Both screenings of “Northern Neck 250” at Compass Entertainment Complex were sold out before opening night on June 17.

From Thomas Gaskins Jr. of Wicomico Parish commanding a Minute Line in the local militia, to the British Navy burning the Patriot warship Protector in the Great Wicomico River, to the role of Black patriots serving in the war, this 26th Street Media production lays out the events that unfolded in the Northern Neck as America fought for its independence.

The film blends those historical moments with present‑day reflections from locals on America’s independence and democracy, including input from Kilmarnock Mayor Shawn Donahue, Medal of Honor recipient Col. Harvey “Barney” Barnum Jr., and Leslie Jingluski, executive director of the Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce.

“Northern Neck 250” was meant to be a fun way for people in the Northern Neck to connect with the nation’s milestone in a more personal way—learning about what was happening here during the Revolution, said Mark Huffman, filmmaker and owner of 26th Street Media.

Explaining the origins of the film, Huffman said that last July he joined the board of the Northumberland County Historical Society (NCHS). To raise the organization’s profile, he began producing a monthly YouTube segment called “Countdown to Independence,” focused on local events during the Revolutionary War period.

“At the time, I had no idea how much happened here,” he said.

The idea then emerged to weave those monthly productions together, and NCHS board member Rev. Meade Walker pro‑posed conducting local interviews exploring the question, “What does the 250th anniversary mean to you?” Meade wanted to gather those thoughts and archive them for the future, Huffman explained.

Huffman said he and Kilmarnock Museum President Carroll Lee Ashburn set out to conduct the interviews. The idea that people 250 years from now could look back at what residents thought during the nation’s 250th anniversary was some‑thing Huffman embraced, and he believes that local input truly “made” the film.

Not only was “Northern Neck 250” praised after its first showing, but it is yet another 26th Street Media film produced for a good cause, with proceeds benefiting NCHS and the Kilmarnock Museum.

By the end of the first screening, there were already 30 names on the waiting list for a third showing, which has since been scheduled for June 29 at 7 p.m.