About 22 miles long and only 4 miles wide, the area that became Newport News was first settled in 1619. In 1896, that community — the former seat of Warwick County — became the separate city of Newport News. Warwick County was one of the eight original shires formed in 1634 by the House of Burgesses in the British Colony of Virginia by order of King Charles I. The shires later became counties. Today, Newport News remains deeply steeped in history.
The famous "Battle of the Ironclads" — the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia, also known as the Merrimac — took place off the shores of Newport News in 1862. Lee Hall Mansion and the Endview Plantation in north Newport News also account for two of the city's numerous historic landmarks. In 1881, railroad tycoon Collis P. Huntington brought the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad to Newport News and founded the city's shipyard, which remains a major economic engine in Newport News.
The shipyard has built aircraft carriers such as the Enterprise, Kennedy, Washington, Vinson and Roosevelt. It is also the only shipyard in the country to build nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, and one of two that build nuclear-powered submarines.
At the other end of the city, Fort Eustis, formerly Camp Eustis, was named after Brevet Brig. Gen. Abraham Eustis, a veteran of the War of 1812. It was the final major military base during World War I. Surrounding those two historic landmarks, Newport News is in the midst of a continuing transformation.
Today, Newport News finds itself amid dramatic transformations. Major developments that mix housing and retail include:
•Port Warwick
Off Jefferson Avenue, Port Warwick introduced the architectural trend of New Urbanism — a new take on the old, small-town concept of building houses within walking distance of shops and workplaces. It offers upscale eateries, trendy shops, outdoor artwork and new housing.
•City Center
Just across Jefferson from Port Warwick is City Center. With its fountain that hosts the Peninsula's largest fireworks display in Hollydazzle, a hotel and conference center along with restaurants, retailers and housing, City Center is a crown jewel for Newport News. A vibrant nightlife is anticipated with new restaurants and entertainment venues.
NewportNews
Population: 183,005
Area: 69.2 square miles
Incorporated: 1896
Median age: 33.5 years
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