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85-778: Beginning in the 1940s the ferry began accommodating vehicles as well as passengers, with the service then linking the Ocean Highway , a major coastal route. The service was acquired by an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1954, ceased operations in April 1964, and was replaced by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel . During its peak, the Little Creek Ferry operated 90 one-way trips each day with seven vessels. The southern terminus of

170-766: A Virginia public service company . The PRR offered passenger-freight & auto ferriage between the Brooke St Terminal in Norfolk, Virginia - Old Point Comfort in Hampton, Virginia & Cape Charles, Virginia, a 36 miles (58 km) run. This operation was terminated by the PRR on February 28, 1953. Amid dissatisfaction with the VFC operations in 1954, by act of the Virginia General Assembly ,

255-738: A Norfolk address. NAS Oceana is the largest employer in Virginia Beach; it was decreed by the 2005 BRAC Commission that NAS Oceana must close unless the city of Virginia Beach condemns houses in areas designated as "Accident Potential Zones." This action has never been the position of the United States Navy; indeed, the Navy had not recommended NAS Oceana to the BRAC Commission for potential closure. Both NAS Oceana and Training Support Center Hampton Roads are considered to be

340-621: A RO/RO ferry at Norfolk Shipbuilding & Drydock in 1959. Due to lack of patronage the Old Point Comfort-Kiptopeke route was terminated in September 1960, one month before the first pile was driven for the CBBT. The CBFD could operate seven vessels during peak times of the year carrying 636 autos of that time on a one-way trip. They ranged from 300 feet in length to 376 feet and averaged between 12 and 14 knots in speed,

425-468: A household was $ 83,245, with family households having a median income of $ 103,451 and non-family households $ 54,258. The per capita income was $ 44,287. Out of the 447,930 people with a determined poverty status, 10.0% were below the poverty line . Further, 14.4% of minors and 8.8% of seniors were below the poverty line. In the survey, residents self-identified with various ethnic ancestries. People of English descent made up 11.7% of

510-529: A hub of international commerce, as nearly 200 foreign firms have established a presence, an office location or their North American headquarters in Hampton Roads. Twenty internationally based firms have their U.S. or North American headquarters in Virginia Beach, including companies like Stihl , London Bridge Trading Company , Busch Vacuum Solutions, IMS Gear , and Sanjo Corte Fino. Other major companies headquartered in Virginia Beach include Amerigroup ,

595-644: A leading citizen of the area. In 1629, he was elected to the House of Burgesses for Elizabeth Cittie [ sic ], one of four "cities" (or incorporations) which were subdivided areas established in 1619. In 1634, the Colony was divided into the original eight shires of Virginia , soon renamed as counties . Thoroughgood is credited with using the name of his home in England when helping name " New Norfolk County " in 1637. The following year, New Norfolk County

680-400: A male householder with no partner present, and 28.1% had a female householder with no partner present. The median household size was 2.49 and the median family size was 3.08. The age distribution was 21.7% under 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37.8 years. The median income for

765-536: A man-made harbor using nine concrete surplus ships from WWII. This shortened the crossing from 26 miles to 21 miles, cutting 20 minutes in the actual crossing time. The first crossing from Kiptopeke was made by the SS PRINCESS ANNE on May 1 1950. A fifth vessel was added in 1951, the MV ACCOMAC, a)SS Virginia LEE, b)MV Holiday. Built in 1928 she is 300 feet (LOA). In April 1954 the SS PRINCESS ANNE

850-442: A motor vehicle-passenger ferry service between Little Creek and Cape Charles on April 1, 1933 paralleling the existing Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) carfloat route (operated by the PRR subsidiary, NYP&N RR Ferry) between Little Creek and Cape Charles. On May 1, 1950, the ferry route was changed from Cape Charles to the newly formed artificial Harbor at Kiptopeke Beach . The VFC was a 50/50 Wilson Line & Pennsylvania RR venture,

935-502: A municipal parking lot and potential future development. Real estate, defense, and tourism are major sectors of the Virginia Beach economy. Many local public and private groups have maintained a vested interest in real-estate redevelopment, resulting in a number of joint public-private projects, such as commercial parks. Examples of the public-private development include the Virginia Beach Convention Center,

