youth.

“Most every kid who has grown up intown has worked at one ofthe peanut places,” he grins.

The Virginia Diner alsohas a successful peanut busi-ness. During the holidays,business is booming, especial-ly from online orders.

Facing the Virginia Dineracross Route 460, PlantationPeanuts has a quaint storefrontwith red siding and a green tinroof. During the warmermonths, beautiful locally grownazaleas are displayed for sale infront of the shop. Inside, a variety

of flavored peanuts and treats are avail-able for purchase.

Before Route 460 became the town’s busi-ness district (photo circa 1924), RailroadAvenue is where commerce thrived. Today,BB&T bank, Wakefield Pharmacy, andSentara Wakefield Medical Center arelocated here.

Cooperative Living/November-December 2012

Travelers passing through Wakefieldcatch a slight aroma of peanuts in thecool, fall morning air.

It’s not imagined — Wakefield is famousfor its peanuts. The first commercial peanutcrop was grown near here in the 1880s, andtoday, family-owned peanut-processing busi-nesses are major employers in Wakefield.

Located along U.S. Route 460 in SussexCounty, Wakefield is an easy halfway pointfor people traveling from Richmondand Petersburg to Norfolk or VirginiaBeach. During the summer, the parking lotat Wakefield’s legendary Virginia Diner isfull of beach-bound cars and trucks.

Most folks identify Wakefield withthe Virginia Diner. It first opened in1929, when customers ordered theirmeals in an old railcar renovated toserve as a restaurant.

Today, the railcar is gone, but theDiner still offers old-fashioned home-style dishes like country ham biscuits,

31

It’s safe to say Wakefield’s economy isfirmly rooted in agriculture. In addition topeanuts, corn, cotton, soybeans, and wheatfill the fields outside of town.

“It’s a rural community,” affirms thetown’s mayor, Winston Britt. “Most of thebusinesses in town are related to farming.”

It’s a small town, with a population ofjust under 1,000 residents. But, Wakefieldalso serves residents of surrounding Sussexand Surry counties with its variety of busi-nesses. The town boasts two banks, a gro-cery store, a pharmacy, a doctor’s office, anewspaper, and several restaurants,antique shops, salons, and specialty shops.

The town had a thriving commercialdistrict years before its incorporation in

1902. The area was first settled long beforethe American Revolution, but it wasn’t untilthe railroads came that a bustling businesscommunity emerged. The development ofnew railroads, the timber industry, and agri-culture in the mid- to late-1800s broughtWakefield to where it is today.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?The Norfolk and Petersburg Railway

laid tracks on a general east-to-west paththrough the area in 1854. The wife ofrailroad engineer William Mahone iscredited for christening the stops alongthe rail lines, choosing names inspired bySir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe — Ivor,Waverly, Wakefield.

After the Civil War, the timber industrysouth of the James River grew. The Surry,Sussex, and Southampton Railway wasestablished in the late 1880s to transporttimber to the Surry Lumber Company inDendron, about seven miles north ofWakefield. One railroad then connectedpeople with towns to the east and west;the other provided a link south from theJames River to Southampton County.

During the same era, Dr. MatthewHarris experimented with planting peanutson his farm near Wakefield. The legumesgrew happily in the sandy soil there. Thelocal peanut industry was born, and thedelicious snack was shipped out to cus-tomers by rail. The success of those indus-

November-December 2012/www.co-opliving.com

1. The activities of Tidewater Academy, a small college-prep school, are intertwined with theWakefield community. 2. The former Wakefield High School is now a community center witha public library, art shows, and a variety of classes. 3. Peanuts, the legumes that madeWakefield famous, were first grown in fields near here in the 1880s.

POPULATION: 927

LAND AREA: 1.3 square miles

ELEVATION: 98 feet

FOUNDED: 1902

FACTOID: In addition to being well-known for itspeanuts and the political Shad Planking event,Wakefield is also home to a National WeatherService Forecast Office, providing meteorologicaldata for most of eastern Virginia.

