Virginia Beach Virginia History

It was Admiral Christopher Newport who took 30 men ashore in the first landing in the “New World” on April 26, 1607. (Captain John Smith was in chains for inciting mutiny). A few days later, the ship returned to a peninsula at the mouth of the great body of water and the Atlantic Ocean erected a cross; this spot they called Cape Henry (Princess Anne County). The body of water at the entrance they named Chesapeake Bay, a contraction of the name used by the Indians, “Chesepiooc”, meaning Great Shellfish Bay. It would be 14 years before a settlement was established on today’s Virginia Beach. Although there were abundant resources to thrive and very few Indians, development of the settlement was slow. An English adventurer, Adam Thoroughgood, was among the earliest settlers. In 1635 he earned a land grant of over 5,000 acres because he persuaded 105 people to settle in Virginia. In 1792 the Cape Henry Lighthouse was built to guide ships through the bay which had seen many shipwrecks. When the railroad came through in the 1880s, the area became a resort destination with luxury lodgings at the Princess Anne Hotel and the Cavalier Hotel. The Virginia Beach area today is home to four significant military installations: the Oceana Naval Air Station, Little Creek, Fort Story, and Dam Neck. The city’s expansive beaches, cultural venues and historic interest make this a popular vacation center.