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1020-534: A new crossing between Lewes, DE & North Cape May, NJ. Only one of the old ferry fleet is still in operation and that is the c)MV VIRGINIA BEACH now operating for the Cross Sound Ferry (CSF) between New London, CT & Orient Point, NY under the name d)Cape Henlopen, c)Virginia Beach, b) USS Buncombe County LST-510, a)USS LST-510. The Virginia Dept. of Highways has carried the Pocahontas name on to

1105-410: A popular vacation spot. Virginia Beach gained status as an independent city in 1952, although ties remained between it and Princess Anne County. In 1963, after voters in the two jurisdictions passed a supporting referendum, and with the approval of the Virginia General Assembly , the two political subdivisions were consolidated as a new, much larger independent city, retaining the better-known name of

1190-606: A second route being established required another vessel and another US Navy LST was converted into RO/RO ferry at Newport News Shipbuilding in 1957. She is the MV OLD POINT COMFORT, a) USS LST-970, b) MV Albany. The OLD Point COMFORT reestablished ferry service to Old Point Comfort on February 15 1958. In 1959 another US Navy surplus LST was purchased to become the MV VIRGINIA BEACH, a)USS LST-510, b)USS Buncombe County LST-510. Converted into

1275-546: Is humid subtropical ( Köppen : Cfa ). For the Trewartha climate classification the climate is the northern limit of Cf ( subtropical ). Much of the year in Virginia Beach is mild to warm. The long summer season from late May through late September is often hot and humid, with frequent (but brief) late day thundershowers. Winters are cool with little frozen precipitation, and snowfall is light. The official weather statistics are recorded at Norfolk International Airport on

1360-464: Is 84 °F (29 °C) from July 1942, while a normal year's warmest night averages 80 °F (27 °C). Additionally, the geographic location of the city, with respect to the principal storm tracks, is especially favorable which is why it has earned the reputation as a vacation destination. It is south of the average path of storms originating in the higher latitudes, and north of the usual tracks of hurricanes and other major tropical storms, with

1445-511: Is summer, specifically July to early September, with August the single wettest month, averaging over 5.5 inches of rain. From October to June, average monthly precipitation is remarkably consistent, ranging between 3.1 and 3.7 inches. Virginia Beach averages 2200 hours of sunshine annually, higher than the USA average. The highest recorded temperature to date was 105 °F (41 °C) in July 2010, and

1530-405: Is the most populated city within the metropolitan area, it functions as a suburb . Virginia Beach is 19 miles (31 km) east of Norfolk, Virginia , 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Chesapeake, Virginia , 208 miles (335 km) south of Washington, D.C. , 107 miles (172 km) southeast of Richmond, Virginia , and 200 miles (320 km) northeast of Raleigh, North Carolina . When

1615-596: Is widespread. Other plants like the Windmill Palm , Sabal palmetto , Butia odorata (in protected locations), and Oleander are successfully grown here while they succumb to the colder winter temperatures to the north and inland to the west. The hardiness zone is 8b along the coast and in Urban areas, and 8a inland and to the northwest. On April 30, 2023, an EF-3 tornado struck the Great Neck neighborhood in

1700-451: The 2010 Census , the racial composition of Virginia Beach was as follows: As of the 2000 Census , there were 425,257 people, 154,455 households, and 110,898 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,712.7 inhabitants per square mile (661.3/km ). There were 162,277 housing units at an average density of 653.6 units per square mile (252.4 units/km ). There were 154,455 households, out of which 38.8% had children under

1785-524: The Association for Research and Enlightenment are based in Virginia Beach. It also hosts the annual East Coast Surfing Championships and Neptune Festival . The city is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the longest pleasure beach in the world. It is located at the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel , which was the world's longest bridge-tunnel complex until

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1870-525: The Christian Broadcasting Network and Operation Blessing International . Other major employers include GEICO , VT and Navy Exchange Service Command . In addition, Virginia Beach is home to a number of small, innovative companies, such as Morphix Technologies , who cater for military industry. In September 2023, it was announced that Amazon will build 2 new operational delivery facilities in Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach

1955-679: The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge opened in 2018. The Chesepian were the historic indigenous people of the area now known as Tidewater in Virginia at the time of European encounter. Little is known about them but archeological evidence suggests they may have been related to the Carolina Algonquian , or Pamlico people. They would have spoken one of the Algonquian languages . These were common among

2040-694: The Mid-Atlantic and the 43rd-most populous city in the U.S . Located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay , Virginia Beach is a principal city in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area which has more than 1.8 million inhabitants and is the 37th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Virginia Beach is a resort city with miles of beaches and hundreds of hotels, motels, and restaurants along its oceanfront . Near

2125-547: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 497 square miles (1,290 km ), of which 249 square miles (640 km ) is land and 248 square miles (640 km ) (49.9%) is water. It is the largest city in Virginia by total area and third-largest city by land area, and by far the largest by water area. The average elevation is 12 feet (3.7 m) above sea level . A major portion of

2210-473: The 1883 arrival of rail service to the coast. The Virginia Beach Hotel was opened and operated by the Norfolk and Virginia Beach Railroad and Improvement Company at the oceanfront, near the tiny community of Seatack . The hotel was foreclosed and the railroad was reorganized in 1887. The hotel was upgraded and reopened in 1888 as the Princess Anne Hotel. In 1891, guests at the new hotel watched

2295-611: The 1950s, and in many states the highways and byways of coastal routes from Florida to North Brunswick still carry the name. Unlike many of the earlier named roads such as the Lincoln Highway , Dixie Highway , and the National Auto Trails , the Ocean Highway was intended to promote tourism and leisurely drives, rather than primarily a fast and expeditious long distance route. Eight states participated in

2380-553: The CBBT was driven in the seabed on October 1, 1960 and the project was completed on April 15, 1964. Princess Anne County consolidated with the City of Virginia Beach less than a year earlier. Ferry riders were able to view the construction for 3.5 years prior to its opening. Ferry operations started with the Virginia ferry Corporation (VFC) on April 1 1933 between Little Creek in Princess Anne County (VA Beach today) and

2465-659: The Chesapeake Bay Ferry District (CBFD) and a related oversight commission were created, initially with the hopes of improving the ferry service. However, the governmental agency was soon authorized to sell toll revenue bonds , acquire the still-operating private Little Creek Ferry and improve existing ferry service. The VFC was sold and its five operating ferries to the Chesapeake Bay Ferry District for $ 13 million on May 17, 1956. The Virginia Department of Transportation automobile-ferry service from Old Point Comfort across Hampton Roads to Willoughby Spit

2550-746: The Chesapeake Bay via the Little Creek Ferry (replaced by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in 1964) to reach Virginia's Eastern Shore , and move north up the Delmarva Peninsula to Maryland and Delaware. After 1964, the former Little Creek Ferry equipment was transferred to the Delaware Bay , and the Cape May-Lewes Ferry was introduced, offering another choice for crossing into New Jersey and following

2635-691: The Del-Mar-Va peninsula. With the opening of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) on November 1 1957, the Willoughby Spit-Old Point Comfort ferry ceased. This left a ferry terminal open for use. The terminal was modified to handle the much larger vessels CBFD fleet. Also in 1957 the SS POCAHONTAS was cut in two with a 76-foot midsection build increasing her length to 376 feet (LOA). With

Little Creek-Cape Charles Ferry - Misplaced Pages Continue

2720-583: The Green Line, an urban growth boundary dividing the urban northern and rural southern sections of the city. Infill and development of residential neighborhoods has placed a number of operating constraints on Naval Air Station Oceana , a major fighter jet base for the U.S. Navy. While the airbase enjoys wide support from Virginia Beach at large, the Pentagon Base Realignment and Closure commission has proposed closure of Oceana within