AT A GLANCE...

3

1

2

tries laid the foundation for the busy com-munity we see today.

In a town this small, people often “wearmore than one hat.” Mayor Britt and his wife,Judy, run an auto service center on Route460. Without a doubt, the Britts are known asWakefield’s biggest University of NorthCarolina fans. In Carolina blue, a sign on thewindows at Britt’s Service Center exclaims,“We are Tarheels!” The friendly service centeris a hot spot at lunchtime, serving locallyfamous hotdogs.

On Route 460, unique businesses rangefrom Kids Korner, a children’s boutique, tothe Fishin’ Hole, a sporting goods store. Plan-tation Antiques displays decorative stained-glass windows, as well as an eclectic mix offurniture and décor items that invite travelersto stop and shop. At Tasty Treat, delicioussoft-service ice cream is a favorite at any age.

Wakefield also has two schools within itstown limits. Sussex County’s ChamblissElementary School educates young childrenin preschool through third grade. TidewaterAcademy is a college-preparatory school forstudents through the 12th grade.

Tidewater Academy was opened in 1964,and is a small, close-knit school. This year,there are about 150 students, says Head-master Rodney Taylor.

“The school is a center of activity inWakefield. Anything that happens at theschool reverberates through the town,” heremarks. “Our gym is packed during ath-letic events. We really have a lot of com-munity support.”

A FAMILY-ORIENTED COMMUNITYWith just one stoplight in town, Wakefield

still has a “Mayberry” quality. It’s a close-knit,family-oriented community.

Hundreds of children visit Wakefield eachyear to participate in the Southeast District4-H camps. Just outside of town, the Airfield4-H Conference Center hosts campers atdifferent times throughout the year.

The center also provides a location forconferences and special events, with a peace-ful and picturesque environment. Located onAirfield Lake, the 4-H Center was opened in1981 on property donated by the UnionCamp Corporation.

For the past few years, the communityhas united in the spring for a benefit walkto aid cancer victims. The Pink Pearls Relayfor Life team organizes the Wakefield Com-munity Walk for Breast Cancer, drawinghundreds on a two-mile walk through townin support of a cure.

The Wakefield Foundation is anothercatalyst that brings the community together

Cooperative Living/November-December 2012

1. Winston Britt runs Britt’s Service Center in Wakefield, and also serves as the town’s elect-ed mayor. 2. Headmaster Rodney Taylor is proud of Tidewater Academy students’ academ-ic achievements. 3. Steve Laine works at Wakefield Peanut Company, his family’s peanutbusiness. 4. Robert Bain has served as chairman of the Shad Planking committee for the past nineyears, and has run a real estate business in town since 2001.5. Joan Drewry serves as presidentof theWakefield Foundation, and has run local business Kids Korner for 30 years. 6. SandyStringfield andValarie Patterson-Ricks aremembers of the Pink Pearls Relay for Life team, theteam that organizes many fundraisers to aid breast cancer victims, survivors, and research.

32

2

4

3

5

6

1

regularly. The name is used interchangeablyby folks in town, describing both therestored Wakefield High School buildingand the volunteer group dedicated to keep-ing the center open.

The school was built in 1919, and educat-ed the town’s children from first through 12thgrades until 1964. It served as an elementaryschool until Sussex County closed it in 1984.A group of town residents purchased thebuilding a few years later to save it from dem-olition. They had a vision to turn it into acommunity center for the people inWakefield. Today, it would be hard to imagineWakefield without the Foundation.

“It’s the only former school building leftthat is still used by the Sussex community,”says the foundation’s president, Joan Drewry.The calendar of events for the Foundation ispacked with family reunions, meetings, wed-ding receptions, holiday events, karate anddance classes, adult education programs, andart shows, she noted.

The building is also home to the TroxlerMemorial Library, the local branch of theBlackwater Regional Library System.

POLITICAL CLAIM TO FAMEThe annual Shad Planking is Wakefield’s

other claim to fame. It is organized by theWakefield Ruritans, and serves not only as apolitical event, but is also the civic group’slargest fundraiser. The proceeds benefit youthbaseball teams, fire and rescue departments, afood pantry, and other community projects.

