Where Did the Name Hampton Street Come From? – Every place has its history, but have you ever wondered about the history of Hampton Street? For example, whose name is it taken from? Is the reference essential? Is the past relevant to the street we know today?
• Taken From Wade Hampton III
There are some rumours about this street’s name history but the well-known story is this street is named after the Wade Hampton III, a senator from 1858 to 1861. Wade Hampton III is the son of Colonel Wade Hampton II who was an inspector general and an aide on the staff of General Andrew Jackson at the war of New Orleans and defeated the British. So yes, this street has a pretty long history almost as long as the origin of the online gambling games.
Wade Hampton III himself delivered the news to President James Madison after the British were defeated. Wade Hampton III is a son of that national hero and his name becomes as popular for delivering the news.
What makes Wade Hampton III famous was his speech which against the slaves re-importing act which made a controversy back then. He got a chance to be a private at the War of Southern Independence, but South Carolina governor sent Hampton III to be in Senate. Later in this range of time, Hampton used it against the Union about the idea of slavery and secession.
• His Dedication Makes Several Buildings Named After Him
Hampton III made his own troop, although he himself didn’t have any military basic, called “Hampton’s Legion” in South Carolina which consisted of six companies (infantry), four companies (cavalry), and one battery (artillery). He found a way to equip his troops by offering Europe his cotton stocks in exchange of weapons. He got 400 rifled muskets from Enfield and six cannons from England. Unfortunately, his fortune is almost depleted even before the war seems ended. Because of his dedication, Hampton III becomes the most underrated commanders of Civil War and in 1878 he was reelected to be a governor but resigned to become US Senate. His famous last word is God bless all my people, black and white shows that He really fight for equality for all people. His names are taken for several important buildings in South Carolina and it is also possible that Hampton Street name is taken after Wade Hampton III too.
So, what do we know about Hampton Street? It is possibly taken from the name of Wade Hampton III, a civil-war confederate general, same with the county. Other than that, there’s not a lot of connection between the street name and the current street itself besides several restaurants who are named after it.
Get the Best Food and Wine Pairing in Hampton Street Vineyard!
• The Location
Located in 1202 Hampton Street, SC, the restaurant chooses a small American dining space. On busy hours, the restaurant will be crowded, but fear not! After all, the employees are very accommodating and ready to help customers, old or new, find their seats. Otherwise, the ambience is pretty good with wood furniture and yellow lights on the walls – perfect for an evening with quality seafood, meat, and wine. One thing to mention is that due to the menu selection and cramped space, it is not kid-friendly. So, only pick the place for adult gatherings to not miss the alcohol!
If you love wine, you will love hanging in Hampton Street Vineyard. Though it is meant to be a restaurant, the place has an extensive wine list that every wine lover would appreciate. In fact, the restaurant was awarded ‘Best of Award of Excellence’ from the Wine Spectator Magazine! 
Places in Hampton, Virginia, US
Hampton Road is an area in Virginia. Virginia has one of the richest histories in the United States. This is called the ‘Mother of Presidents’, because more presidents come from Virginia than any other state. Virginia is also geographically diverse, with lowland bays, plains and mountainous regions.
There is a city called Stauton here. Staunton first settled in 1732, and the city functioned as the capital of Virginia in June 1781 when legislators fled Richmond and Charlottesville. Staunton is the birthplace of president Woodrow Wilson and is home to the American Shakespeare Center, the only replica of the original Blackfriars Theater in the world. Then there is Abingdon which is a historic city whose site was founded by explorer Daniel Boone in 1770, Abingdon is the perfect historical setting for a strange weekend getaway. Main Street is lined with buildings and houses that date back to 1779 and Abingdon is home to the Barter Theater, where theater customers can still barter for tickets.
Chincoteague, the city of Chincoteague became famous for Marguerite Henry’s children’s book ‘Misty of Chincoteague’, which was made into a film in 1961. The story focuses on the wild horse Chincoteague found on Assateague Island. Today, this ancient fishing town is the perfect location to see wild horses and enjoy island life. You will also be interested in the City of Lexington. Named for Lexington, Massachusetts, where the first shots fired in the American Revolution, Lexington, Virginia is home to the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University. Confederate General Robert E. Lee and Jackson ‘Stonewall’ are both buried in Lexington. In addition to rich historical sites and monuments, Lexington is also home to several famous ranch restaurants. Company also know have ever located in this country side, but after the company grown they move to Asian.