2805-483: The MV ACCOMAC being the fastest and the LST's being the slowest. They had a full restaurant onboard and from Memorial Day to Labor Day offered moonlight cruises on Wednesday and Saturday nights with a full orchestra on the 8:05PM departures from Little Creek. They operated in extreme weather conditions only stopping for whole gale winds. They would be awash with spray, sometimes green water and numerous passengers seasick. It

2890-727: The Merchant Adventurers Guild of London, he immigrated from Rotterdam of the Netherlands , where he had been in international trade. He settled on land on the north side of the Elizabeth River , east of what developed as Norfolk . Following the increased settlement, in 1691 Lower Norfolk County was divided to form Norfolk and Princess Anne counties. Princess Anne, the easternmost county in South Hampton Roads, extended from Cape Henry at

2975-668: The New World on the mainland, where the southern mouth of the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. They named it Cape Henry, after Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales , the eldest son of King James I of England . These English colonists of the Virginia Company of London moved on from this area, as they were under orders to seek a site further inland, which would be more sheltered from ships of competing European countries. They created their first permanent settlement on

3060-455: The Ocean Highway had five side routes. Side route B ran from Mount Pleasant toward Isle of Palms , side route C connected the road to Folly Beach , side route D ran northwest toward Summerville , side route E connected the route in Adams Run south to Edisto Beach , and side route F ran between Walterboro and Combahee River . In Georgia, side route G ran east to Sea Island . Over

3145-520: The Ocean Highway shifted from US 17 to U.S. Route 13 , and followed that route through Virginia Beach before coming to a ferry across the Chesapeake Bay . From here, the Ocean Highway ran the length of the Eastern Shore of Virginia before coming into Maryland . In Maryland, the Ocean Highway followed US 13 and passed through the city of Salisbury . Continuing into Delaware , the road passed through Dover before coming to Hares Corner , where

3230-696: The Ocean Highway split from US 13 and joined U.S. Route 40 . The Ocean Highway crossed the Delaware River into New Jersey and continued to the northeast on U.S. Route 130 . It passed through the Camden and Trenton areas before ending in North Brunswick . There were several spurs that existed off the main Ocean Highway. In North Carolina, side route A ran from the main road in Elizabeth City east to Hatteras Inlet . In South Carolina,

3315-621: The Oceanfront Hilton Hotel, and the Virginia Beach Town Center . The city assisted in financing the project through the use of tax increment financing: creating special tax districts and constructing associated street and infrastructure to support the developments. The Town Center opened in 2003, with related construction continuing. The Convention Center opened in 2005. The city has begun to run out of clear land available for new construction north of

3400-662: The Peninsula and South Hampton Roads. Eventually, the shortest route, extending between the Eastern Shore and a point in Princess Anne County at Chesapeake Beach (east of Little Creek, west of Lynnhaven Inlet), was selected. An option to also provide a fixed crossing link to Hampton and the Peninsula was not pursued. In August 1960, the District sold US$ 200 million toll revenue bonds and the first pile of

3485-552: The SS MARYLAND back to the PRR. The third new build in 1941 was the 300 feet (LOA) the SS POCAHONTAS. The fourth vessel added in 1948 was the Motor Vessel (MV) NORTHAMPTON, a)USS LST-63, b)HMS LST-63 328 feet (LOA) converted into a roll on/roll off (RO/RO)ferry from a US Navy LST. To lessen crossing time the VFC bought land eight and half miles down the Del-Mar-Va peninsula from Cape Charles at Kiptopeke Beach and created

Little Creek-Cape Charles Ferry - Misplaced Pages Continue

3570-466: The Virginia Beach resort. The Alan B. Shepard Civic Center ("The Dome"), a significant building in the city's history because of the many famous musical acts played there, was constructed in 1958, and was dedicated to the career of former Virginia Beach resident and astronaut Alan Shepard . As the area changed, the Dome was frequently used as a bingo hall. The building was razed in 1994 to make room for

3655-533: The age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.14. The age distribution was 27.5% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

3740-695: The city a murder rate of 2.7 per 100,000 people. For 2007, Virginia Beach had 16 murders, for a murder rate of 3.7 per 100,000 people. That was lower than the national average that year of 6.9. The city's total crime index rate for 2007 was 221.2 per 100,000 people, lower than the national average of 320.9. According to the Congressional Quarterly Press '2008 City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America, Virginia Beach, Virginia ranks 311th in violent crime among 385 cities containing more than 75,000 inhabitants. 34.4% of

