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Warwick County, Virginia

Warwick County, Virginia

. It was consolidated with the independent city of Newport News in 1958.]] Warwick County is a now extinct political subdivision in Virginia. It was created as Warwick River Shire, one of eight created in colonial Virginia in 1634. It was located on the Virginia Peninsula on the northern shore of the James River between Hampton Roads and the Jamestown Settlement. During the 17th century, shortly after establishment of the Jamestown Settlement in 1607, English settlers and explored and began settling the areas adjacent to Hampton Roads. By 1634, the English colony of Virginia consisted of eight shires or counties with a total population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. Warwick River Shire took it's name from Robert Rich, second Earl of Warwick and a prominent member of the Virginia Company who was proprietor of Richneck Plantation. Warwick River Shire became Warwick County in 1643. The first courthouse and jail were located at Warwick Towne. In 1790, Warwick County recorded 1,690 persons in the Federal Census, making it the third smallest county in Virginia. After the American Revolution, Warwick Towne was abandoned, and the county seat was moved to the area of Denbigh Plantation, near Stoney Run. The new county seat was at Denbigh, where in 1810 Warwick's first brick courthouse was built. It also served as clerk's office and jail. In 1864, a large courthouse was erected on the same tract, the clerk retaining the old building. Both served until the merger with the city of Newport News in 1958. Immediately after the end of the American Civil War in 1865, land agents began acquiring land in Warwick County for Collis P. Huntington, the railroad magnate, for "future enterprise". On the basis of these land purchases, the original city of Newport News was to be built at the southern end of the county. In 1881, Newport News chosen as the Atlantic deep water terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), which was owned by Collis P. Huntington. In 1886, Huntington established Newport News Shipbuilding in Warwick County. Virginia has had an independent city political subdivision since 1871. Newport News became an independent city in 1896 by an act of the Virginia General Assembly, one of the few cities in Virginia to have never been incorporated as a town. In 1918, Warwick County was the site of a new military installation, Camp Eustis, later renamed Fort Eustis. The U.S. Army base was constructed near the mouth of the Warwick River and included Mulberry Island. Lee Hall, Virginia was the closest railroad station, and handled great volumes of troop traffic, especially during World War II. In Virginia, independent city status guarantees protection against annexation of territory by adjacent communities. In 1952, the remaining ( 71 sq mi/184 sq km) of Warwick County became an independent city. Six years later, the citizens voted by referendum to be consolidated with Newport News, and this took place in 1958. For history between 1952 and 1958, see City of Warwick. For history since 1958, see Newport News, Virginia.

References

Newport News, Virginia

and Norfolk, Virginia from space, July 1996]] Newport News is an independent city located in Virginia. It is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending to its mouth Hampton Roads. The name of Newport News has long been a puzzle to those curious about the origin of place names. To this day nobody really knows how the city got its name. First settled in the early 17th century, it was an unincorporated town without formal boundaries in Warwick County for over 250 years, until 1896. In 1900, 19,635 people lived in Newport News, Virginia; in 1910, 20,205; in 1920, 35,596; and in 1940, 37,067. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 180,150. A more recent 2005 estimate indicates the city's population has grown to 195,347. In modern times, it is one of Virginia's larger cities. Among the city's major industries are Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company and the large coal piers supplied by railroad giant CSX Transportation. Miles of the waterfront can be seen by automobiles crossing the James River Bridge and Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel. Recovered artifacts from the USS Monitor are displayed at the Mariners' Museum, and American Civil War battle sites near historic Lee Hall and several plantations have been protected along the roads leading to Yorktown and Williamsburg of the Historic Triangle.
Source of the name
The source of the current name "Newport News" is not known with certainty. Several versions are recorded, and it is subject of popular speculation locally. Probably the best-known explanation holds that when the first Jamestown, Virginia colonists left to return to England after the Starving Time of 1610, they encountered Captain Christopher Newport's ship in the James River off Mulberry Island, and learned that reinforcements of men and supplies had arrived, and that the colonists need not abandon Jamestown. (It is probable that not all of the survivors thought returning to the harsh conditions of Jamestown was "good" news, however). Under this theory, the community was named for Newport's "good news". Less dramatically, the city may have derived its name from an old English word "news" meaning "new town." Yet another theory is that the original name was New Port Neuce, named for a person with the name Neuce and the town's place as a new seaport. The founder was Sir William Neuce. He was originally an English soldier and settler in Ireland where he had established Newcestown near Bandon in County Cork. After his death, his partner Daniel Gookin - another English colonist at Carrigaline in Ireland - completed the establishment of his colony in Virginia. That the name was formerly written as "Newport's News" is verified by numerous early documents and maps, and by local tradition. The change to Newport News apparently was brought about by usage, for by 1851 the Post Office Department sanctioned "New Port News" (three words as the name of the first post office, and in 1866 it approved the name as "Newport News", the current form.
Heritage: Warwick River Shire, Warwick County, independent cities
Newport News was originally an unincorporated town located in the southeastern portion of Warwick River Shire, one of eight created in colonial Virginia in 1634. During the 17th century, shortly after establishment of the Jamestown Settlement in 1607, English settlers and explored and began settling the areas adjacent to Hampton Roads. By 1634, the English colony of Virginia consisted of eight shires or counties with a total population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. Warwick River Shire became Warwick County in 1637. By 1810, the county seat was at Denbigh. Virginia has had an independent city political subdivision since 1871. Following a huge growth spurt of railroad and shipyard development, the new "City of Newport News" was formerly organized and became independent of Warwick County in 1896 by an act of the Virginia General Assembly. It was one of only a few cities in Virginia to be newly established without earlier incorporation as a town. Walter A. Post served as the city's first mayor. Independent city status guarantees protection against annexation of territory by adjacent communities. In 1952, Warwick County became the independent City of Warwick. In 1958, the citizenry of Warwick and Newport News voted by referendum to consolidate the two cities, choosing to assume the better-known name of Newport News, and forming the third largest city population-wise in Virginia with a 65 square mile area. The boundaries of the City of Newport News today are essentially the boundaries of the original Warwick River Shire and those of Warwick County for most of its existence.
Collis P. Huntington: builder of a new railroad and a shipyard
While Newport News had long been established as an unincorporated town, during the period after the American Civil War the new City of Newport News was essentially founded by Collis P. Huntington, builder of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and its coal piers and Newport News Shipbuilding, the world's largest shipyard. His famous saying is: ::We shall build good ships here. At a profit - if we can. At a loss - if we must. But always good ships. Huntington, who was one of the builders of the country's first transcontinental railroad, began acquiring land in Warwick County in 1865, and developed the coal piers and the shipyard during the next 20 years. Huntington Park, near the northern terminus of the James River Bridge, is named in his honor. His son, Archer M. Huntington, developed the Mariners' Museum, one of the largest and finest maritime museums in the world.
Notable features
Newport News is the location of Fort Eustis, an important U.S. Army base built in Warwick County on Mulberry Island at the mouth of the Warwick River in beginning in 1918. The city is also famous as the birthplace of legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, author William Styron, New Orleans Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks who attended Ferguson High,Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and brother Marcus Vick who both attended Warwick High, played football, and Michael was honored by the school in 1999 by retiring his football jersey. Rapper 50 Cent mentions Newport News in his song "Ski Mask Way", referring to the city as "Bad News, VA". The Mariners' Museum, the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility and Christopher Newport University are located in Newport News.
Geography
Christopher Newport University Newport News is located at 37°4'15" North, 76°29'4" West (37.071046, -76.484557). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 308.3 km² (119.1 mi²). 176.9 km² (68.3 mi²) of it is land and 131.5 km² (50.8 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 42.64% water. Newport News entered a Sister City relationship with Neyagawa, Osaka-fu, Japan in 1982. Newport News has a second sister city in Taizhou which is in the Jiangsu Province in China and possibly in the near future a relationship with Greifswald, Germany.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 180,150 people, 69,686 households, and 46,341 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,018.5/km² (2,637.9/mi²). There are 74,117 housing units at an average density of 419.0/km² (1,085.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 53.50% White, 39.07% African American, 0.42% Native American, 2.33% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.79% from other races, and 2.77% from two or more races. 4.22% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 69,686 households out of which 35.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% are married couples living together, 17.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% are non-families. 27.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.50 and the average family size is 3.04. The age distribution is: 27.5% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.3 males. The median income for a household in the city is $36,597, and the median income for a family is $42,520. Males have a median income of $31,275 versus $22,310 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,843. 13.8% of the population and 11.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 20.6% of those under the age of 18 and 9.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Newport News is served by two airports. The primary airport for the Hampton Roads area is Norfolk International Airport, on the opposite side of Hampton Roads in Norfolk. The region's secondary airport, Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, is located within the city of Newport News.
Education
The main provider of primary and secondary education in the city is Newport News Public Schools. Several private schools are located in the area as well. Christopher Newport University is located with the city, and Hampton University, Old Dominion University and The College of William and Mary are located nearby.
Transportation
Newport News has an elaborate transportation network, including interstate and state highways, bridges and a bridge-tunnel, freight and passenger railroad service, local transit bus and intercity bus service, and a commercial airport. There are miles of waterfront docks and port facilities. See also Transportation section of main article Hampton Roads
The future of Newport News
Newport News, known traditionally as a blue-collar industrial city, is currently undergoing dramatic changes to accommodate its growing affluence and relative significance as a major metropolitan nexus in the Hampton Roads region. The city's traditional downtown, located on the James River waterfront, is home to, almost exclusively, Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding and municipal offices. While the downtown area has generally remained the only true area of the city that offered genuine urban layout, that is changing with the introduction of a number of successful New Urbanism projects in the city such as Port Warwick, named after the fictional city in William Styron's novel, Lie Down in Darkness. Oyster Point City Center, located near Port Warwick in the thriving Oyster Point Retail/Central Business District (often cited as the busiest in Hampton Roads), has been touted as the new "downtown" because of its new geographic centrality on the Virginia Peninsula, its proximity to the retail/business nucleus of the city, etc. One large and relatively new planned community is Kiln Creek. Currently under planning stages are a number of other New Urbanism projects, including "Asheton", a mega-development at the north end of the city bordering Williamsburg, meant to complement the historic attraction of the region. There are also plans to develop a light rail line on the Peninsula, largely in Newport News, as well as continue the gradual urbanization of the city to transform it from its currently suburban layout into a more cohesive, attractive, and enticing destination. It looks to be well on its way, judging from the rapid pace of infill redevelopment over the past 5-10 years. Image:Victory_arch.jpg Downtown Newport News Victory Arch, built to commemorate the Great War, sits on the downtown waterfront in Newport News. There are a number of landmarks and architecturally interesting buildings in the downtown area that seem to have been largely abandoned in favor of building new areas in the northwest areas of the city. It is hoped that one day more development would be put in the area to return it to its lost status as an urban nucleus in Hampton Roads.
See also