Smithfield, located in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, Smithfield is famous for healing and producing Smithfield Ham. Today, to be considered a ‘Smithfield Ham’, a ham must be processed within the city limits. Smithfield Foods is still the largest pig producer and processor in the world. In addition to delicious ham, Smithfield visitors can enjoy the historic home of the city of Victoria. Do not miss Culpeper, the city is located less than an hour from three desirable cities such as Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, and Washington, DC. It’s easily accessible by train, with the station in the middle of the historic downtown district. Culpeper is decorated with Victorian and Colonial houses, galleries, shops and restaurants.
New Generation Companies at Hampton Roads Try to Create Plant-Based Foodstuffs
Daily food items such as eggs, mayonnaise, salad sauce, and biscuits from unusual sources are being created by new generation companies. In a kitchen on Hampton Roads metropolitan area, precisely Hampton Creek Technology Company, cooks are trying to recreate everyday food, such as eggs, mayonnaise, salad sauce, and biscuits from unusual sources. “Experimenting with completely different ingredients from the food system is similar to walking on the surface of the moon. We did something that no one else had done before so this work was full of challenges,” said cook Chris Jones, who heads product development at Hampton Creek technology company. Although food for vegetarians is as long as vegetarians, new generation companies, mostly from California, are using new technology to find alternative protein sources not sourced from animals.
Hampton Creek utilizes robotic technology to identify plants from around the world that can help recreate traditional food ingredients as a substitute for animal products with plant ingredients. “We looked at the properties of different molecules and in the end we were able to recognize the relationship between what we saw at the molecular level as if the material would cause the sponge to expand or make the taste of mayonnaise delicious or whether it would glue the biscuits or make butter with delicious cream, “said Hampton Creek founder Josh Tetrick. “Indeed, this progress has only recently been achieved, both in screening methodology and data science, which makes it possible,” said Jim Flatt, head of research and development at Hampton Creek.
At another company lab, Beyond Meat, scientists recreated hamburgers sourced from yellow bean protein, soybeans, and bits that resembled animal blood. Scientists describe the basic structure of meat and explore the world of plants to look for similar elements. They then rearrange it into a new type of food that uses plant-based proteins to create “burgers” that are similar to beef burgers. “What we do is we take elements from plants. We do it through heating, cooling, and pressure that basically compiles the whole protein so they can form tissue textures similar to animal muscles,” said founder Beyond Meat, Ethan Brown. These companies say plants are the key to solving global food problems. “Whether it’s Asia, Africa, India, you are witnessing a very strong trend of increasing consumption of animal protein. I think the world will not be able to meet all those needs,” Brown said. Indeed the planet cannot possibly meet our needs by the way we consume meat because we do not have enough fertile land to create grain plants for the needs of all the animals we eat if we will feed meat to everyone in this world.
Economic Downturn at Hampton Roads
The ship repair industry in the Hampton Roads area, Virginia will lay off more than 1,000 employees at a time when Congress is trying to approve the new national budget. The Virginian Pilot newspaper reported that at least 1,000 layoffs will be carried out for this industry and some have already begun. The head of the Virginia Ship Repair Association, Bill Crow, said layoffs were mainly due to the federal government’s budget which would expire on Friday, and the failure to approve the new national budget with sufficient funds for the maintenance of Navy ships. Crow said, without additional funding, the Hampton Roads ship repair industry could lose around $ 180 million. He also added that shipyard executives knew, even though without Congressional funding problems, the contracts that would be given by the navy to shipyards at Hampton Roads would be far below their total capacity.