3825-648: The city drains to the Chesapeake Bay by way of the Lynnhaven River and its tributaries. The city is located at the southeastern corner of Virginia in the Hampton Roads area bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The Hampton Roads metropolitan area (officially the Virginia Beach–Norfolk–Newport News, VA–NC Metropolitan Statistical Area) is the 37th largest in the United States, with a total population of 1.7 million. While Virginia Beach

3910-411: The city rejected several further development proposals. This rejection was significant from two perspectives. First, cities reject building very rarely, demonstrating the shift in public perception. Second, these rejections led to lawsuits by the developers. The rejection of these lawsuits in the courts provides precedent for other sorts of local climate change adaptation efforts in the future. Discussing

3995-576: The city was 60.3% White, 18.8% Black or African American, 7.2% Asian, 2.9% some other race, 0.3% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 0.3% Native American or Alaskan Native, with 10.3% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 9.0% of the population. Of the 179,752 households, 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.2% had seniors 65 years or older living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 7.1% were couples cohabitating, 18.0% had

4080-437: The city's population is affiliated with religious congregations, compared to the 50.2% nationwide figure. There are 146,402 adherents and 184 different religious congregations in the city: Virginia Beach is composed of a variety of industries, including national and international corporate headquarters, advanced manufacturers, defense contractors and locally owned businesses. The city's location and business climate have made it

4165-574: The city. Farmers are able to sell their goods and products at the city's Farmer's Market. Virginia Beach is home to several United States Military bases. These include the United States Navy 's NAS Oceana and Training Support Center Hampton Roads , and the Joint Expeditionary Base East located at Cape Henry. Additionally, NAB Little Creek is located mostly within the city of Virginia Beach but carries

4250-426: The exception of Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Because of the moderating effects of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Virginia Beach is the northernmost location on the east coast in which many species of plants (both subtropical and tropical) will reliably grow. Spanish moss , for example is near the northernmost limit of its natural range at First Landing State Park , and is the most northerly location where it

4335-464: The extreme northwestern border of Virginia Beach. The mean annual temperature is 59.6 °F (15.3 °C), with an average annual snowfall of 5.8 inches (150 mm) at the airport to around 3.0 inches (76 mm) in the southeastern corner around Back Bay. Average annual precipitation (the large majority rainfall) is high, ranging between 47 inches (1,200 mm) at the airport to over 50 inches (1,300 mm) per year at Back Bay. The wettest season

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4420-525: The feasibility of a fixed crossing of the lower bay. It was determined that a bridge-tunnel complex was feasible. In 1958, the district hired its first executive director, J. Clyde Morris , a long-time governmental manager in Warwick County and the City of Newport News. Soon, steps to consider routing and implementation were underway. Consideration was given to service between the Eastern Shore and both

4505-543: The ferry service in Virginia Beach (originally Princess Anne County) remains accessible today, where it continues to bisect Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek . The original northern terminus in Cape Charles also remains accessible, and these two terminals continue to serve railway barges that ferry rail cars — belonging to Bay Coast Railroad , formerly the Eastern Shore Railroad — across

4590-460: The largest of their respective kind in the world. Furthermore, located in nearby Norfolk is the central hub of the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet , Naval Station Norfolk . 54% of the 171,000 people working in Virginia Beach live in the city, 12% live in Chesapeake, and 10% live in Norfolk. An additional 99,600 people commute from Virginia Beach, with 35% going to Norfolk and 23% going to Chesapeake. Unemployment has been cut almost in half over

4675-414: The largest sub-division in Tidewater when completed, Bay Colony, Bayside , Cape Henry, Chesapeake Beach , Croatan Beach , Great Neck Point , Green Run , Kempsville , Larkspur , London Bridge , Lynnhaven , Newtown, The North End, Oceana , Ocean Park, Pembroke Manor , Princess Anne , Pungo , Red Mill Commons , Sandbridge , Shadowlawn, Thalia, and Thoroughgood. The climate of Virginia Beach