- Newport News Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
- List of famous people from Hampton Roads
- List of Mayors of Newport News, Virginia
- Lee Hall, Virginia
- Warwick County, Virginia (extinct)
External links

- [http://www.newport-news.va.us/ Official Website]
- [http://www.portwarwick.com/ Port Warwick Website]
- [http://www.oysterpointonline.com/ Oyster Point City Center]
- [http://ramsites.net/~ceciremh/arch/arch.html/ Virginia Architecture Today (Pictures of Richmond and Newport News)]
- [http://www.kilncreek.com Kiln Creek Homes webpage]
- [http://www.kilncreekgolf.com Kiln Creek Golf Course webpage] Newport News Category:Newport News, Virginia

Warwick River Shire

Warwick River Shire was one of eight shires created in colonial Virginia in 1634. It was located on the Virginia Peninsula on the northern shore of the James River between Hampton Roads and the Jamestown Settlement. During the 17th century, shortly after establishment of the Jamestown Settlement in 1607, English settlers and explored and began settling the areas adjacent to Hampton Roads. By 1634, the English colony of Virginia consisted of eight shires or counties with a total population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. Warwick River Shire took it's name from Robert Rich, second Earl of Warwick and a prominent member of the Virginia Company. Warwick River Shire became Warwick County in 1643. Rich's Richneck Plantation was located in the modern day independent city of Newport News, Virginia. See article Warwick County, Virginia.

References

1634

Events

- February 24-25 - Rebellious soldiers kill Albrecht von Wallenstein
- March 1 - Battle at Smolensk, King Ladislaus IV of Poland defeats Russian army.
- March 25 - The first settlers arrive in St. Mary's City, Maryland (led by Lord Baltimore), the fourth permanent settlement in British North America.
- September 5 and September 6 - Battle of Nördlingen (1634) results in Catholic victory
- Moses Amyraut's Traite de la predestination is published
- Curaçao captured by the Dutch
- Treaty of Polianovska
- First meeting of the Académie française
- The witchcraft affair at Loudun
- Jean Nicolet lands at Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Opening of Covent Garden Market in London
- English establish a settlement at Cochin, now Kochi on Malabar coast
- First decennial performance of the Oberammergau Passion Plays
- Oxford University Press receives its charter and becomes the second of the privileged presses

Births

- January 25 - Gaspar Fagel, Dutch statesman (d. 1688)
- March 18 - Marie-Madeleine de La Fayette, French novelist (d. 1693)
- June 20 - Charles Emmanuel II of Savoy (d. 1675)
- July 14 - Pasquier Quesnel, French Jansenist theologian (d. 1719)
- July 18 - Johannes Camphuys, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (d. 1695)
- October 18 - Luca Giordano, Italian artist (d. 1705)
- December 15 - Thomas Kingo, Danish poet (d. 1703)
- Marc-Antoine Charpentier, French composer (d. 1704) See also :Category:1634 births.

Deaths

- February 25 - Albrecht von Wallenstein, Austrian general (assassinated) (b. 1583)
- May 12 - George Chapman, English author
- May 15 - Hendrick Avercamp, Dutch painter (b. 1585)
- June 22 - Johann Graf von Aldringen, Austrian soldier (b. 1588)
- June 25 - John Marston, English dramatist (b. 1576)
- August 9 - William Noy, English jurist (b. 1577)
- September 3 - Edward Coke, English colonial entrepreneur and jurist (b. 1552)
- December 29 - John Albert Vasa, Polish bishop (b. 1612)
- Adriano Banchieri, Italian composer (b. 1568) See also :Category:1634 deaths. Category:1634 ko:1634년

James River (Virginia)

] The James River in the U.S. state of Virginia is 547.160 km (340 miles) long and drains a watershed comprising 26,000 km² (10,000 square miles), an area with a population of 2.6 million people (2000). The James River forms in the Allegheny Mountains, near Iron Gate from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers, and flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The earliest permanent English settlement in the Americas was in 1607 at Jamestown, along the banks of the James River; Richmond, the capital of Virginia, is at its fall line. Navigation of the river played an important role in early Virginia commerce and the settlement of the interior. Produce from the Piedmont and Great Valley regions traveled down the river to seaports at Richmond through such port towns as Lynchburg, Scottsville, Columbia and Buchanan. The James River was considered as a route for transport of produce from the Ohio Valley, and the James River and Kanawha Canal was built for this purpose. The Native Americans called the James River the Powhatan River. During the American Civil War, the XVIII Corps and X Corps of the Union Army merged to form the Army of the James, named after the river. During the war the army took part in many battles and military operations along the river.

