Reedville Favorites

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Favorite thing: The fortunes of Reedville rose and fell with the menhaden industry. In the 1850s, menhaden made millionaires of Reedville captains. With the gradual decline of the industry, there is only one menhaden plant remaining in Reedville. The boats no longer hire spotters to go up in planes to find the schools of menhaden.

But while the industry has declined, there is still a market for menhaden oil (which is used to make many products from animal feed to cosmetics to paint). Menhaden oil is the only marine source of Omega-3 recognized by the U.S. government as a generally safe ingredient in human food. Food manufacturers use menhaden oils in margarines, soups, salad dressings.

Reedville has other strings to its bow - it is now a charter fishing center with more than 50 boats operating out of the area. And it is on an official Virginia scenic byway, the Northumberland Heritage Trail, which starts from the Reedville Historic District to the Heathsville Historic District, follows back roads along the Potomac and its tributaries.

There is also a regularly scheduled boat from Reedvile over to Tangier Island.