The American Congress is getting closer to an agreement to fund the government until the end of September, but is still preparing for the possibility to extend the deadline midnight Friday if that is not achieved. The step was taken to complete negotiations and avoid the possibility of a government operation being stopped. The one-week extension will give prominent members of the Republican and Democratic faction “a little breathing space” to complete negotiations and present their plans to spend around 1 trillion dollars throughout the rest of the fiscal year to members of Congress, said a member of parliament who was aware of the talks. Negotiators race against time to resolve the remaining disputes regarding a large budget draft law.
Besides that, the Florence Storm began to hit the coast of North Carolina and South Carolina on Thursday with strong winds and heavy rain. The National Hurricane Center l said Florence had caused a life-threatening tidal wave and strong winds to the coast of North Carolina. Florence moves inland at a speed of 9 kilometers per hour. Weather experts estimate up to 101 centimeters of rainfall in parts of North Carolina and tidal waves as high as 4 meters, higher than most homes.
According to the Hurricane Center and the rainfall will cause dangerous flash floods and a large overflow of river water for a long time. Tornadoes are also expected to occur. The Pentagon has sent two ships and a unit of Marines offshore to provide assistance if needed. The Department of Defense has also moved most of the ships, submarines and planes out of bases at Hampton Roads, Virginia, to safe places deep in the sea or at distant air bases. Rescue helicopters and trucks that can operate on the floodplain were also alerted.
The US Military at Hampton Roads Improves the Most Important Armament System
The superiority of the American military submarine will soon be threatened if it does not get funds in time to replace old vessels. One of America’s biggest threats to foreign countries, is a submarine that is 171 meters long, its height is like a four-story building, can fully dive beneath the surface of the water and can roam the sea unnoticed. The Ohio class SSBN submarine carrying the Trident II nuclear missile by Defense Minister Ash Carter this week is called “really important” and “the source of American excellence”. SSBN submarines strategically placed around the world carry dozens of ballistic missiles that can shoot 7400 kilometers away. “This is the most important weapon system that belongs to America regarding strategic security because no one knows where it is, always active and constantly alert,” said lead engineer sonar Jarrad Hampton on Hampton Roads.
Officials say the submarines are one of the most important parts of America’s nuclear arsenal, a term used to describe America’s ability to launch nuclear attacks from air, land or sea. But that capability will soon be threatened if it does not get funds in time to replace old vessels. The walls of the submarines can only last about 40 years. NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, will conduct a test by swinging the body of a Sea Knight CH-46 helicopter like a pendulum, then dropped from a height of about 10 meters to the ground. NASA engineers will intentionally drop an American Marine helicopter, which is equipped with a floor base of various composite materials, to see how far the strength of the aircraft frame made of these materials can protect anyone who is in the cabin.
According to the space exploration agency, there is increasing interest in the framework of aircraft made of carbon, but not many safety tests have been carried out at the scale of the scale to determine the accident resistance. NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia will conduct a test by swinging the body of a Sea Knight CH-46 helicopter like a pendulum, then dropped from a height of about 10 meters to the ground. The helicopter will crash to the ground at a speed of about 50 kilometers per hour. NASA officials say the situation after the fall will be severe but the humans inside can survive, according to civilian and military requirements.
The Glory of Naval at Hampton Roads
Located on the beach in downtown Norfolk is WWII Battleship, Wisconsin, which is operated by Nauticus. While this ship is impressive on many fronts, this ship is one of the largest warships ever built by the US Navy, and it is an impressive presence on the Norfolk coast. Launched in December 1943, it was also one of the last warships ever built by the US Navy.
Wisconsin was active in World War II, the Korean War, and Desert Storm Operations in 1991, and also served as a training ship among active tasks. Visitors first walk through the Nauticus building, with a series of extensive and well thought out exhibits related to the history and layout of the ship, before walking out onto the deck. Once on board, it’s possible to walk from one end to the other, climb the stairs to several upper levels, and explore a large part of Wisconsin on a self-guided tour.
On the seafront of the city center in Nauticus, the Victory Rover Cruise Ship is a great way to explore the area by sea. You will pass many interesting tourist attractions in the naval hampton roads area with this cruise ship, there are Portsmouth Coast Guard Station, shipyards, downtown Norfolk, Portsmouth Naval Hospital, and Norfolk Naval Station, and many impressive place around Hampton Roads naval area. This station is the largest of its kind in the world that is why you should not miss the rare opportunity to see this amazing station with your own eyes.
