Local information about Mathews County "God's Country" and the surrounding counties.

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Local Weather

Mathews County is located on the eastern tip of Virginia's Middle Peninsula, which is formed by the Rappahannock River, the York River and the Chesapeake Bay. The County covers 87 square miles, and has a shoreline of 214 miles. The county is 80 miles east of the state capital of Richmond, 65 miles north of Hampton Roads and 155 miles southeast of the nation's capital, Washington, D.C.

CLIMATE
Average annual rainfall: 31.8"
Average annual snowfall: 4.6"
Annual average temperature: 59 ° F
January average temperature: 40 ° F
July average temperature: 78 ° F
Prevailing winds: Southwest

The weather line at 804-693-XTRA (9872) is sponsored by radio station WXGM 99.1FM and 1420AM in Gloucester. Weather reports via VHF are on the weather channel.

TOPOGRAPHY
Consisting of 88.7 square miles of land and 16.3 square miles of water, Mathews County lies in the Tidewater Physiographic Region. Elevations range from sea level to 39 feet above sea level on terrain which generally has a slope of less than two percent.

NATURAL RESOURCES
Forests:Approximately 63% of Mathews County's total land area is privately owned commercial forest land. Predominant forest types are loblolly-shortleaf, oak-hickory, and oak-pine. Minerals: Sand and gravel have been mined for highway construction and local use. Clay along the Piankatank River is suitable for the manufacturing of garden pottery. Shell marl is abundant in some areas and there are small amounts of iron, stone and gravel. Water:The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries provide numerous recreational activities, including water sports and fishing.

POPULATION
According to the 1990 Census, the county's population was 8,348. This represents a 4.4% increase since 1980 with the 25-44 year old group showing the highest increase and the 5-17 year old group showing the most decline. The 1996 population estimate was 9,100.

GOVERNMENT
Mathews County is governed by an elected five-member Board of Supervisors. The daily operations of the county are handled by an appointed county administrator. The county has adopted a comprehensive plan and zoning and subdivision ordinances.

LOCAL ECONOMY
The largest employers in the county are the county school system and D&P Embroidery, whose principal product is the blue field of stars portion of the United States flag. Retail sales annually total over $21 million. Finfish and shellfish are plentiful in the water surrounding Mathews County and are integral to the local economy and culture. Agriculture also remains an important part of the economy. There are 61 farms in the county of an average size of 101 acres. The principal crops are corn, wheat and soybeans.

EMPLOYMENT
Mathews has a civilian labor force of 4,487 and an unemployment rate of 3.6% (August 1996). Three-fourths of the County's working residents commute to jobs outside the County. Within the County, leading employment sectors are trade, government, services, manufacturing and contract construction.

LOCAL TAXES
[1997 Tax Year] Tax Rate/$100: $0.68 Assessment Ratio: 100% Manufactured Homes Tax Rate/$100: $0.68 Assessment Ratio: 100% Automobiles and Light Trucks Tax Rate/$100: $2.90 Assessment Ratio: 100% Value Used for Tax Purposes: Trade-in Boats, Machinery, Tools and Recreational Vehicles Tax Rate/$100: $1.94 Assessment Ratio: 70%/100%

HIGHER EDUCATION
Rappahannock Community College in Glenns (20 miles) offers programs in a number of fields, including vocational and technical training. The College's Warsaw Campus (60 miles) offers additional courses. There are several colleges and universities in Richmond, Hampton Roads and Williamsburg, including the College of William and Mary, the University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Union University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, and Christopher Newport University, among others.

COMMUNICATIONS
Telephone: Verizon, residential repair requests, 800-892-2980 (24/7).

Cellular: No roamer access codes required by Verizon. Cellular One, Northern Neck/Mid-Peninsula, 804-450-7626; 360-Degree Communications, Gloucester, 804-693-1900, main number, 757-873-1942.

Internet: Internet Service Providers (ISPs) accessible via local phone call from Mathews County include CCS, Inc., Eagle's Nest, Three Bubbas, Inc., and VisiNet.

Newspapers: The Daily Press, Newport News, Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal, The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Radio: WXGM 1420 AM, 99.1 FM Gloucester, WKEZ 94.1 FM Yorktown, and WNDJ 104.9 FM White Stone.

