The Rappahannock Indian Tribe of King and Queen County acquired nearly 1,000 acres of their ancestral homeland in April, a move that Chief Anne Richardson called an answer to her people’s prayers. “It is with a grateful heart that we celebrate this incredible accomplishment on behalf of the Rappahannock Tribe,” she said in a news release.
The Conservation Fund, a national land preservation organization, deeded 969 acres at Fones Cliffs to the tribe. The gift added to 465 acres the tribe already owns at Fones Cliffs which, together with land that belongs to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, means that 2,000 acres of contiguous property will be protected from large-scale development.
The Rappahannock Tribe has big plans for Fones Cliffs. For its roughly 300 enrolled members, the property will be used to support its Return to the River program, which teaches young people Native folkways, skills, and knowledge. Long-term plans call for wider educational endeavors, including hiking trails and opportunities for visitors to learn about the tribe and its history.
Fones Cliffs is thought to be the spot where the Rappahannock Tribe repelled aggressive incursions by John Smith and other Englishmen in the 17th century. Today, it provides invaluable habitat for scores of important species such as bald eagles and migratory birds. “Now this land will be preserved for our Tribe forever and we will be able to return and commune with the land to heal the brokenness of our people,” Richardson said.
