![Person Shucking Oysters](/sites/default/files/images/2024-08/Fat%20%27N%20Happy%20Oyster%20Company_Northumberland%20County.jpg)
Fat 'N Happy Oyster Company, Northumberland County
Regional Highlights
Virginia’s Northern Neck is the northernmost of three peninsulas on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, bounded by the Potomac River on the north and the Rappahannock River on the south. Encompassing Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties, the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries play a large role in the local economy; generations of watermen continue to harvest rockfish, blue crabs, and the famous Virginia oyster from the waters surrounding the peninsula, and family produce farms are still flourishing. Tourism is also a significant source of economic activity in the region, as visitors are attracted to the natural resources, history, and heritage of the Northern Neck. In 2022, the Northern Neck was officially designated as a National Heritage Area (NHA). The Northern Neck National Heritage Area Act will help deliver critical federal dollars, encourage public-private partnerships, and assign the Northern Neck Tourism Commission to help protect the natural, cultural, scenic and recreational resources. A regional broadband project combined with rural waterfront communities position the region as ideal for remote or hybrid work.