Isle of Wight, VA

Isle of Wight, VA Isle of Wight County Museum Isle of Wight County Museum Home of the World's Oldest Ham and World's Oldest Peanut! (View The HAM CAM to Keep tabs on the Ham 24/7 .) The ham in the center is THE ham. In 1902, one of P.D. Gwaltney Jr.'s cured hams was overlooked, and for 20 years, it hung from a rafter in a packing house. By 1924, the pet ham was kept in an iron safe which was opened daily for guests to view, and it was advertised as the world’s oldest Smithfield ham. Gwaltney fashioned a brass collar for the ham and took it to shows and expositions to exhibit the preservative powers of his smoking method. The ham was featured in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! in 1929, 1932 and 2003. Founded in 1976, the Isle of Wight County Museum tells the story of the county through its interactive exhibits interpreting colonial history, the Smithfield ham industry, the Blackwater River, the Civil War, the Cold War, agriculture, life on the water and commerce. Make A Bill Payment Permits Local Tax Information Animal Services × Share this page Copy and paste this code into your website. Your Link Name Share this page on your favorite Social network Facebook Twitter Google Plus Reddit Close