External links

- [http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/home/james.html Heritage of the James River] Category:Chesapeake Bay Watershed Category:Richmond, Virginia Category:Rivers of Virginia

Hampton Roads

Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the United States. Officially known as the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA, the Hampton Roads area has a population about 1.6 million and is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the southeastern United States between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta. Other less-popular names for the area include Tidewater Virginia, Virginia's Waterfront, and "Seven Cities" (because of the seven primary cities in the area: Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach). While combined into a single Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) for economic purposes, most of the land area of Hampton Roads is geographically divided into 2 smaller regions, the Virginia Peninsula and South Hampton Roads, the latter also locally known as the Southside (Both the Peninsula and Southside are occasionally and interchangably referred to as Tidewater. The name Tidewater also refers, geographically, the coastal plain of Virginia). A small portion of Virginia's Middle Peninsula region and part of North Carolina are also included in the MSA definition.

History

The term "Hampton Roads" is a centuries old reference that originated when the region was a struggling British outpost nearly four hundred years ago. Designated in the 17th Century as the name of the harbor, "Hampton Roads" honors one of the founders of the Virginia Company and a great supporter of the colonization of Virginia, Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. Signifying the safety of a port, "roads" in nautical terminology means "a place less sheltered than a harbor where ships may ride at anchor." Although perhaps by that definition the label "harbor" is technically incorrect, Hampton Roads has become well-known as the "world's greatest harbor." The entrance from Chesapeake Bay was defended by Fort Monroe, built in 1819 on Old Point Comfort, and by Fort Wool, built as Fort Calhoun in 1829, on a small island called the Rip Raps near the middle of the channel. The famous Battle of Hampton Roads between USS Monitor and CSS Virginia (ex-USS Merrimack) during the US Civil War took place here, off Sewell's Point, on March 8-9, 1862. The Jamestown Exposition was held at Sewell's Point on Hampton Roads in 1907. A major naval display was featured, and this laid the groundwork for the future Norfolk Navy Base which was later established there. Note: This section provides history of the water area known as Hampton Roads. For the histories of the various communities which make up the Hampton Roads region, please refer to the articles on the History of Virginia, Virginia Peninsula and South Hampton Roads subregions, and individual articles for each shire, county, town, or city in the following sections.

Political subdivisions

Independent cities (current)

- Chesapeake
- Franklin
- Hampton
- Newport News
- Norfolk
- Poquoson
- Portsmouth
- Suffolk
- Virginia Beach
- Williamsburg

Counties (current)

- Currituck (North Carolina)
- Gloucester
- Isle of Wight
- James City
- Mathews
- Southampton
- Surry
- York

Incorporated towns (current)

- Claremont in Surry County
- Dendron in Surry County
- Smithfield in Isle of Wight County
- Surry in Surry County (county seat)
- Windsor in Isle of Wight County

Unincorporated towns and communities not in cities (current)

- Gloucester Courthouse in Gloucester County
- Gloucester Point in Gloucester County
- Rushmere in Isle of Wight County
- Yorktown in York County

Defunct shires, counties, cities, towns

As the current communities in the Hampton Roads region were formed and grew from the Colonial period to statehood and modern times, the political structure of many areas in Virginia changed. In the mid 20th century, a wave of consolidations of local governments led to almost the entire southeastern portion of Virginia consisting of a group of adjoining independent cities. Many incorporated (formally constituted) localities became legally defunct, though mostly not abandoned by their citizens, with the notable exception of Jamestown. For search of genealogical, land, and other historical records, it may be necessary to find these old names. The following is a partial listing of defunct political subdivisions in the Hampton Roads area with approximate formation and dissolution dates. Note: Former towns which grew to became cities of the same name are not listed separately. More information about dates and dispositions may be found in most individual articles by following the links. In order of date founded:
- Jamestown, Virginia (1607) largely abandoned as a Town after 1699
- Kecoughtan, Virginia (1610), became part of Town and City of Hampton
- Middle Plantation (1632), became Williamsburg after 1699
- Elizabeth River Shire (1634-1643)
- Warwick River Shire (1634-1643)
- Charles River Shire (1634-1643)
- James City Shire (1634-1643)
- Warrosquyoake Shire (1634-1637)
- New Norfolk County (1636-1637)
- Lower Norfolk County (1637-1691)
- Upper Norfolk County (1637-1646)
- Norfolk County, Virginia (1691-1963)
- Princess Anne County (1691-1963)
- Elizabeth City County (1643-1952)
- Nansemond County (1646-1972)
- Warwick County (aka Warwick River County) (1643-1952)
- City of South Norfolk (1922-1963)
- Town of Phoebus(1900-1952) (earlier known as unincorporated towns of Millwood, Roseland Farms,Chesapeake City)
- City of Warwick (1952-1958)
- City of Nansemond (1972-1974) See also article Lost counties, cities and towns of Virginia

Geography

Lost counties, cities and towns of Virginia The water area known as Hampton Roads is a channel through which the waters of the James River, Nansemond River, and Elizabeth River pass (between Old Point Comfort to the north and Sewell's Point to the south) into the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The region has extensive natural areas, including 26 miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches, the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Dismal Swamp, picturesque rivers, state parks, wildlife refuges, and botanical gardens. The land portion of Hampton Roads is divided into two regions, the Peninsula, on the north side, and South Hampton Roads, on the south side, where most of the area's population lives. In addition, the Middle Peninsula counties of Gloucester and Mathews, while not part of the geographical Hampton Roads area, are included in the vast metropolitan region's population.

Transportation

Highways, bridges, tunnels, bridge-tunnels, ferry system

The Hampton Roads area has an extensive network of Interstate Highways, including the Interstate 64, the major east-west route to and from the area, and its spurs and bypasses of I-264, I-464, I-564, and I-664. The Hampton Roads Beltway extends 56 miles on a long loop through the region, crossing the harbor on two toll-free bridge-tunnel facilities. These crossings are the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel between Phoebus in Hampton and Willoughby Spit in Norfolk and the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel between Newport News and Suffolk. The Beltway connects with another Interstate highway and three arterial U.S. Highways at Bower's Hill near the northeastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp. Other major east-west routes are U.S. Highway 58, U.S. Highway 60, and U.S. Highway 460. The major north-south routes are U.S. Highway 13 and U.S. Highway 17. A third crossing of Hampton Roads is the James River Bridge, carrying US 17 from Newport News to Isle of Wight County. There are also two other tunnels in the area, the Midtown Tunnel, and the Downtown Tunnel joining Portsmouth and Norfolk, as well as the 17-mile-long Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, a toll facility which links the region with Virginia's Eastern Shore which carries US 13. The George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge is a major toll bridge connecting U.S. Highway 17 on the Peninsula at Yorktown with Virginia's Middle Peninsula region. The Jamestown Ferry (also known as the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry) is an automobile ferry system on the James River connecting Jamestown in James City County with Scotland in Surry County. It carries Virginia State Highway 31. Operated by VDOT, it is the only 24-hour state-run ferry operation in Virginia and has over 90 employees. It operates four ferryboats, the Pocahontas, the Williamsburg, the Surry, and the Virginia. The facility is toll-free.