4760-496: The lowest recorded temperature was −3 °F (−19 °C) in January 1985, both being recorded at Norfolk International Airport. The coldest daily maximum on record was 12 °F (−11 °C) in December 1917, whereas the 1991–2020 normals had a coldest maximum average of 29 °F (−2 °C). This means that in spite of the mild normals, most years record at least one ice day, with rare exceptions. Summer nights are sometimes really hot. The all-time record warmest low temperature

4845-561: The matter, Mayor Dyer noted, "It's a confrontation with reality. Not everybody's going to be happy." On May 31, 2019, a shooting occurred at a municipal government building in Virginia Beach. A former employee entered the building and shot indiscriminately, killing 12 people and injuring four others before dying from a gunshot wound fired by responding officers. Virginia Beach is located at 36°51′02″N 75°58′40″W  /  36.8506°N 75.9779°W  / 36.8506; -75.9779  ( Virginia Beach ) . According to

4930-471: The modern city of Virginia Beach was created in 1963, by the consolidation of the 253 square miles (660 km ) Princess Anne County with the 2 square miles (5.2 km ) City of Virginia Beach, the newly larger city was divided into seven boroughs: Bayside, Blackwater, Kempsville, Lynnhaven, Princess Anne, Pungo, and Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach has many distinctive communities and neighborhoods within its boundaries, including: Alanton , Aragona Village,

5015-481: The mouth of the Bay. In 1949, the northern terminus for ferry service was moved from Cape Charles to Kiptopeke where a new pier was completed in 1951 — shortening the 85 minute crossing by 20 minutes. That now defunct terminus with remnants of the original toll booth lie within Kiptopeke State Park , where a sign from the defunct Tourinns Motor Lodge remains near the former toll booth at picnic shelter #2. The newly formed Virginia Ferry Corporation initiated

5100-430: The mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, south to what became the border of the North Carolina colony. It included all of the area fronting the Atlantic Ocean. Princess Anne County was known as a jurisdiction from 1691 to 1963, over 250 years. In the early centuries, this area was rural and developed for plantation agriculture. In the late 19th century, the small resort area of Virginia Beach developed in Princess Anne County after

5185-546: The newest ferry built for the Jamestown-Scotland wharf run on the James R. The old ferry terminal at Kiptopeke is now a state park and most of the old ferrying is still in use for park use. The Little Creek terminal is pretty much gone and what is left is commercial. The ferry service took 85 minutes during clear weather. The SS Delmarva , SS Princess Anne operated out of Cape Charles to Little Creek from about 1933 to 1941. The SS Pocahontas augmented service through 1950, with other ferries following later. The flagship of

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5270-785: The newest of the current ferryboats at the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry on the James River Several of the ferryboats from the defunct Little Creek-Cape Charles service were used to begin the Cape May-Lewes Ferry , which inaugurated service on July 1, 1964 and carried traffic from U.S. Highway 9 across the 17 miles (27 km) mouth of the Delaware Bay between Cape May, New Jersey and Lewes, Delaware . Ocean Highway [REDACTED] I-16 in Savannah, GA [REDACTED] I-26 in Charleston, SC [REDACTED] I-40 in Wilmington, NC [REDACTED] I-64 in Norfolk, VA [REDACTED] US 50 in Salisbury, MD [REDACTED] US 40 in Wilmington, DE [REDACTED] I-76 in Camden, NJ Ocean Highway

5355-412: The next decade. In 2012 a Navy jet that took off from Oceana experienced engine failure and crashed into an apartment complex. This land crunch led to floodplain development. During Hurricane Matthew , the heavy rainfall flooded over 2000 homes and left some neighborhoods with standing water for days. Given the rising risks of flooding due to climate change and the impetus of the hurricane damage,

5440-416: The north side of the James River at Jamestown . Adam Thoroughgood (1604–1640) of King's Lynn , Norfolk , England is one of the earliest Englishmen to settle in this area, which was developed as Virginia Beach. At the age of 18, he had contracted as an indentured servant to pay for passage to the Virginia Colony in the hopes of bettering his life. He earned his freedom after several years and became

