Northern Neck Now

The Morattico Historic District is a rare surviving example of a Northern Neck village that relied on a water-based economy from its perch along the lower Rappahannock River in Lancaster County. The village arose as a steamboat stop and developed a seafood industry of fishing, oyster and crab harvesting, and seafood processing. Although the Morattico district’s historic wharf and cannery are gone, the houses of many of those who made their living on the nearby waters survive. The dwellings range from modest worker housing to large Victorian residences. Commercial buildings in the historic district feature a circa-1890 general store, a small circa-1949 post office building, and several single-story seafood processing facilities that date to the mid-1950s. The Village of Morattico Historic District’s period of significance extends from 1890 to 1960.

The Village of Morattico Historic District