Local public transportation

Local Public transit is provided by an bus network operated by the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads and Williamsburg Area Transit, both of which are public agencies. Several light rail service proposals are under development.

Hampton Roads Transit

An regional transit bus system and paratransit services are provided by Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), a regional public transport system headquartered in Hampton.

Williamsburg Area Transit

A smaller transit bus system and paratransit services are provided by Williamsburg Area Transit (WAT), based in the Williamsburg area, which serves Williamsburg, James City County, and a portion of York County. The system offers a connection with the much larger Hampton Roads Transit system at Lee Hall, Virginia.

Light rail, bus rapid transit, maglev projects

A light rail service is in planning stages at Norfolk. There has also been a study in the Hampton - Newport News areas. The resort city of Virginia Beach is considering a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system similar that in use in Las Vegas. There is a small very experimental maglev project under development on campus at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.

Intercity bus

Intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines and Carolina Trailways.

Passenger rail

The area is served by passenger rail service provided by Amtrak, with stations in Williamsburg and Newport News, and connecting bus service to Norfolk and Virginia Beach. The Department of Rail and Public Transportation of the State of Virginia has studies underway for extending high speed passenger rail to the Virginia Peninsula and South Hampton Roads areas with a rail connection at Richmond to both the Northeast Corridor and the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor.

Air

The Hampton Roads is served by 2 major commercial airports Norfolk International Airport and Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. Norfolk International Airport is the main air passenger and cargo transport hub in the region.

Harbor: commerce, shipping, military

Hampton Roads has become known as the "world's greatest natural harbor". The port is located only 18 miles from open ocean on one of the world's deepest, natural ice-free harbors. Since 1989, Hampton Roads has been the mid-Atlantic leader in U.S. waterborne foreign commerce and is ranked second nationally behind the Port of South Louisiana based on export tonnage. When import and export tonnage are combined, the Port of Hampton Roads ranks as the third largest port in the country (following the ports of New Orleans/South Louisiana and Houston. In 1996, Hampton Roads was ranked ninth among major U.S. ports in vessel port calls with approximately 2,700. In addition, this port is the U.S. leader in coal exports. The coal loading facilities in the Port of Hampton Roads are able to load in excess of 65 million tons annually, giving the port the largest, most efficient and modern coal loading facilities in the world. It is little surprise therefore that the Hampton Roads region's economic base is largely port-related, including shipbuilding, ship repair, naval installations, cargo transfer and storage, and manufacturing related to the processing of imports and exports. Associated with the ports' military role are almost 50,000 federal civilian employees. The harbor of Hampton Roads is an important highway of commerce, especially for the cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Newport News. In Portsmouth, a few miles up the Elizabeth River, Norfolk Naval Shipyard is located. Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company (NNS) is located a short distance up the James River. There are also several smaller shipyards, numerous docks and terminals. Massive coal loading piers and facilities were established in the late 19th and early 20th century by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), and Virginian Railway (VGN). The latter two were predecessors of the Norfolk Southern Railway, a Class I railroad which has its headquarters in Norfolk, and continues to export coal from a large facility at Lambert's Point on the Elizabeth River. CSX Transportation now serves the former C&O facility at Newport News. Hampton Roads is also a chief rendezvous of the United States Navy. The Hampton Roads area has the largest concentration of military bases and facilities of any metropolitan area in the world. The area is home to the Allied Command Transformation, which is the only major military command of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Norfolk Navy Base is located at Sewell's Point near the mouth, on the site used for the tercentennial Jamestown Exposition in 1907. For a width of 500 feet the Federal government during 1902 through 1905 increased its minimum depth at low water from 25.5 feet to 30 feet, and the channel has now been dredged to a depth of 55 feet in some places. NASA Langley Research Center is located on the Peninsula adjacent to Langley Air Force Base, in Hampton, which is home to scientific and aerospace technology research. Other area military facilities include:
- Camp Peary in York County
- Fort Eustis in Newport News
- Fort Monroe in Hampton
- Fort Story in Virginia Beach
- Langley Air Force Base in Hampton
- United States Naval Amphibious Base at Little Creek) in Virginia Beach
- Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach
- Naval Weapons Station Yorktown in York County
- Saint Julian Creek Naval Depot Annex in Chesapeake

Area attractions and historical sites

Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown

The Historic Triangle is located on the Virginia Peninsula and includes the colonial communities of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown, with many restored attractions linked by the Colonial Parkway.

Colonial Parkway

The National Park Service's Colonial Parkway joins the three popular attractions of Colonial Virginia with a scenic and bucolic roadway carefully shielded from views of commercial development. This helps visitors mentally return to the past, and there are often views of wildlife and waterfowl. This two lane roadway is the best (but not quickest) way to move between the three points. Near the James River and York River ends of the parkway, there are several pull-offs, where some families allow their children to feed bread to the seagulls. (Warning: No trucks are allowed). For an even better experience, approach the area from the south by water from Surry County with a ride aboard one of the Jamestown Ferrys, which include the Pocahontas and Williamsburg. As passengers cross, they can can walk about the boat or go up to an enclosed viewing level with restrooms. Weather and daylight permitting, passengers usually see the Jamestown Island much as the first colonists may have approached it. In fact, the replicas of Christopher Newport's the three tiny ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery are docked near the northern ferry landing. Both the Jamestown Ferry and Colonial Parkway are toll-free.

Jamestown

The first permanent English settlement in the New World which was established at Jamestown in 1607. Today, you can visit the Jamestown Festival Park and Jamestown Island attraction. Included are recreations of a Native American village and colonial fort, and archaeological sites where current work is underway. Replicas of the three ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery are docked nearby.

Williamsburg

In 1699, the first capital of Virginia was moved to Middle Plantation at the suggestion of students from the College of William and Mary (established 1693). It was soon renamed to Williamsburg, but became a largely forgotten little town after the capital was moved to Richmond in 1788. Largely due to the 20th century preservation efforts of the Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, rector of Bruton Parish Church and the generosity of Standard Oil heir John D. Rockefeller Jr., today Colonial Williamsburg is a large living museum of early American life. It has dozens of restored and recreated buildings and reenactors. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The Visitor's Center (right off the Colonial Parkway) features a short movie and is an excellent place to start (and leave automobiles, which are restricted from the restored area, where wheelchair-accessible shuttle bus service is provided).

Yorktown

The third point of the triangle is Yorktown where General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington in 1781, ending the American Revolution. There are two large visitor centers, battlefield drives, and a waterfront area.

Commercial enterprises

Notwithstanding the amazingly successful efforts to provide a non-commercial atmosphere at the three Historic Triangle areas (and on the Colonial Parkway between them), there are many hotels, motels, campgrounds, restaurants, shops and stores, gasoline stations, and amusements close by.
- Busch Gardens (Williamsburg) is a major theme park located near Williamsburg in James City County.
- Williamsburg Pottery Factory is also nearby on U.S. Highway 60 a new miles west of Williamsburg in James City County.