The 150 passenger boat has an open upper level and a closed cabin with air conditioner then the snack bar always provides food and beverages to passenger, so you don’t need to worry if you run out of snacks. Cruise ships operate regularly from March to November, with limited shipping in December.
Next, there is The MacArthur Memorial honors Douglas MacArthur, a US general and United States Army Chief of Staff, as well as Americans who served in the Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II, Japanese Occupation and the Korean War. The Memorial is housed in a grand old court building, but this complex consists of both a memorial building and a large visitor center located next to it. There are tombs of General and Mrs. MacArthur in the center of the building just below the large dome, precisely in the Memorial Building which full of historical value. Galleries at the main and upper levels are organized by year and MacArthur’s chronic life and events over a period of time.
The Definition of Hampton Roads
The name Hampton Roads refers to an area in Virginia, US, which encompasses a body of water as well as the metropolitan areas surrounding it located in Southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina. Areas within this region cover places such as Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA—NC metropolitan areas, extending to also include a Combined Statistical Area that contains Elizabeth City, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, and Kill Devil Hills. The diversity and stability of the economy in the region is supported by its beaches, an extensive waterfront property, coal piers, shipyards, an ice-free harbor, and the presence of military base.
The Hampton Roads body of water is recorded as being one of the largest natural harbors in the world. The body of water occupies an area that includes the James River, Nansemond River, and Elizabeth River. Smaller rivers also exist within the area, all of which empty into the nearby Chesapeake Bay, which in turn leads to the Atlantic Ocean.
The land area of the region consists of some cities, counties, and towns, all of which situated on the Virginia Peninsula in South Hampton Roads. Areas that are further away from the harbor may or may not count as part of the Hampton Roads, depending on the definition used.
As an example from for economic purposes, the MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) of Hampton Roads is defined by only to counties situated at northeastern North Carolina and two counties situated at the Middle Peninsula of Virginia. The area of Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA—NC MSA consists of more than 1.7 million people.
This makes the area the 37th largest in the US in terms of population number. The CSA (combined statistical area) of Hampton Roads consists of four more counties in North Carolina. With this, the entire area has a total of more than 1.8 million people, pushing it to become the 32nd largest CSA in the country in terms of population number.
Some Little Facts about the Hampton Roads
The area of Hampton Roads is a place filled with a number of attraction and historical sites. The harbor located in this area has been the most important thing that contributes to the growth of the area, in terms of both water-related events and activities. The harbor (and the tributaries originating from it) may be an important conduit for transportation but it also poses a challenge on both travel and commerce that are more land-based. Due to this fact, constructing and managing infrastructure capable enough of supporting transportation is an obstacle to overcome in the area for a long time.
One of the biggest efforts to counter problems caused by the harbor is the HRBT (Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel) and the MMMBT (Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge). In the Hampton Roads Beltway interstate, the two are the largest harbor crossings. The two bridges serve as connectors of Hampton Roads’ large population centers. The HRTA (Hampton Roads Transportation Authority) was established in 2007. This organization sought to help improve transportation in the area. It was, however, founded under a controversial state law. The law in question was intended to establish a variety of more taxes, tolls, and fees in order to generate funding for major transportation projects in the region. Included in the plan was the third bridge of Hampton Roads that was too costly.
Cities located in the Hampton Roads region are not counted as being in counties. They exist independently of one another. The Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) of Hampton Roads consists of 5 counties and 9 cities in Virginia and 2 counties in North Carolina. A census held by in 2010 showed that the entire area has a population number of 1,676,822. The number is expected to rise in 2014 to 1,716,624. The Hampton Roads is one of the areas in the US with the largest population.
Understanding More about Hampton Roads
To best define what Hampton Roads is, the definition used by the US Census Bureau can be referred to. The Bureau determines that the area consists of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Newport News within the VA—NC MSA. This region comprises of 16 jurisdictions of county-level. In Virginia, there are 5 counties and nine independent cities while in North Carolina, there are two counties included in the MSA. However, the definition that the locals use to determine the borders of this region does not truly in line with what the Bureau defines. The metropolitan areas within the region are what commonly and collectively referred to as Hampton Roads.
