The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The York River is a navigable Estuary, approximately 40 mi (64 km long in eastern Virginia in the United States. The James River in the US state of Virginia is a long River, including its Jackson River source Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest Estuary in the United States.
Hampton Roads is the common name for the metropolitan area that surrounds the body of water of the same name. Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. The land portion of Hampton Roads has been historically divided into two regions, the Virginia Peninsula or Peninsula on the north side, and South Hampton Roads on the south side. South Hampton Roads, also known as Southside, is a region located in the extreme southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States. (Locally, South Hampton Roads is commonly called the Southside, which is not to be confused with Southside Virginia, which is a separate region of the south central portion of Virginia located farther inland. ) More recently, the metropolitan area has expanded to include the two southernmost counties of the Middle Peninsula, across the York River from the Virginia Peninsula. The Middle Peninsula is as its name implies the middle of three major Peninsulas on the western shore of The York River is a navigable Estuary, approximately 40 mi (64 km long in eastern Virginia in the United States.
The Virginia Peninsula is part of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) with a population about 1. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News VA-NC MSA is a US Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced 6 million. The Hampton Roads MSA is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the southeastern United States and the largest between Washington, D. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News VA-NC MSA is a US Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget C. , and Atlanta, Georgia.
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History
The Virginia Peninsula is rich in colonial American history. Currier and Ives was an American Printmaking firm headed by Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888 and James Merritt Ives (1824–1895 and based in The first permanent English settlement in North America was established in 1607 at Jamestown. Jamestown, located on Jamestown Island in the Virginia Colony, was founded on May 14 1607 The first continuously occupied settlement was at Kecoughtan in Elizabeth City County what is now the City of Hampton. Kecoughtan in Virginia was originally named Kikotan (also spelled Kiccowtan Kikowtan as well as Kecoughtan presumably a word for the Native Americans living there Elizabeth City County was a County in southeastern Virginia from 1634 to 1952 Hampton is an Independent city in Virginia, and therefore not part of any Virginia county Nearby, Fort Monroe, the country's oldest military base still in use is located at Old Point Comfort. Fort Monroe (also known as Fortress Monroe) is a Hampton Virginia, military installation located at Old Point Comfort, which is on the tip of the Old Point Comfort is a point of land located in the Independent city of Hampton at the extreme tip of the Virginia Peninsula at the mouth of After declaring independence from Great Britain, Virginia's first state capital was Williamsburg; much of the historic district of that city has been restored as Colonial Williamsburg. Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia Colonial Williamsburg' is the historic district of the Independent city of Williamsburg Virginia. Also, the decisive battle of the American Revolution, the siege of Yorktown in 1781, took place on the Virginia Peninsula. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Siege of Yorktown or Battle of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common
During the American Civil War (1861–1865), the Union Army invaded the Virginia Peninsula as part of the Peninsula Campaign in 1862 to capture Richmond. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. The Peninsula Campaign (also known as the Peninsular Campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Battle of Hampton Roads between the first ironclad warships took place near the mouth of the James River off the eastern tip of Warwick County. The Battle of Hampton Roads, often called the Battle of Monitor and Merrimack, was a An ironclad was a steam-propelled Warship of the later 19th century protected by Iron or Steel armor plates Warwick County was a County in Virginia which was consolidated with the city of Newport News in 1958 The 1862 Siege of Yorktown took place along the York River. The Battle of Yorktown or Siege of Yorktown was fought from April 5 to May 4, 1862, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the The world's largest shipyard is located in Newport News, adjacent to the coal piers first established by Collis P. Huntington and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in 1881. Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River A coal pier is a Transloading facility designed for the transfer of Coal between rail and ship Collis Potter Huntington ( April 16 or October 22 1821 – August 13 1900) was one of The Big Four of western railroading (along with The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from many smaller railroads begun in the 19th century
In the 20th century, during the two world wars, massive military facilities were established on large reservations which today contain Fort Eustis, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, and Camp Peary. Fort Eustis is a United States Army military installation located in Newport News Virginia. Naval Weapons Station Yorktown is a United States Navy base in York County and James City County in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia Camp Peary is a military reservation in York County near Williamsburg Virginia. Entire communities including the lost towns of Lackey, Penniman, and Magruder disappeared in the process, with many Virginians from these and Mulberry Island relocated elsewhere. Lost counties cities and towns of Virginia are those which formerly existed in the English Colony of Virginia, or the Commonwealth of Virginia after it became a state Lackey (also known locally in its heyday as "the Reservation" was a small unincorporated community near Yorktown in York County, Virginia Penniman was an unincorporated town in northwestern York County, on the south bank of the York River six miles (10 km northeast of Williamsburg Magruder was a small unincorporated town in Virginia near Williamsburg in York County. Mulberry Island is located along the James River in southeastern Virginia at the confluence of the Warwick River on the Virginia Peninsula.