“The road to state office comes throughWakefield,” claim Shad Planking veterans. Onthe third Wednesday in April, politicians, vot-ers, and as many as 2,500 spectators jointogether in Wakefield to enjoy a uniquemenu of smoked shad, the Virginia Diner’sslaw and corn muffins, and shad roe. Anyserious candidate pursuing election in theCommonwealth knows — making anappearance at the Shad Planking is a “must.”

“It’s the largest political event in the stateof Virginia, and 2013 will be our 65th year,”says Shad Planking Committee ChairmanRobert Bain.

What used to be an all-male event —where coats and ties were mandatory —is now a more relaxed, inclusive gatheringwhere voters have a chance to chat withpolitical hopefuls.

The people in town are friendly, and theyare happy to share their community with visi-tors. On your next journey betweenRichmond and Hampton Roads, take aleisurely break to sample some local peanuts,peruse retail shops, and enjoy the old-fash-ioned charm of Wakefield. �

IF YOU GO...

33November-December 2012/www.co-opliving.com

Chippokes State Park in Surry County is the oldest working plantation in Virginia.

Enjoy the small-town charm of Wakefieldand the surrounding area.

Wakefield is located 60 miles southeastof Richmond, and 60 miles from VirginiaBeach. FromWilliamsburg, travelers cantake the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry to Surry,where Route 31 leads to Wakefield.

Take a hike and explore nature at the BigWoodsWildlife Management Area andState Forest, located south of Wakefield. TheBigWoods is managed jointly by the VirginiaDepartment of Game and Inland Fisheriesand Department of Forestry. The pine forestshere are home to many wildlife species,some of which are rare.

Visit a local farm and treat yourself tofresh produce. During the summer months,Drewry Farms in Wakefield welcomes visi-tors to pick their own delicious berries. Visitwww.drewryfarms.com for details. In SurryCounty, College Run Farms offers a pump-kin patch and corn maze in the fall, andberries, produce, and homemade ice creamduring warmer months. Find them onFacebook under COLLEGE RUN FARMS.

Learn about peanut farming, andwatch how the tasty legumes go from thefarm to the snack foods we love. TheWakefield Peanut Company welcomesvisitors to tour their facility. Large groupsare asked to call ahead to make reserva-tions. www.wakefieldpeanutco.com. In near-byWaverly, just west of Wakefield, visit thefirst peanut museum in the U.S., located attheMiles B. Carpenter Folk Art Museum.Open Thursday throughMonday, 2-5 p.m.

The Chippokes Plantation Farm andForestry Museum and State Park is locat-ed a short drive from Wakefield in SurryCounty. The park is the oldest workingplantation in Virginia. Many activities areheld here throughout the year, includingtours of the mansion, canoeing trips, and a

The beautiful Airfield Lake borders the Airfield4-H Conference Center inWakefield.

Steam and Gas Engine Festival. The for-mal gardens at the Chippokes Mansioninclude azaleas, crape myrtles, box-woods, and colorful seasonal flowers.Learn more about activities at Chippokesby visiting www.chippokes.com.

Overnight guests are welcome to stay atthe Hideaway Guest Suite in Wakefield.The cozy apartment is tucked away abovea retail shop, and features a comfortableden, fully equipped kitchen, two bedrooms,and a stone fireplace. For more information,visit www.hideawayguestsuite.com.

Meet political candidates in the springat the Shad Planking. This annual eventhas featured guest speakers and politicalguests like Gov. Bob McDonnell, GeorgeAllen, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and JimGilmore. It draws thousands from acrossthe Commonwealth in an informal, out-door gathering where they are able tomeet and greet candidates. For tickets,visit www.shadplanking.com. �

BIL

LC

RA

BT

RE

EJR

.VIR

GIN

IATO

UR

ISM

CO

RP

OR

ATIO

NP

HO

TO