The VA-NC MSA comprises of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Newport News. This statistical area has a population of 1,676,822 according to a 2010 census. The population number is expected to rise to 1,716,624 in 2014. A constitutional change was implemented in 1871 and stated that all Virginian cities are independent, placing all of them outside counties. These independent cities are to be regarded as the equivalent of counties in order that the definition of MSA can be best determined. Areas constituting the VA—NC MSA is shared between Virginia and North Carolina.
The areas in Virginia consist of 5 counties and 9 cities namely Gloucester County, Isle of Wight County, James City County, Mathews County, York County, City of Chesapeake, City of Hampton, City of Newport News, City of Norfolk, City of Poquoson, City of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk, City of Virginia Beach, and City of Williamsburg. The other areas in North Carolina consist of two counties namely Currituck County and Gates County. Towns or other areas surrounding these MSAs are still colloquially referred to as part of Hampton Roads—especially by locals, but legally they do not count as such.
The Evolution of the Hampton Roads Area
The metropolitan area of Hampton Roads was originally referred to as the Norfolk-Portsmouth Metropolitan Statistical Area in 1950. Per this definition, the area comprised of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and South Norfolk independent cities as well as Norfolk and Princess Anne counties. Virginia Beach then separated itself from Princess Anne County in 1952. In 1963, Virginia Beach and Princess Anne County merged once again, with the entire area changing its name to the city of Virginia Beach. The city obtained the MSA status in the same year but Norfolk relinquished its metropolitan status. The county of Norfolk and the city of South Norfolk merged, forming Chesapeake City.
The City of Chesapeake obtained its MSA status in 1970 and Virginia Beach became a major city. The county of Currituck in North Carolina obtained its MSA status in 1973. The Newport News-Hampton Metropolitan Area (consisting of Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, Williamsburg cities and Gloucester, James City, York counties) was merged with the Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Portsmouth MSA, forming the Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News MSA. Surry, Mathews, and Isle of Wight counties joined the MSA in 1993. Virginia Beach was designated the MSA’s primary city in 2010 despite having surpassed Norfolk as the largest city in 1990.
The Census of 2010 resulted in the removal of Surry County and the inclusion of Gates County in North Carolina. The Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA—NC Combined Statistical Area, on the other hand, adds three more counties in the Elizabeth City, North Carolina namely Pasquotank County, Perquimans County, and Camden County. It also adds the Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina with one county, Dare County. The total population number of this Combination Statistical Area was 1,779,243 according to a census. With a growth of 1.74%, the total population number in this area is expected to rise to 1,810,266 in 2013.
Observing the Origin of the Term Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is a term that is centuries-old. The designation came from a time in the past when the area was still an English outpost, about 4 centuries ago.
The word Hampton was assigned to commemorate Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, the owner of the Company in London and an avid advocate of the colonization of Virginia. Elizabeth Cittie was established as the area’s administrative center in its early years, named after Princess Elizabeth, King James I’s daughter. The Cittie was formally designated as so by the Virginia Company in 1619. A small town in the middle of Elizabeth Cittie came to be known as Hampton while the waterway near it was designated as Hampton Creek or Hampton River.
The Earl of Southampton is also referred to in the northern area of the bay (known as the Eastern Shore today). This area was named Northampton while Southampton encompasses area south of the James River. These names are still in use up until this day. The origin of the word Roads is more technical in nature.
The word is a shortened version of roadstead, which means a port’s safety. In relation to a body of water, the word means an area of water near a shore that is partly sheltered where vessels can safely ride at anchor. The Virginia General Assembly put the name Hampton Roads on record in 1755. It determined that the term refers to a channel that links the Chesapeake Bay with Nansemond River, Elizabeth River, and James River. Hampton Roads is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. This is due to its being the US northernmost East Coast port but is still ice-free throughout the year. The area also has another nickname to it, the Tidewater Virginia, but the name Hampton Roads sticks to it the most.