Television: The major networks are received from the Hampton Roads area. Cable service is provided by Adelphia, with 42 channels, 800-753-0778.

TRANSPORTATION
Roads: State Primary Routes 14 and 198 (east-west) and 3 (north-south) bisect the county. Virginia Department of Transportation maintenance headquarters for Mathews is on Route 14 at Foster, 804-725-3894.

Rail: Norfolk-Southern provides freight service in nearby West Point. Amtrak passenger stations are located in Richmond, Williamsburg and Newport News.

Air: General aviation airports are located in West Point, Tappahannock and Middlesex. Commercial air service is available at Newport News/Williamsburg International, Norfolk International and Richmond International Airports.

Bus: Two independent bus lines provide commuter service to Newport News. Greyhound provides service from Gloucester Courthouse. Charter service is available locally.

Waterways: A haven of navigable waterways, Mathews County is bounded by the Chesapeake Bay on the east, Mobjack Bay on the south, and the Piankatank River on the north. There are several rivers and many creeks and inlets throughout the County. Major commercial port facilities are located just 50 miles south in Hampton Roads (channel depth of 55 feet), the largest natural deepwater harbor in the world.

Navigation Note: The Gwynn's Island drawbridge on Route 223 operates 24 hours a day. Boats have priority over cars and bridge operators will open the bridge only when the crossing boat is in sight. Boats should sound horn (one long and one short blast) to alert the operator. The bridge operator will answer with a similar siren sound. The bridge operator may be called on VHF radio channel 13, CB radio channel 11, or by phone at 804-725-2853. The maximum width is 80 feet and there is a deep channel (about 12 feet) on the north side of the bridge opening. Several shoals in the area are marked with day markers.

Special Navigation Notice: Boaters should remember a navigation quirk in Milford Haven and Hills Bay that reverses the navigational markers' meaning. Boaters traveling east towards the Bay are considered to be going up river and red markers should be kept to the right through marker 12.

At marker 16, go back to standard marker delineation. Boaters traveling west and entering Hole-in-the-Wall and Milford Haven from the Bay should use standard "red right returning" through marker 16. Beginning at marker 12, red should be kept to the left. Red markers should be kept to the left through the narrows at the bridge.

UTILITIES
Electricity: Supplied and distributed by Virginia Power, 888-667-3000.

Water: The County is located in the Small Coastal River Basin and is surrounded by salt water. The quality of potable ground water varies with depth but is generally good from wells less than 200 feet deep. Wells in the higher portion of the county can yield about 10 gallons per minute from sand aquifers that are less than 65 feet deep. There is some ground storage for individual project use.

Sewerage: The Mathews Court House Sanitary District serves a portion of the County. Its average daily use is 40,000 gallons. The permitted maximum daily treatment capacity is 100,000 gallons, secondary treatment. Mathews County sanitary district billing inquiries, 804-725-7171, emergencies, 804-725-7177.

Solid Waste Disposal: Mathews County has a convenience center/transfer station that accepts recyclables and residential and commercial waste. The county is a member of the Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority. The trash transfer station is on Route 14, two miles west of Route 198. It is open from 9AM to 7PM, Thursdays through Tuesdays, closed Wednesdays. For more information, call 804-725-2654 or 800-683-0922. Recycling:The transfer station accepts newspaper, glass, cardboard, aluminum, used motor oil, antifreeze and numbers 1 and 2 plastics.

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Emergency services may be reached via telephone 911. The sheriff's department of 13 deputies, dispatchers and staff provides local protective services. Three state police are assigned to the area. Fire protection and rescue services are provided by all-volunteer units. The five fire stations and rescue squad have a combined total membership of approximately 140 volunteers. The Emergency Services department has a director, deputy director and coordinator and maintains emergency shelters in case of disaster.

MEDICAL
Riverside-Walter Reed Hospital in Gloucester (25 miles) offers general and emergency medical services. Larger medical centers are located in Hampton Roads and Richmond. There are three doctors, two dentists, and one optometrist in the County and a clinic operated by the state health department.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES RECREATION
The County operates a recreational program. Recreational opportunities include fishing, hunting, sailing and water skiing. There is also an amateur theater, a senior citizen center and the L'il Ole Opry at Donk's Theater in Hudgins is a haven for rising country music stars.