Local government
In Colonial times, and even in the first 150 years of the United States, much like Virginia as a whole, the Virginia Peninsula was in an almost constant state of change in terms of local government, largely due to growth, as counties were divided and towns were formed as the population grew. Some towns grew to become cities. Under the state constitutional changes in 1871, extant and future cities in Virginia became independent cities of the counties they had formerly been located within. Year 1871 ( MDCCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common An independent city is a City that does not form part of another general-purpose Local government entity
However, in the second half of the 20th century, an unprecedented wave of city-county-town local government consolidations took place in South Hampton Roads and on the Virginia Peninsula. Nowhere else in Virginia have rural areas and more dense cities been combined in such a manner as these two areas. The changes resulted in the two areas having Virginia's cities with the largest land areas and the most farming, even over 30 years after the consolidations in some instances.
- See also: Seven Cities of Hampton Roads
Current cities, counties and towns
The Virginia Peninsula subregion includes four independent cities and two counties. The Seven Cities of Hampton Roads are seven independent cities located in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia in the United States An independent city is a City that does not form part of another general-purpose Local government entity There are currently no incorporated towns. There were also a number of political subdivisions which are now extinct, primarily due to both growth of communities and consolidation of local government (see section below).
Independent cities
Counties
Extinct political subdivisions
Many incorporated (formally constituted) localities have become legally extinct, though most have not been abandoned by their citizens, with the notable exception of Jamestown. Hampton is an Independent city in Virginia, and therefore not part of any Virginia county Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River Poquoson (pəˈkoʊsən is an Independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula, in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia James City County (formally the County of James City) is a county located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region of the York County is a county located on the north side of the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region of the Commonwealth of Virginia Exclusive of towns which became cities and still have the same name, no less than 4 shires, 2 counties, 4 towns, and 1 city no longer exist in the Virginia Peninsula area, at least not under their earlier names. For searches of genealogical, land title, and other historical records, it is very helpful to know these old names.
The following is a listing of these 11 extinct shire, counties, towns, and cities, with the approximate dates they existed:
- 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)
- Elizabeth City County (1643-1952)
- Warwick County (aka Warwick River County) (1643-1952)
- Town of Phoebus(1900-1952) (earlier known as unincorporated towns of Millwood, Roseland Farms,Chesapeake City), became part of City of Hampton
- City of Warwick (1952-1958), became part of City of Newport News
Major bridges, bridge tunnels, ferry system
Generally surrounded by water, the Virginia Peninsula is linked to other areas across the surrounding water barriers of the James and York Rivers, and the harbor of Hampton Roads by 2 bridge-tunnels, 2 large drawbridges, and a state-operated ferry system. Jamestown, located on Jamestown Island in the Virginia Colony, was founded on May 14 1607 Kecoughtan in Virginia was originally named Kikotan (also spelled Kiccowtan Kikowtan as well as Kecoughtan presumably a word for the Native Americans living there Middle Plantation in the Virginia Colony, was an unincorporated town originally established in 1632 Elizabeth City Shire was one of eight shires created in colonial Virginia in 1634. Warwick River Shire was one of eight shires created in colonial Virginia in 1634. Charles River Shire was one of eight Shires of Virginia created in the Virginia Colony in 1634. James City Shire was formed in the British colony of Virginia in 1634. Elizabeth City County was a County in southeastern Virginia from 1634 to 1952 Warwick County was a County in Virginia which was consolidated with the city of Newport News in 1958 Phoebus was an Incorporated town located in Elizabeth City County on the Virginia Peninsula in eastern Virginia Warwick is an extinct Independent city which was located in the State of Virginia in the United States from 1952 until 1958 The James River in the US state of Virginia is a long River, including its Jackson River source York River can refer to In the United States The York River (Virginia The York River (Maine In Canada Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. A bridge is a Structure built to span a Gorge, Valley, Road, railroad track, River, Body of water A tunnel is an underground passageway The definition of what constitutes a tunnel is not universally agreed upon A drawbridge is a type of Movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a Castle. See also Merchant ship A ferry is a form of transport usually a Boat or Ship, used to carry (or ferry) passengers and These are:
- Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel
- Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel
- James River Bridge
- George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge
- Jamestown Ferry
Interstate Highways
U. The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT is the -long (56 km Hampton Roads crossing for Interstate 64 and U Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (MMMBT is the 46 mile-long (7 The James River Bridge is a four-lane Divided highway Lift bridge across the James River in the U The George P Coleman Memorial Bridge (known locally as simply the Coleman Bridge) is a Swing bridge that spans the York River between Gloucester County The Jamestown Ferry (also known as the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry) is an automobile and bus Ferry service across a navigable portion of the James River in Interstate 64 in Virginia runs west to east through the middle of the state from West Virginia to the Hampton Roads region a total of 298 miles Interstate 664 ( I-664) is an Interstate Highway in the US state of Virginia, forming part of the Hampton Roads Beltway. The Hampton Roads Beltway is a loop of Interstate 64 and Interstate 664, which links the communities of the Virginia Peninsula and South Hampton Roads S. and State Routes
- U.S. Route 17
- U.S. Route 60
- U.S. Route 258
- State Route 5
- State Route 31
- State Route 32
- State Route 134
- State Route 143
- State Route 199 (Humelsine Parkway)
Scenic, low speed parkways
U. US Route 17 in Virginia runs north-south through the eastern part of the state serving the Hampton Roads area and Fredericksburg before ending US Route 60 in Virginia runs 312 miles west to east through the central part of the state generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor US Route 258 runs northeast-southwest (signed north-south in the southeast part of the U State Route 5 runs between the independent cities of Richmond and Williamsburg in the U State Route 31, known as the John Rolfe Highway, is located in the eastern part of the state and connects U State Route 32 is a primary State highway in the US state of Virginia, located in the eastern part of the state State Route 134 is a primary State highway in the Virginia Peninsula region of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States. State Route 143 is a primary State highway in the Virginia Peninsula region of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States. State Route 199 is a primary State highway in and near Williamsburg Virginia, United States. Colonial Parkway is a scenic 23-mile (37 km Parkway linking the three popular attractions of Virginia's Historic Triangle of colonial-era communities Jamestown S. military installations
The Virginia Peninsula is home to several military bases. The United States Armed Forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States
City of Hampton
Fort Monroe and Langley Air Force Base are located in Hampton. Fort Monroe (also known as Fortress Monroe) is a Hampton Virginia, military installation located at Old Point Comfort, which is on the tip of the Langley Air Force Base is located three Nautical miles (6 km) north of the Central business district of the city of Hampton, Virginia The now-decommissioned Fort Wool, located on a man made island called Rip Raps across the mouth of Hampton Roads from Fort Monroe, is also in Hampton. Fort Wool (originally named Fort Calhoun was the companion to Fort Monroe in protecting Hampton Roads from seafaring threats Rip Raps is a small 15 acre (60000 m² artificial Island at the mouth of the harbor area known as Hampton Roads in the independent city of Hampton in
City of Newport News
Fort Eustis, home of the U.S. Army Transportation Corps is in Newport News. Fort Eustis is a United States Army military installation located in Newport News Virginia. A major military contractor, Northrop Grumman Newport News, is also in Newport News. Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding ( NGS) formerly called Northrop Grumman Newport News ( NGNN) or Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
York County
York County is home to the U. S. Navy's Yorktown Naval Weapons Station and a supply depot at nearby Cheatham Annex. Naval Weapons Station Yorktown is a United States Navy base in York County and James City County in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia Camp Peary is also located in York County. Camp Peary is a military reservation in York County near Williamsburg Virginia.
James City County
Although each is primarily located in other jurisdictions, portions of Fort Eustis, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Cheatham Annex, and Camp Peary extend into James City County.
See also
- Historic Triangle
- Colonial Williamsburg
- Jamestown Festival Park (1957-present)
- Battle of Hampton Roads
- Jamestown Exposition (1907)
- Mariners' Museum
- Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
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