Rappahannock Indians

Prior to the 17th century, the Rappahannock Indians maintained seasonal residences on the banks of Totuskey Creek. They fished for spawning shad and herring each spring, trapping fish in weirs in the creek's narrows and preparing them for the tribe to consume or trade. When the Rappahannock were forced to begin selling their lands to the English in 1651, part of the tribe moved here to “Totosha” town. In 1667, the Rappahannock sold this town and moved to their hunting grounds on the south side of the Rappahannock River, where they continue to live today.

Department of Historic Resources, 2006