History of Chesapeake, Virginia

Chesapeake's history dates back much further than 1963 when Norfolk County and the City of South Norfolk merged to create the new City of Chesapeake. The City's landmarks and communities have a long, varied and interesting history. The first English settlement began around 1620 along the banks of the Elizabeth River. Norfolk County's founding dates back to 1636.

In the early months of the Revolutionary War, in December 1775, British Royal Governor Lord Dunmore moved his forces from Norfolk to Great Bridge (in what is now the center of Chesapeake), where his army entrenched itself to await the arrival of American forces. The two armies clashed on December 9, 1775, in the historic Battle of Great Bridge, just a few hundred yards from where the Chesapeake Municipal Complex stands today. In this brief but decisive battle, the Americans routed Lord Dunmore's forces, which fled to Norfolk and later abandoned that city.

In 1793, work began on the Dismal Swamp Canal, an idea first envisioned by George Washington in 1763, when he visited the area. Because the canal was dug completely by hand, progress was slow and expenses high. The canal finally opened in 1805, but experienced hard times over the years. Completion of the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal in 1858 dealt a serious blow to the Dismal Swamp Canal. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Dismal Swamp Canal is the oldest operating artificial waterway in the country. Both canals are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers which forms part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

The first local encounter of the Civil War occurred at Sewell's Point (Norfolk) in May 1861, but no battles were fought in what is now Chesapeake. When the war ended, Norfolk County took advantage of its abundant natural resources, including coastal location, miles of riverfront, deep water harbors, and fertile, level farmland to recover quickly and move without hesitation into the 20th Century.

While most of the area retained its rural atmosphere through the early 1900's, the northern section near the growing City of Norfolk began to develop as the suburb of South Norfolk. By 1900, South Norfolk had its own waterworks, public schools, and a post office. Two rail lines spurred rapid growth, allowing South Norfolk to incorporate as an independent town in 1919 and a city of the first class, independent of Norfolk County, in 1950.

The area that now comprises the City of Chesapeake grew with residential and commercial development of "community crossroads." These areas are still commonly referred to today with community names such as Pleasant Grove, Great Bridge, Oak Grove, Fentress, South Norfolk, Portlock, Deep Creek, Western Branch, Indian River and Hickory.

During the 1950's, parts of both Norfolk County and South Norfolk were annexed by neighboring cities, affecting approximately 50,000 residents and 30 square miles of land. Under these circumstances, both Norfolk County and South Norfolk officials found it difficult to plan for the future. In the fall of 1961, City and County officials met to discuss the feasibility of a merger. After several weeks of negotiations, both governing bodies approved a merger agreement on December 22, 1961. On February 13, 1962, citizens of both the City of South Norfolk and Norfolk County turned out in near-record numbers for a special election and approved the merger. Later that year, in June, the citizens voted again and selected the name "Chesapeake" for the new city. The area of Norfolk County had originally been referred to as "the Land of the Chesapeake" because it was where the Chesapeake Indians had made their home. The merger became effective January 1, 1963.

Chesapeake's population has grown from approximately 78,000 in 1963 to 207,000 in 2004. Today, Chesapeake is a unique blend of varied neighborhoods, providing its citizens with excellent schools, recreational and cultural facilities and strong municipal leadership as the city continues to grow, preparing to meet the challenges awaiting it in the 21st Century.