Other points of history

There's also a wealth of other points of history to explore in the Hampton Roads area.

Virginia Peninsula

- Mariners' Museum is in Newport News. The USS Monitor Center (of Battle of Hampton Roads fame) is there, along the thousands of nautical artifacts from all over the world.
- Virginia Air and Space Center (with a historic carousel adjacent) is in Hampton.
- Casemate Museum (where former Confederate President Jefferson Davis was imprisoned) is at Fort Monroe in the historic Phoebus area at Old Point Comfort in Hampton.
- Harbor tours departing from Hampton and Newport News provide access to Fort Wool and Newport News Shipbuilding, the world's largest shipyard.

South Hampton Roads

- Cape Henry site of the first landing of the English settlers in 1607 and two lighthouses is at Fort Story in Virginia Beach.
- Norfolk Navy Base at Sewell's Point in Norfolk is the largest naval facility in the world.
- Norfolk Botanical Garden is in Norfolk.
- The Chrysler Museum is in Norfolk.
- MacArthur Memorial Museum is in Norfolk.
- USS Cole is in Norfolk.
- Nauticus (at The National Maritime Center) and the Battleship USS Wisconsin are near downtown Norfolk.
- Children's Museum of Virginia in Portsmouth has one of the largest collection of model electric trains and other toys.
- Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth is one of the oldest shipyards and has the first dry dock on display.
- Great Dismal Swamp Natural Wildlife Refuge is accessed from Chesapeake.
- Suffolk-Nansemond Museum is in the restored Seaboard and Virginian Railway passenger train station in Suffolk.
- Isle of Wight Museum is in Smithfield.
- The Virginia Zoo is in Norfolk, Virginia.

Sports, Entertainment, and Mass Assembly Venues

Arenas

normal seating capacity in parentheses
- Anderson Field House at Fort Eustis – Newport News (2200)
- Freeman Center at Christopher Newport University – Newport News (6000)
- Gills Gymnasium at Norfolk State University (4000)
- Hampton Coliseum (11575)
- Hampton University Convocation Center (8200)
- Holland Hall at Hampton University (3000)
- Jane P. Batten Student Center at Virginia Wesleyan College – Virginia Beach (2120)
- Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall at Norfolk State University (8500)
- Norfolk Scope Arena (11500)
- Old Dominion University Field House – Norfolk (5955)
- Ted F. Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion University – Norfolk (9650)
- William and Mary Hall at The College of William and Mary – Williamsburg (10300)

Auditoriums and Performing Arts Theatres

- American Theatre – Hampton
- Chrysler Hall – Norfolk (2503)
- Crispus Attucks Cultural Center – Norfolk (900)
- Devary Theatre at Norfolk Naval Base
- Edythe C. and Stanley L. Harrison Opera House – Norfolk (1650)
- Ferguson Performing Arts Center at Christopher Newport University – Newport News (1750)
- Fort Monroe Theatre – Hampton
- Jeanne and George Roper Performing Arts Center at Tidewater Community College – Norfolk (1000)
- L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center at Norfolk State University (1900)
- Music Theatre of Williamsburg (752)
- Norva Theatre – Norfolk (1500)
- Ogden Hall at Hampton University (1960)
- Pavilion Theatre – Virginia Beach (1022)
- Regent University Performing Arts Center – Virginia Beach
- Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall at The College of William and Mary – Williamsburg
- Premiere Theatre (aka Granby Theatre) – Norfolk (1200)
- Riverview Theatre – Norfolk (1100)
- Rockwell Hall at Little Creek Amphibious Base – Virginia Beach (1756)
- Sanders Performing Arts Center – Virginia Beach (1700) under construction
- Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts (650) under construction
- Wells Theatre – Norfolk
- Willett Hall – Portsmouth (2000)
- Williamsburg Performing Arts Center (1500) proposed

Amphitheatres

- Lake Matoaka Amphitheatre at The College of William and Mary – Williamsburg (2400)
- Le Palais Royal Theatre at Busch Gardens – Williamsburg (5600)
- nTelos Pavilion at Harbor Center – Portsmouth (7500)
- Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheatre (20000)

Stadiums

- A.H. Foreman Field at Old Dominion University – Norfolk (20300)football and field hockey
- Anheuser-Busch Field at The College of William and Mary – Williamsburg (4450) soccer
- Armstrong Stadium at Hampton University (14000) football
- Bailey Field – Yorktown (6000) football
- Bud Metheny Sports Complex and Old Dominion University – Norfolk (3000) baseball
- Darling Memorial Stadium – Hampton (8000) football
- Dick Price Stadium at Norfolk State University (30000) football
- District Park Sports Complex – Williamsburg (4000) proposed
- Harbor Park – Norfolk (12067) baseball
- Joe Plumeri Park at The College of William and Mary – Williamsburg (1200) baseball
- John B. Todd Stadium – Newport News (11000) football
- Mark McCormack-Betsy Nagelsen Tennis Center at The College of William and Mary – Williamsburg
- Marty L. Miller Baseball Field at Norfolk State University (1600)
- Old Dominion University Soccer Stadium – Norfolk (6000)
- Peninsula War Memorial Stadium – Hampton (5125) baseball
- Pomoco Stadium at Christopher Newport University – Newport News (4200) football
- Powhatan Stadium – Norfolk (4000) under construction - football
- Union Kempsville Stadium – Virginia Beach (5100) football
- Virginia Beach Sportsplex (11541) soccer
- Walter J. Zable Stadium at The College of William and Mary – Williamsburg (15279) football

Raceways

- Langley Speedway – Hampton (6500)

Convention Centers

square feet of exhibition space in parentheses
- Chesapeake Conference Center (37000)
- City Center at Oyster Point Conference Center – Newport News – under construction
- Hampton Roads Convention Center – Hampton (258000)
- Norfolk Executive Conference Center (73000) planning
- Portsmouth Conference Center (37000)
- Virginia Beach Convention Center (600000) under construction
- Waterside Convention Center – Norfolk (35000)
- Williamsburg Convention Center (259000) proposed

Trivia

The callsign of WGH, an early radio station in Newport News, stands for World's Greatest Harbor. The 3.5 mile long Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel was the first bridge-tunnel complex in the world when it first opened as a 2-lane toll facility in 1957.

External links

- [http://www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org/inside.asp?ID=79&subjectID=3 Mr. Lincoln and Freedom: Hampton Roads Conference]
- [http://www.hamptonroadsvisitor.com Hampton Roads Visitor Guide]
- [http://www.monitorcenter.org/ USS Monitor Center and Exhibit Newport News, Virginia]
- [http://www.nauticus.org/ Nauticus, The National Maritime Center Norfolk, VA]
- [http://www.mariner.org/ Mariner's Museum, Newport News, Virginia]
- [http://www.hrnm.navy.mil/ Hampton Roads Naval Museum]
- [http://www.norfolkhistorical.org Norfolk City Historical Society]
- [http://www.chesapeake.lib.va.us/Wallace/nchs.htm Norfolk County Historical Society]
- [http://www.npl.lib.va.us/history/history65.html Norfolk Public Library – History of Willoughby]
- [http://www.npl.lib.va.us/history/history7.html Norfolk Public Library – History of Weather Events]
- [http://www.norfolk.gov/Education/ City of Norfolk website, Local History]
- [http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/civwar/html/cw_000301_sewellspoint.htm Civil War and the Battle of Sewell’s Point]
- [http://www.multied.com/Navy/cwnavalhistory/ Civil War Naval History]
- [http://www.geocities.com/hrforts/Fort_Wool/history.htm Fort Wool History]
- [http://www.navstanorva.navy.mil/INFO/ABOUT_US/HISTORY/EXPO/expo.htm 1907 Jamestown Expo held at today's Norfolk Navy Base]
- [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/norfolk.htm Naval Station Norfolk website]
- [http://www.roadstothefuture.com/I664_VA_MMMBT.html Roads to the Future - I664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel]

