Both Wikipedia and Google Maps confirmed the existence of a Concord in Gloucester County, Virginia, yet there was no further information available online. Most counties have a detailed history documenting their settlement, including the establishment of the first churches, stores, and schools. Gloucester County, however, had none of that. There was no historical society, and I couldn’t even locate a local library. The town of Concord appeared to lack a church, cemetery, or any commercial establishments.
Exploring a Concord without any preconceived notions can be exhilarating. Strangers become friends, stories emerge, and images turn into patterns.
Not this time.
Old Concord Road is a half-paved, half-dirt, single-lane road that branches off from a dead-end cul-de-sac. Prominent "No Trespassing. Private Road" signs greeted us. Liz was eager to comply (“Let’s get out of here!”). I, on the other hand, was unsure. There was a Concord to be visited, and I wasn’t about to let a few—or a couple dozen—signs dissuade me. So, I turned down the dirt road. Every large tree and driveway was plastered with signs reading “No Hunting,” “No Trespassing,” and “Private Property.”
I wish I could say our intrepid spirit paid off, but there was no friendly guy on a lawnmower or crazed loony with a shotgun. There was no KKK hideout, nor was there an eerie Concord cemetery. In fact, there were no signs of life, save for the distant hum of a second-story air conditioner. Concord in Gloucester County, Virginia, seems to be a small summer community with homes that have seen better days—and a strong desire for privacy.
Ominous clouds gathered in the distance.
This time, I had to agree with Liz. It was time to hightail it out of there.
