ABOUT OUR CITY
Newport News’ great location and rich history, which begins shortly after the founding of Jamestown, has shaped the city into what it is today. Located on the banks of the Hampton Roads harbor in southeastern Virginia, Newport News is located near Hampton, minutes from Williamsburg and a short drive to Virginia Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. From this central Coastal Virginia location, you can experience ships, history and the great outdoors.
From the landing at Jamestown in 1607 to the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the 1862 Peninsula Campaign where the famous Battle of the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor took place, visitors can step back in time and learn about our nation’s beginning while visiting our region. With the USS Monitor Center, historic homes, battle sites, fortifications, monuments and extraordinary collections of artifacts, history will be at the top of your list! After reliving our nation’s past, come and relax and enjoy one of our many scenic parks filled with every activity imaginable from hiking, camping, fishing, canoeing, golf and more to fun-filled attractions that let you get up close and personal with nature and Virginia’s wildlife. Newport News is also home to Joint Base Langley-Eustis and Christopher Newport University.
The City of Newport News is a Virginia Green Partner and is recognized for its commitment to sustainability and green tourism. This Partner certification marks the City’s commitment to minimizing the environmental impacts of events and creating additional stewardship opportunities for participants.
About Our City – Newport News Tourism Development Office. (n.d.). Www.newport-News.org.
Retrieved January 11, 2022, from https://www.newport-news.org/visitors/about-our-city/
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Newport News, settled in 1621, is approximately 23 miles long and three miles wide. It is the fourth largest city in size in the state, with its boundaries encompassing 69 square miles. Newport News has a population of 180,719 people (2010 Census Bureau).
Newport News played a major role in the Peninsula Campaign during the Civil War. Numerous earthen fortifications and attractions that relate to the Civil War can be experienced in Newport News. In addition, the famous “Battle of the Ironclads” took place off the shores of Newport News in 1862.
Collis P. Huntington, a Northern railroad tycoon from Connecticut, brought two magnet industries to Newport News: the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and Newport News Shipbuilding. Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, established in 1886, built many of the U.S. super aircraft carriers including the Enterprise, Kennedy, Washington, Vinson, and Roosevelt.
Newport News was designated as a Port of Embarkation by the U.S. Army immediately after America’s entry into WWI. The final major military base during WWI was Camp Eustis, which later came to be known as Fort Eustis. Named after the founder of Fort Monroe’s Artillery School of Practice (and War of 1812 veteran), Brigadier General Abraham Eustis, the camp was created in 1918 to meet the need for an artillery firing range.
Hilton Village, the first government-subsidized “planned community” was constructed as a pilot program due to the shortage of housing related to the war effort. Hilton Village was dedicated on July 7, 1918.
Overview – Newport News Tourism Development Office. (n.d.). Www.newport-News.org.
Retrieved January 11, 2022, from https://www.newport-news.org/visitors/about-our-city/overview-and-fun-facts/