5525-495: The northeastern section of the city. It was on the ground from 5:48 to 5:53 PM EST. Miraculously, no one was killed nor injured. It is the strongest tornado on record to hit the city. As of the 2022 American Community Survey estimates, there were 455,618 people and 179,752 households. The population density was 1,861.8 inhabitants per square mile (718.8/km ). There were 191,169 housing units at an average density of 781.2 per square mile (301.6/km ). The racial makeup of

5610-423: The numerous tribes of the coastal area, who made up the loose Powhatan Confederacy , numbering in the tens of thousands in population. The Chesepian occupied an area which is now defined as the independent cities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach. In 1607, after a voyage of 144 days, three ships headed by Captain Christopher Newport , and carrying 105 men and boys, made their first landfall in

5695-405: The oceanfront but also cluster around Virginia Beach Town Center and other parts of the city. Restaurants and entertainment industries also directly benefit from Virginia Beach's tourism. Virginia Beach has a large agribusiness sector which produces $ 80 million for the city economy. One hundred-seventy-two farms exist in Virginia Beach, mostly below the greenline in the southern portion of

5780-482: The oceanfront, opened the route for automobiles , buses , and trucks . The passenger rail service to the oceanfront was eventually discontinued as traffic increased by vehicles. The growing resort of Virginia Beach became an incorporated town in 1906. Over the next 45 years, Virginia Beach continued to grow in popularity as a seasonal vacation spot. The casinos were replaced by amusement parks and family-oriented attractions. In 1927 The Cavalier Hotel opened and became

5865-422: The point where the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean meet, Cape Henry was the site of the first landing of the English colonists who eventually settled in Jamestown ; modern Virginia Beach was established in 1906. It is home to several state parks, protected beaches, and military bases. Virginia Wesleyan University , Regent University , Christian Broadcasting Network , the U.S. headquarters of Stihl , and

5950-417: The population of the town, followed by German at 10.6%, Irish at 9.6%, American at 6.8%, Italian at 5.1%, Sub-Saharan African at 2.4%, Polish at 2.3%, French at 1.9%, Scottish at 1.9%, Scotch-Irish at 0.9%, Caribbean (excluding Hispanics) at 0.8%, Dutch at 0.7%, Swedish at 0.6%, Norwegian at 0.6%, Welsh at 0.5%, Czech at 0.5%, Ukrainian at 0.5%, and Greek at 0.5%. According to

6035-473: The population were below the poverty line , including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over. 7.1% of the people under the age of 65 years are disabled while 8.6% people don't have health insurance. The city of Virginia Beach has a lower crime rate than the other regional cities of Hampton Roads , Newport News , Norfolk , and Portsmouth , which all exceed national average crime rates. In 1999 Virginia Beach experienced 12 murders giving

6120-621: The program at its inception: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. Formed as an opportunity to promote tourism of the various beaches up and down the Atlantic Coast, the Ocean Highway promotions began in the 1930s. The Ocean Highway began in Jacksonville, Florida , where it headed to the north on U.S. Route 17 , following that route until Virginia . It continued from Florida into Georgia and headed toward Savannah . Within

6205-412: The seven-ship fleet, the 367-ft. SS Pocahontas — which reportedly carried a cask containing earth from the grave in England of the legendary Native American Princess Pocahontas — carried 1,200 passengers and 120 vehicles. The six other ferries carried from 68 to 120 cars and up to 1,200 passengers. Service ran hourly until 1 a.m. The Commonwealth of Virginia reused the name "Pocahontas" for

6290-539: The shore points north from the traditional route over the Delaware Memorial Bridge . Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach , officially the City of Virginia Beach , is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census . Located on the southeastern coast of Virginia, it is the sixth-most populous city in

6375-479: The state of South Carolina , the Ocean Highway ran along the state’s coast, passing through Charleston and Myrtle Beach . In North Carolina , the highway served the cities of Wilmington , Jacksonville , New Bern , and Elizabeth City . The Ocean Highway passed through the Great Dismal Swamp on the border of North Carolina and Virginia before reaching the city of Norfolk, Virginia . At this point,