Transportation in Hampton Roads
Seen from historic perspective, the growth of Hampton Roads can be attributed to the harbor. The presence of this harbor offers both benefit and obstacle: It plays a main role in being a transportation conduit and it poses challenges for land-based commerce and travel. These challenges, however, were finally overcome over time. As the region becomes urbanize over time, transportation challenges also increase. Additional traffic needs also rise up.
Transportation challenges continue of being present in the 21st century with the existence of conflicts between land-based travel and traffic on waterways. The preexisting infrastructure planning can be found at site, it has been aged significantly and there was no sufficient funding that can be allocated to either repair or replace said infrastructure. Both the Kings Highway in Suffolk and the Jordan Bridge near the Chesapeake were built in the 1920s and were now closed, serving themselves as examples of how transportation infrastructure in Hampton Roads needs upgrading. The HRTA (Hampton Roads Transportation Authority) was founded in 2007. It brought with it controversial additional taxes which were meant to support funding for transportation projects. Said projects include the James River Bridge, Monitor-Merrimac Bridge Tunnel, and the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, all of which were thought to be too costly.
Newport News’ Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport and Norfolk’s Norfolk International Airport serve passengers coming from Hampton Roads. The former is the Virginia Peninsula’s primary airport. Said Airport saw growth in 2011, turning it into one of the country’s fastest growing airports. By 2012, however, the Airport suffered from massive declines in passenger service, leading to layoffs of many of its staff. The Norfolk International Airport houses seven airlines providing services to 25 destinations nonstop. The Hampton Roads Executive Airport is the 3rd busiest General Aviation airport in the state of Virginia. The Chesapeake Regional Airport provides similar services as the previous.
Northeast Regional trains to Norfolk, Williamsburg, and Newport News stations are provided by Amtrak. The lines run to the west toward Richmond and to the north toward Washington D.C. as well as other cities north of Boston. Norfolk and Newport News stations are connected by buses and the two stations are also connected to Virginia Beach. Greyhound Lines provides intercity bus service. Stations are located in Norfolk, Hampton, and Newport News. Within Hampton Roads, transportation is provided by Hampton Roads Transit. Williamsburg Area Transit Authority operates local routes to Williamsburg, James City, as well as to upper York County.
A Glimpse into the Hampton Roads
The term Hampton Roads refers to two different things located within the same area in the States: a Virginian body of water and the metropolitan area surrounding it—which encompasses parts of Southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina. Hampton Roads stretches across Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC metropolitan area, and through an extension of Combined Statistical Area, which comprises NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, Kill Devil Hills, and Elizabeth City. The area of Hampton Roads is perhaps famous for the presence of military base, harbor that is free of ice, waterfront property that stretches for miles, beaches, coal piers, and shipyards. These features make up the stability and diversity of economy within the region. The body of water, which is referred to as Hampton Roads as well, is said to be one of the largest natural harbors in the world. The body of water is supplied by the Elizabeth River, James River, and Nansemond River, in addition to some rivers of smaller size. This collection of water then empties out into the Chesapeake Bay, which in turn leads to the Atlantic Ocean. Towns, counties, and cities on the Virginia Peninsula and in the South Hampton Roads make up the land area of the region.
Other areas that are further away from the harbor could or could not be said to be part of the Hampton Roads. It all goes back to the purpose. For instance, in terms of federal economic purposes, the metropolitan statistical area of Hampton Roads may include two North Carolina counties as well as another two counties within the Middle Peninsula of Virginia. The Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News of the VA-NC MSA is the 37th largest metropolitan area in the US with more than 1.7 million people it has. When the Combined Statistical Area counts another four counties in North Carolina, the number goes up to more than 1.8 million residents, making the CSA the 32nd largest in the US.
There are numerous attractions and historical sites within the area. The Hampton Roads owes its growth to the harbor. However, while the harbor holds an important role in transportation, it poses a number of obstacles when it comes to development of land-based transportation. It has been a major challenge to create and maintain sufficient infrastructure in the area. Both the HRBT (Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel) and the MMMBT (Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel) are two major harbors that cross the interstate of Hampton Roads Beltway.
