A Brief History

In 2015, the Heritage Arts Center opened in the historic Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern.  This unique shop sits directly behind the Old Court House and is one of the oldest surviving wood structures on Virginia’s Northern Neck. The original three-room tavern was built by John Hughlett some 250 years ago, and is on both the Virginia and National Registers of Historic Places.

The Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern Foundation was created in 1990 by the Northumberland County Historical Society to oversee the property donated by Mrs. Cecelia Fallin Rice.

A group of volunteers, known as the Tavern Rangers, took on the task of restoring and rebuilding the 1700s structure. Today, that structure stands tall, having been through extensive renovations and a fire in 2009.  This historic building, along with its band of volunteers, welcomes friends and visitors to dine in the wonderful cafe operated by the Tavern Culinary Group, shop in the Heritage Arts Center Gift Shop, and enjoy the historical and community events we offer.

Since the restoration of the Historic Tavern, the Foundation has gone on to build and enhance the land behind it. Dan Purvis had a vision to recreate a Blacksmith Shop which was completed by volunteers in 2005 after Dan’s passing.  The Blacksmith shop is home to the Heathsville Blacksmith Guild and contains a working forge.  At this forge, many beautiful items are handcrafted by guild members and it is also the site of multiple blacksmithing classes each year.  

The Tavern Meeting Building was completed in 2006 and is used for meetings by Foundation and community organizations. The building plays a large part in our fundraising events and is available for rent.