References

- Category:Geography of Virginia

Jamestown Settlement

Jamestown was established in 1607, on the James River in Virginia, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) southeast of where Richmond, Virginia, is now located. Both the river and the new settlement were named for King James I, who had recently ascended to the English throne. The Virginia Colony's settlement at Jamestown was the first permanent British colony in the United States to survive, following the failure of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island to the south, in what is now North Carolina. North Carolina

Settlement

Jamestown was founded in 1607, financed by the London Company. After sailing across the Atlantic Ocean from England, the three ships, Susan Constant sometimes known as the Sarah Constant, Godspeed or Goodspeed, and Discovery with their crews of 104 men and boys, made landfall at Cape Henry on April 26, 1607. The party explored the area, named the cape, and set up a cross near the site of the current Cape Henry Memorial. Then they proceeded in their ships into the Chesapeake Bay to Hampton Roads and up the James River, where they arrived at the site of Jamestown on May 14, where they began the first permanent English settlement in what later became the United States (the colonists named the site "Jamestown", after King James; of course there was no city there when the colonists arrived, just empty swamp-land). The settlers consisted mainly of English farmers and Polish woodcutters, hired in Royal Prussia. Upon landing, secret orders from the Virginia Company were opened, which named John Smith as one of the "councelors". Smith had been arrested on the voyage-over by Admiral Christopher Newport, for mutiny and was scheduled to be hanged, but was freed upon the opening of the orders. Despite the fact that Jamestown Island is a swamp, the men of the Virginia Company chose to settle there, because they felt it was far enough inland to avoid contact and conflict with the Spanish fleet, while the river was deep enough to permit the colonists to anchor their ships, yet have an easy and quick departure if necessary. They had only been at Jamestown for less than a fortnight when they were attacked on May 26 by Paspahegh Native Americans, who succeeded in killing one of the settlers and wounding eleven more. By June 15, the settlers finished the initial triangle fort at Jamestown and a week later, Newport sailed back for London on the Susan Constant with a load of pyrite ("fools' gold") and dirt. Edward Maria Wingfield was named the first "president" of the colony, and would remain in that position until September, when he was found guilty of "libel" and was deposed. John Ratcliffe was elected to take his place. A year later, John Smith was elected to replace Ratcliffe. He would remain as President until wounded in 1609, when Ratcliffe became President again, although Ratcliffe was captured by Chief Powhatan, whose native name was Wahunsunacock, and tortured to death by women of the Powhatan tribe while on a trade mission, shortly after being elected. The winter of 1609-1610 became known as the starving time in Jamestown. The settlers who came over on the initial three ships were not well- equipped for the life they found in Jamestown, and many suffered from saltwater poisoning, which led to infection, fevers, and dysentery. Smith was wounded when his powder bag exploded, and he was sent back to England, where he wrote A True Relation about his experiences in Jamestown, and a second book, The Proceedings of the English Colony of Virginia. The publication of this book sparked a resurgence in interest in the colony and, with plans being made to abandon Jamestown in 1610, a new governor, Lord de la Warr, arrived and forced the remaining 90 settlers to stay. This was also the same year that the first European doctor arrived. While president of the colony, Smith led a food-gathering expedition up the Chickahominy River. His men were set upon by Native Americans, and when his men were killed, Smith strapped his Native American guide in front of him to use as a shield. Captured by Opchanacanough, Chief Powhatan's half-brother, Smith gave him a compass, which made the Native American decide to let Smith live. When Smith was brought before Chief Powhatan, however, the chief decided to execute him, a course of action which was (as stated by Smith) stopped by the pleas of Powhatan's young daughter, Pocahontas, who was originally named Matoaka, but whose nickname meant "Playful one." Although Pocahontas's life would be tied to the English after this first meeting, she is not tied to Smith; except in his report in his books. During the winter of 1608, after Jamestown was destroyed by flames, Pocahontas brought food and clothing to the colonists. She later negotiated with Smith for the release of Native Americans who had been captured by the colonists during a raid to gain English weaponry. Pocahontas converted to Christianity and took the name "Rebecca" in 1613, under the tutelage of Reverend Alexander Whitaker, who arrived in Jamestown in 1611 to found the first Presbyterian Church in Virginia. Pocahontas married a settler, John Rolfe on April 24, 1614. They married in hopes of trying to improve relations between the Powhatan's and the settlers. This uneasy peace was ruined when the Powhatan's attacked the settlers for taking the Indian lands. Within two years, they left for London, where Pocahontas died at Gravesend on March 17, 1617. (A year earlier, a smallpox epidemic had swept through New England.) Rolfe arrived in Jamestown in 1609 following the shipwreck of the Sea Venture, which may have inspired William Shakespeare's "The Tempest", through a log of the events kept by Captain Samuel Jordan. Wedged in a reef off Bermuda, the 150 on board built "ships" from the wreckage, and sailed the two boats, known as the Deliverance and the Patience up to Jamestown, where they found the colony in ruins and practically abandoned, until de la Warr arrived the following year.

Growth and development

John Rolfe was the first man to successfully raise export tobacco in the Colony (although the colonists had begun to make glass artifacts immediately after their arrival). The tobacco raised in Virginia prior to that time, Nicotiana rustica, was not to the liking of the Europeans; but Rolfe had brought some seed for Nicotiana tabacum with him from Bermuda. Shortly after arriving, Rolfe's first wife died, having given birth to a daughter in Bermuda, who did not survive long enough to see Virginia. Although most people "wouldn't touch" the crop, Rolfe was able to make his fortune farming it (by 1617, the colonists exported 50,000 pounds of tobacco to England). After Rolfe and Pocahontas lived together at his Varina Farms plantation, when they left for England in 1616, he was wealthy; and they had a son, Thomas. When Rolfe returned to Jamestown following Pocahontas's death from sickness while in England, Thomas remained behind (in England). Once back in Jamestown, Rolfe married Jane Pierce, and continued to improve the quality of his tobacco; with the result that by the time of his death in 1622, Jamestown was thriving as a producer of tobacco, and Jamestown's population would later top 4,000. Wheat also first grew in the colonies in Virginia, in 1618. Tobacco led to the importation of the colony's first black "indentured servants" as well as women from England, in 1619. That same year, the House of Burgesses, the first legislature of elected representatives in America, met in the Jamestown Church. Their first law was to set a minimum price for the sale of tobacco. That year was also the same year that the first ironworks of the colonies were established in Virginia. House of Burgesses] The Indian Massacre of 1622, an uprising led by Opechancanough, led to the deaths of nearly 400 settlers, wiping out several entire communities, including Henricus and Wolstenholme Towne. However, Jamestown was spared from destruction due to the warnings of a Native American boy named "Chanco", who gave warning to Richard Pace of Wapping Wall, London (d. abt 1624), a resident since about 1613. Pace, after securing himself and his neighbors on the south side of the James River, took a canoe across river to warn Jamestown, which narrowly escaped destruction. A year later, Captain William Tucker and Dr. John Potts worked out a truce with the Powhatan Native Americans and proposed a toast, using liquor laced with poison. 200 Native Americans were killed by the poison, and 50 more were slaughtered by the colonists. In 1624, the Virginia Company lost its charter, and Virginia became a crown colony.

