Editing Caroline County, Virginia (section)

===Port Royal===
Port Royal is one of the area's more historic towns. It was first established in 1652 as a port on a navigable portion of the [[Rappahannock River]] during an era when waterways were the major method of transportation of people and property in the British [[Colony of Virginia]]. It was an important point for export of tobacco, Virginia's [[cash crop]].

Local tradition holds that Port Royal was named after the Roy family. Dorothy Roy and her husband John owned a warehouse chartered by the crown, a [[ferry]] service across the Rappahannock River to [[King George County, Virginia|King George County]] and a tavern. In the 21st century, the chimneys of the Roy house are preserved landmarks in the town.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historicportroyal.com/|title=Historic Port Royal|access-date=May 29, 2016}}</ref>

Port Royal was incorporated as a town in 1744. The "town green", upon which stands today the Town Hall and the firehouse, was forever reserved "for public and civic use".<ref>[http://www.co.caroline.va.us/portroyal.html Welcome to Historic Port Royal!<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218170735/http://www.co.caroline.va.us/portroyal.html |date=December 18, 2007 }}</ref>

Shipping of property from the port began to decline after completion of railroads which began in Virginia in the 1830s. The last scheduled passenger ship service ended in 1932, supplanted by highways. However, Port Royal was served by the new highways which became [[U.S. Route 17 in Virginia|U.S. Route 17]] and [[U.S. Route 301 in Virginia|U.S. Route 301]], with their crossroads at Port Royal.