6460-545: The town of Cape Charles. The VFC leased the PRR Steamer SS Maryland and the Carfloat No. 605. The run was across the bay was 26 miles taking 1 hour 45 minutes to cross. The first new build in 1934 for the VFC was the steamer SS DEL-MAR-VA 260 foot Length overall (LOA). She released the Carfloat No. 605 back to the PRR. The second new build in 1936 was the 260 feet (LOA) SS PRINCESS ANNE which released

6545-758: The wreck and rescue efforts of the United States Life-Saving Service for the Norwegian barque Dictator . The ship's figurehead, which washed up on the beach several days later, was erected as a monument to the victims and rescuers. It stood along the oceanfront for more than 50 years. In the 21st century, it inspired the pair of matching Norwegian Lady Monuments , sculpted by Ørnulf Bast and installed in Virginia Beach and Moss, Norway . The resort initially depended on railroad and electric trolley service. The completion of Virginia Beach Boulevard in 1922, which extended from Norfolk to

6630-661: The years, some of the routing has changed. For example, for many years, the routing to the north through Virginia after passing the eastern edge of the Dismal Swamp offered a choice. A westerly track followed U.S. Route 17 , passing through Portsmouth and crossing the James River Bridge and the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge to travel northerly to the west of the Chesapeake Bay , while an eastern alternative used U.S. Route 13 to pass through Norfolk and crossed

6715-403: Was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 95.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 48,705, and the median income for a family was $ 53,242. Virginia Beach had the 5th highest median family income among large cities in 2003. The per capita income for the city was $ 22,365. About 5.1% of families and 8.2% of

6800-602: Was a designation established early in the 20th century for a combination of roadways and water-crossings for motor vehicles which would generally traverse as close as possible to the Atlantic Ocean along the East Coast of the United States from Jacksonville, Florida to North Brunswick, New Jersey . The Ocean Highway concept predated the creation of the Interstate Highway System beginning in

6885-577: Was cut in two and a 90-foot midsection built bringing her length to 350 feet (LOA). Also in April 1955 the SS DEL-MAR-VA was cut in two adding 90 feet in her length to 350 feet (LOA). Up bounds in traffic demanded more than the VFC could provide and the VFC was sold to the Chesapeake Bay Ferry District (CBFD) on May 17 1956. CBFT first order of business was to reestablish a ferry crossing from Old Point Comfort in Hampton VA. (Fort Monroe) to

6970-467: Was like going on a small ocean liner for brief period of time. The cost to cross the bay was in 1962 was $ 3.00 for an automobile and $ .85 per passenger. Today to cross the CBBT is $ 16.00 in the off-season and $ 18.00 during peak season. The SS POCAHONTAS flagship of the fleet made the last crossing on April 15 1964. Five of the ferries were sold to the Delaware River & Bay Authority to start

7055-456: Was ranked at number 45 on Forbes list of best places for business and careers. Tourism produces a large share of Virginia Beach's economy. With an estimated $ 857 million spent in tourism related industries, 14,900 jobs cater to 2.75 million visitors. City coffers benefit as visitors provide $ 73 million in revenue. Virginia Beach opened a Convention Center in 2005 which caters to large group meetings and events. Hotels not only line

7140-570: Was replaced on November 1, 1957 by the new Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel , which followed the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bridge-Tunnel (1952), and was the second bridge-tunnel in Virginia. This stimulated interest in the feasibility of a similar crossing at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. A portion of the bond revenue used to purchase the Virginia Ferry Corporation was set aside to study and determine

7225-531: Was split into Upper Norfolk County (soon renamed Nansemond County ) and Lower Norfolk County . Thoroughgood resided after 1634 was along the Lynnhaven River , named for his home in England. Lower Norfolk County was large when first organized, defined as from the Atlantic Ocean west past the Elizabeth River , encompassing the entire area now within the modern cities of Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach. It attracted many entrepreneurs, including William Moseley with his family in 1648. Belonging to

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