Later Colonial Era

crown colony In 1634, the English Crown created eight shires (i.e. counties) in the colony of Virginia, with a total population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. James City Shire was established, and included Jamestown. About 1642-43, the name of the James City Shire was changed to James City County. In the 1670s, the governor of Virginia was Sir William Berkeley, serving his second term in that office. Berkeley had previously been governor in the 1640's, and was a scholar and playwright, as well as a veteran of the English Civil War and in his seventies. In the mid 1670s, a young cousin of his through marriage, Nathaniel Bacon, Jr., arrived in Virginia; sent by his father in the hope that he would "mature". Although lazy, Bacon was intelligent, and Berkeley provided him with a land grant and a seat on the Virginia Colony council. In July 1675, the Doeg Indians raided the plantation of Thomas Mathews in order to gain payment for several items Mathews had obtained from the tribe. Several Doegs were killed in the raid, and the colonists then raided the Susquehanaugs in "retaliation". This led to large-scale Indian raids. Berkeley tried to calm the situation, but many of the colonists refused to listen to him, and Bacon disregarded a direct order and captured some Appomattox Indians. Following the establishment of the Long Assembly in 1676, war was declared on "all hostile Indians", and trade with Indian tribes was regulated, often seen by the colonists to favor those friends of Berkeley. Bacon opposed Berkeley, and led a group in opposition to the governor. Bacon and his troops set themselves up at Henrico until Berkeley arrived and Bacon and his men fled, upon which time Berkeley declared them in rebellion, and offered a pardon to any who returned to Jamestown peaceably. Bacon led numerous raids on Indians friendly to the colonists in an attempt to bring down Berkeley. The governor offered him amnesty, but the House of Burgesses refused; insisting that Bacon must acknowledge his mistakes. At about the same time, Bacon was actually elected to the House of Burgesses, and attended the June 1676 assembly, where he was captured, apologized, and was pardoned by Berkeley. Bacon demanded a commission, but Berkeley refused. Bacon and his supporters surrounded the statehouse, and threatened to start shooting the Burgesses if Berkeley did not receive the commission as "General of all forces against the Indians". Berkeley eventually acceded, and then left Jamestown. He attempted a coup a month later, but was unsuccessful. In September, however Berkeley was successful, and Bacon dug in for a siege, which resulted in his burning Jamestown to the ground on September 19, 1676. Bacon died of the flux and lice on October 26, 1676 and his body is believed to have been burned. Berkeley hanged the major leaders of the rebellion, and was relieved of his governorship and returned to London, where he died in July, 1677. "Jimsonweed" is a corruption of "Jamestown weed," named for the village after some British soldiers sent to quell Bacon's Rebellion in 1676, failed in their mission after being fed leaves of the plant, which grew wild in great quantity there. They were "intoxicated" for about a week, and claimed afterward to have no memory of that period. The first phase of Jamestown's history ended in 1699, when a decision was made not to rebuild the statehouse which had burned down in 1698, but instead to accept a proposal by students of the College of William and Mary to move the capital of Virginia to higher ground, to about 12 miles (20 km) away, where their school was located at Middle Plantation, which would soon be renamed Williamsburg.

18th century

Due to the movement of the capital to Williamsburg, Jamestown began to slowly disappear above ground. By the 1750s, the land was owned and heavily cultivated, primarily by the Travis and Ambler families.

19th century

Williamsburg During the American Civil War, in 1861, Confederate William Allen, who owned the Jamestown Island, occupied Jamestown with troops he raised at his own expense with the intention of blockading the James River, and therefore protecting Richmond, from the Union Navy. He was soon joined by Lieutenant Catesby ap Roger Jones, who directed the building of batteries and conducted ordnance and armor tests for the first Confederate ironclad warship CSS Virginia (formerly known as the Merrimac) at the site. By the end of 1861, Jamestown had a force of 1200 men, which was augmented in early 1862 by an artillery battalion. With the Union forces landing at Yorktown under General George B. McClellan, in April, however, the peninsula was abandoned by the Confederates. Once in Federal hands, Jamestown became a meeting place for runaway slaves, who burned the Ambler house. An eighteenth century plantation which, along with the old church, were the few remaining signs of Jamestown. When Allen sent men to assess damage in late 1862, they were killed by the former slaves. For the most part, Jamestown did not have an active role in the Civil War, although both sides used it for feints. Following the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse, the oath of allegiance was administered to former Confederate soldiers at Jamestown.

20th century

Jamestown Exposition of 1907

Appomattox Courthouse The Jamestown Exposition of 1907 was one of the many world's fairs and expositions that were popular in the United States early part of the 20th century. Early in the 20th century, as the tercentennial of the 1607 Founding of the Jamestown neared, leaders in Norfolk, Virginia began a campaign to have a celebration held there. The Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities had gotten the ball rolling in 1900 by calling for a celebration honoring the establishment of the first permanent English colony in the New World at Jamestown, to be held on the 300th anniversary. No one thought that the actual isolated and long-abandoned original site would be suitable because Jamestown Island had no facilities for large crowds, and the fort housing the Jamestown Settlement was believed to have been long-ago swallowed by the James River. The decision was made to locate the international exposition on a mile-long frontage at Sewell's Point near the mouth of Hampton Roads. The Jamestown Exposition was held there from April 26, 1907 to December 1, 1907.

Jamestown National Historic Site

Currently, "Jamestown National Historic Site" exists on 22 ½ acres (91,100 m²) of land at the western end of Jamestown Island. The area was donated to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities in 1893, before which time, it had seen settlement, rebellion (in 1676), and battle (during the Civil War). In 1934, Colonial National Historical Park obtained the remaining 1500 acre (6.1 km²) island and partnered with the APVA to preserve the area and present it to visitors in an educational manner.

Jamestown Festival Park

Jamestown Festival Park was established at Jamestown Island in 1957 to mark the 350th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown Settlement. At the National Park Service site, the reconstructed Glasshouse, the Memorial Cross and the visitors center were completed and dedicated. Full-sized replicas of the three ships that brought the colonists, the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery were constructed at a shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia, and docked at Jamestown. Other events included army and navy reviews, air force fly-overs, ship and aircraft christenings and even an outdoor drama at Cape Henry, site of the first landing of the settlers. This celebration continued from April 1 to November 30 with over a million participants, including dignitaries and politicians such as the British Ambassador and U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon. The highlight for many of the nearly 25,000 at the Festival Park on October 16, was the visit and speech of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and her consort, Prince Philip. Queen Elizabeth II loaned a copy of the Magna Carta for the exhibition. Although the 1957 celebration is long past, many of the attractions remained and some have been enhanced in the years since. There is now a working reconstruction of the settlement. The original replicas of the three ships that brought the colonists, the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery which had been constructed at a shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia have been rebuilt, and are still very popular with tourists, especially school groups.

