Francene Barber

Warsaw Francene Barber

Warsaw, located in Richmond County, is often called the heart of the Northern Neck. Lying between the Potomac River and the Rappahannock River, the Northern Neck was discovered by Capt. John Smith, who called the area "fruitfull and delightsome." George Washington later referred to the same region as the "garden of Virginia." The town of Warsaw, originally called Richmond Court House, was established in its present location around 1692. In 1831, the town petitioned to change its name to Warsaw after Warsaw, Poland. While Poles struggled against the partitioning of their country, sympathy for their plight was great and spread from Europe to the new world. Within the immediate area of Warsaw are two colonial homes that are still occupied by descendents of the original owners. Today Warsaw has a population of approximately 1,400. The Northern Neck and Richmond County are still sparsely populated and predominately agrarian.