A Historical Background of the Hampton Roads
The English Captain Christopher Newport landed at Cape Henry (present-day Virginia Beach City) in 1607. The landing of this first colonist was referred to as the ôFirst Landingö. These colonists, however, moved from the area toward the upriver region to look for another place that is more defensible as the Spanish had also established the Ajacan Mission, a failed settlement effort on the Virginia Peninsula. The colonists settled on Jamestown Island on May 14, 1607 when they were done exploring the James River. However, as the site was marshy and low, it was unhealthy. Most of the constituents of the colonists died before Lord De La Warr, the new Governor, arrived. The new Governor came with John Rolfe, the person who would be responsible for the founding of the Virginia tobacco industry. The Hampton Roads soon became a popular location for commerce and shipbuilding. When the Old Point Comfort was fortified in 1610s and the Gosport Navy Yard was established in 1767, the Hampton Roads also became a prime site for military installations. Hampton Roads was also the site where the first naval action of the War of 1812 took place; a Royal Naval was captured by the American Privateer Dash. New fortifications, namely with Fort Wool and Fort Monroe, guarded the entrance from Chesapeake Bay, supervised by Robert E. Lee.
When the American Civil War occurred, the port was the setting for the historic Battle of Hampton Roads between the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor in 1862. While the battle ended in an inconclusive outcome, the lower James River, Norfolk, and Hampton Roads were taken over by the Union forces. Strong battery from the Confederation forced the Union forces to move upstream. Fort Monroe at the Chesapeake Bay was the site of the launching of Union General George McClellan’s army up the Virginia Peninsula.
In 1907, the Jamestown Exposition was held at Sewell’s Point in Norfolk County. This event was held to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in 1607. President Theodore Roosevelt arrived in the Hampton Roads harbor as well as other famous people including Henry Rogers and Mark Twain. Sewell’s Point was a rural area until 1917 when it was made into the worldÆs largest Naval Base during the WWI. This location is known today as the Naval Station Norfolk. A large portion of the land in the port was converted into US Naval Weapons Station Yorktown.
The Evolution of the Hampton Roads Area
The Hampton Roads is a term that refers to a region that comprises many areas in both the states of Virginia and North Carolina. In Virginia, these areas are Gloucester County, Isle of Wight County, James City County, Mathews County, York County, City of Chesapeake, City of Hampton, City of Newport News, City of Norfolk, City of Poquoson, City of Portsmouth, City of Suffolk, City of Virginia Beach, and City of Williamsburg. In North Carolina, they are Currituck County and Gates County. The Hampton Roads metropolitan area was originally referred to as the Norfolk-Portsmouth Metropolitan Statistical Area in 1950. By this definition, the area encompassed cities such as South Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Norfolk as well as counties as Princess Anne and Norfolk. Virginia Beach parted from Princess Anne County in 1952. But in 1963, the Princess Anne County and the Virginia Beach merged again and retained the name Virginia Beach. In the same year, South Norfolk City and Norfolk County merged and the merger was named as the city of Chesapeake.
The Virginia Beach became a primary city in 1970 while the Chesapeake City was included into the MSA. The County of Currituck County, North Carolina was included as part of the MSA in 1973. The name Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News MSA was granted to a region encompassing 4 cities and 3 counties in 1983. The counties of Isle of Wight, Mathews, and Surry were included as part of the MSA in 1993. By 1990, Virginia Beach had passed Norfolk and was the largest city in Virginia State but it was only made the primary city in 2010. Gates County, North Carolina was included as part of the MSA while Surry County, Virginia was out following the Census of 2010.
The same Census of 2010 also showed that the region has a population of 1,676,822 residents. This number, however, is expected to raise in 2014 to 1,716,624 residents. The Hampton Roads was a name given to the area when it was still a struggling English post, around 400 years ago. The name itself was given to honor Henry Wriosthesley, the 3rd Earl of Southampton and one of the founders of the Virginia Company. The Earl was also one of the supporters of the Virginia’s colonization.
Elizabeth City was the areaÆs administrative center in the past, named in honor of Princess Anne, the daughter of King James I. At the heart of the City was a town then named Hampton and the river near the town was named Elizabeth River.