Bethel Beach Natural Area Preserve: Turn left on Route 611 just out of the town of Mathews. Turn right on Route 643, then left on Route 609. This 50-acre parcel contains a sandy beach, low dunes and salt marsh habitat bordering the Chesapeake Bay. Over 90 bird species have been reported on the preserve, which also protects the globally rare Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle.

Mathews Recreation Park: A ten acre facility located next to Mathews High School, just west of town, with a softball field, basketball court, playground and two tennis courts with token-operated lights. The 25-cent tokens, good for 15 minutes of play, may be purchased at the Mathews Sheriff's Office, the Parks and Recreation Department, and the Medicine Shoppe pharmacy in Mathews.

Public Water Access: Mathews County has 19 public access points to the water, with two public boat ramps.

• Town Point Landing, on Put-in Creek at Route 615, provides access to the East River and was rebuilt recently to provide handicap accessibility. The other boat ramp, on Route 223 at Grimstead (Gwynn's Island near the Seabreeze Restaurant), gives access to Milford Haven. Most of the following public access areas may be used for fishing, picnicking and swimming. Some uses are restricted at certain access points and some sites are bordered closely by private property; please avoid trespassing:
• Auburn Public Landing off Route 620 is on the North River.
  
• Bayside at the end of Route 633 on Gwynn's Island at the Bay is a very small beach.
  
• Davis Creek Landing, with a 175-foot pier on Route 689 leading to Mobjack Bay, used by local watermen.
  
• Doctor's Creek Landing is at Route 691 and the Bay.
  
• Edwards Creek Public Dock on Route 672 is used by local watermen.
  
• Haven Beach on Route 643 at the Bay has a beach and a portable boat may be launched there.
  
• Horn Harbor Landing is on Route 698 at the Bay. New Point Comfort Island at the Bay is accessible only by boat at high tide. New Point Comfort Observation Walkway is at the end of Route 600 and offers a view of the historic lighthouse.
  
• Piankatank River Landing is on Route 632, with a beach.
  
• Roane's Point Landing on Route 630 accesses the Piankatank River.
  
• Rose's Creek is at Route 662 and the Bay and is used by local watermen.
  
• Route 645 at the Bay has a beach and a portable boat may be launched there. Please observe no trespassing signs.
  
• Warehouse Landing is at Route 631 and Piankatank River.
  
• White's Creek Public Landing at Route 682 and the Bay is used commercially now.
  
• Williams Wharf Landing is a public access facility for small engineless watercraft, such as canoes, kayaks, rowing shells and small sailboats. There are two floating docks for easy launching of boats, and the facility also offers opportunities to learn to row for exercise or fun. Located at the end of Route 614 (Williams Wharf Road) off of Route 14, two miles south of Mathews Courthouse, it is open daily during daylight hours. It's the training site of the Mathews High School and Mobjack Rowing Association crew teams. Call Mimi Ulsaker at 804-693-5160 to schedule lessons. Groups are encouraged but individuals can be coached privately as well. Boats and coaches are provided.
  
• Winter Harbor Haven is at Route 608 and Winter Harbor.
• Winter Harbor Landing is at Route 611 and Winter Harbor. Kayak rentals and tours to New Point Lighthouse, wetland areas and other sites are offered by Bay Trails Outfitters. Call 804-725-0626 for reservations.

CHURCHES
There are over 30 churches in the county covering most denominations.

LODGING
Six lodging facilities, including Bed & Breakfasts, offer approximately 30 rooms. Two campgrounds have a total of 405 campsites. In addition, a new Comfort Inn is in nearby Gloucester, 20 minutes from the town of Mathews.

RESTAURANTS
Eleven restaurants offer seafood, fast food and family style dining.

LIBRARY
The Mathews Memorial Public Library is on Main Street in Mathews, and contains approximately 35,000 volumes. Its hours are Mondays, 10 AM to 4 PM; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 AM to 7 PM; Wednesdays and Fridays 9 AM to 5 PM; and Saturdays, 9 AM to 1 PM. Phone 804-725-5747.