APVA archaeological campaign

Starting in 1994, a major archaeological campaign at Jamestown has been conducted by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, in preparation for the quadricentennial of Jamestown's founding. The original goal of the archaeological campaign was to locate archaeological remains of "the first years of settlement at Jamestown, especially of the earliest fortified town; [and the] the subsequent growth and development of the town". [http://www.apva.org/pubs/94reprt.html] Early on, the project discovered the remains of the 1607 settlement. This was something of a surprise, as it had been widely thought that the original site had been entirely lost, due to erosion by the James River. However, only one corner of the first triangular fort (which contained the original settlement) turned out to have been destroyed. The extended archaeological campaign has made many discoveries, including retrieving hundreds of thousands of artifacts, a large fraction of them from the first few years of the settlement's history. In addition, it has uncovered much of the fort, the remains of several houses and wells, a palisade wall line attached to the fort, and the graves of several of the original settlers, including one thought to be that of Captain Bartholomew Gosnold, one of the most important figures in the English settlement of the New World. [http://www.historicjamestowne.org/news/gosnold_dna_01.php] Archaeological work at the site continues, and is greatly expanding knowledge of what happened at Jamestown in its earliest days.

21st century

Bartholomew Gosnold Plans are underway for "Jamestown 2007", which will celebrate the quadricentennial of the founding of the Jamestown Settlement. An upcoming feature length film, The New World, will cover the story of Jamestown's colonization. The film will focus on the relationship between John Smith, played by Colin Farrell, and Pocahontas. A limited release of the film is set for December, 2005 with full release in January, 2006.

External links

- Geographical coordinates:
- [http://www.apva.org/jr.html APVA web site for the Jamestown Rediscovery project]
- [http://www.historicjamestowne.org/ Historic Jamestowne]
- [http://www.historicjamestowne.org/the_dig/ Where are We Digging Now?]
- [http://www.jamestown2007.org/ Jamestown 2007 Celebration]
- [http://www.historyisfun.org/ Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center]
- [http://www.virtualjamestown.org/ Virtual Jamestown]
- [http://www.familyforest.com/PR_Royal_Visit_to_The_White_House.html America’s 400th Anniversary and Jamestown 2007 commemoration]
- [http://www.nps.gov/jame/ National Park Service: Jamestown National Historic Site]
- [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16277/16277-h/16277-h.htm New Discoveries at Jamestown] by John L. Cotter and J. Paul Hudson, (1957) at Project Gutenberg

1607

Events

- January 20 - Tidal wave swept along the Bristol Channel, killing 2000 people. (Possibly tsunami)
- April 25 - Battle of Gibraltar Dutch fleet destroys anchored Spanish fleet
- April 26 - English colonists make landfall at Cape Henry, Virginia, later moving up the James River to found Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the United States.
- August 13 - Ship Gift of God of the Plymouth Company arrives at the mouth of the modern-day Kennebec River in Maine. English colonists establish a Fort St. George, also known as the Popham Colony. The settlement lasts little more than a year before residents return to England in the first ocean going ship built in the New World, a 30-ton pinnace, called The Virginia.
- Spain is effectively bankrupt.
- The British national anthem, God Save the King, is first sung.
- Rule of Andorra is passed jointly to the king of France and the Bishop of Urgell.
- June 8 - Newton Rebellion: 40-50 peasants killed by landowners Tresham family during protests against enclosure of common land in Newton, Northamptonshire, UK - culmination of Midlands Revolt.
- Yaqob is defeated in battle and deposed by his cousin Sissinios, who then becomes Emperor of Ethiopia.
- The Midlands Revolt against Enclosure - first use of the terms Levellers and Diggers

Births

- January 10 - Isaac Jogues, Jesuit missionary to native Americans (died 1646)
- March 20 - Lady Alice Boyle, Irish noblewoman (died 1667)
- March 24 - Michiel de Ruyter, Dutch admiral (died 1676)
- July 13 - Václav Hollar, Bohemian etcher (died 1677)
- November 1 - Georg Philipp Harsdorffer, German poet (died 1658)
- November 15 - Madeleine de Scudéry, French writer (died 1701)
- November 26 - John Harvard, American clergyman (died 1638)
- Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll (died 1661)
- Thomas Barlow, Bishop of Lincoln (died 1691)
- John Boys, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (died 1664)
- John Dixwell, English judge and regicide (died 1689)
- Jan Kazimierz Krasinski, Polish nobleman (died 1669)
- Claude de Rouvroy, duc de Saint-Simon, French courtier (died 1693)
- Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton (died 1667)
- Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi, Japanese samurai (died 1650)
- Francisco de Rojas Zorrilla, Spanish dramatist (died 1660) See also :Category:1607 births.

Deaths

- March 11 - Giovanni Maria Nanino, Italian composer
- May 21 - John Rainolds, English scholar and Bible translator (born 1549)
- June 10 - John Popham, Lord Chief Justice of England
- June 30 - Caesar Baronius, Italian cardinal and historian (born 1538)
- August 22 - Bartholomew Gosnold, English explorer and privateer (born 1572)
- September 10 - Luzzasco Luzzaschi, Italian composer
- September 22 - Alessandro Allori, Italian painter (born 1535)
- Henry Chettle, English writer (born 1564)
- Edward Dyer, English courtier and poet
- Yaqob, Emperor of Ethiopia
- Domenico Fontana, Italian architect (born 1543)
- Wawrzyniec Grzymala Goslicki, Polish philosopher (born 1530)
- Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich (born 1562) See also :Category:1607 deaths. Category:1607 ko:1607년

Shire

A shire is an administrative area of Britain and Australia. The first shires were created by the Anglo-Saxons in what is now England and south eastern Scotland. Shires were controlled by a royal official known as a "shire reeve" or sheriff. Historically shires were sub-divided into hundreds or wapentakes although other less common sub-divisions existed. In modern English usage shires are sub-divided into districts.

Shires in Britain

In Britain, the term "shire county" is used to refer to non-metropolitan counties. It can also be used in a narrower sense, referring only to traditional counties ending in "shire". These counties are typically (though not always) named after their county town.

Shires in England

Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire,

Warwick County, Virginia

References

See also

Newport News, Virginia

Source of the name

Heritage: Warwick River Shire, Warwick County, independent cities

Collis P. Huntington: builder of a new railroad and a shipyard

Notable features

Geography

Demographics

Education

Transportation

The future of Newport News

See also

External links

Warwick River Shire

References

See also

1634

Events

Births

Deaths

James River (Virginia)

See also

External links

Hampton Roads

History

Political subdivisions

Independent cities (current)

Counties (current)

Incorporated towns (current)

Unincorporated towns and communities not in cities (current)

Defunct shires, counties, cities, towns

Geography

Transportation

Highways, bridges, tunnels, bridge-tunnels, ferry system

Local public transportation

Hampton Roads Transit

Williamsburg Area Transit

Light rail, bus rapid transit, maglev projects

Intercity bus

Passenger rail

Air

Harbor: commerce, shipping, military

Area attractions and historical sites

Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown

Colonial Parkway

Jamestown

Williamsburg

Yorktown

Commercial enterprises

Other points of history

Virginia Peninsula

South Hampton Roads

Sports, Entertainment, and Mass Assembly Venues

Arenas

Auditoriums and Performing Arts Theatres

Amphitheatres

Stadiums

Raceways

Convention Centers

Trivia

See also

External links

References

Jamestown Settlement

Settlement

Growth and development

Later Colonial Era

18th century

19th century

20th century

Jamestown Exposition of 1907

Jamestown National Historic Site

Jamestown Festival Park

APVA archaeological campaign

21st century

External links

Further reading

1607