Norfolk County, Virginia
Norfolk County is an extinct political subdivision in eastern Virginia. Much of the area once encompassed by Norfolk County for most of its existence now forms the independent city of Chesapeake.
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Shires to counties 1634-1691
During the 17th century, shortly after establishment of the Jamestown Settlement in 1607, English settlers and explored and began settling the areas adjacent to Hampton Roads. By 1634, the English colony of Virginia consisted of eight shires or counties with a total population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. One of these was Elizabeth City Shire, which included an area on both sides of Hampton Roads. The northern portion became Elizabeth City County in 1643, and is now incorporated into the independent city of Hampton.
In 1636 the southern portion of Elizabeth City Shire became New Norfolk County. King Charles I of England is credited with naming New Norfolk County. This area was divided again in 1637 into Upper and Lower Norfolk Counties.
Norfolk County created: Adam Thoroughgood
Old_courthouse_of_norfolk_county,_va_loc.gif
In 1691 Lower Norfolk County was in turn divided to form Norfolk County and Princess Anne County (which became the independent city of Virginia Beach in 1963).
Captain Adam Thoroughgood (1604-1640) is credited with naming Norfolk County. Thoroughgood was a prominent resident of the colony. Like so many others at that time, he had been born in England and migrated to Virginia, and named the new county after his original "home" county back across the Atlantic Ocean.
After 1691, Norfolk County remained more or less intact for over 200 years. The towns of Norfolk and Portsmouth became its major areas of commerce, with smaller towns formed at Berkley and South Norfolk. After the American Civil War, in 1871, Virginia's constitution was revised to provide for independent cities, which were not located within a county as cities had been (and towns still are).
Norfolk, Portsmouth, and South Norfolk soon became independent cities and as such, were no longer in Norfolk County. During first half of the 20th century, the county had lost additional territory to all three, including the areas of Berkley, Sewell's Point, Willoughby Spit, and Ocean View to the City of Norfolk in multiple annexations. By 1960, the entire area of Norfolk County on the east side of the Elizabeth River north of Virginia Beach Boulevard was gone.
Creating a new city: Chesapeake
In Virginia, cities are immune from annexation by each other, but the most recent attempt by the City of Norfolk to annex yet another portion of Norfolk County had threatened to completely surround the tiny City of South Norfolk. In this odd battle of municipalities, Norfolk County and its neighbor, the former town (and now independent city) of South Norfolk, became allies.
In 1963, after approval by referendum of the voters of the City of South Norfolk and the rest of Norfolk County and the Virginia General Assembly, they were combined and reorganized as a new city, ending the threat of additional annexations. The new name selected by the voters was Chesapeake, and so, the new city of Chesapeake, Virginia was created.
See Also
- Elizabeth River Shire
- New Norfolk County
- Lower Norfolk County
- Berkley
- City of South Norfolk
- City of Chesapeake
- City of Norfolk
- City of Portsmouth
- Sewell's Point
- Willoughby Spit
- Ocean View
- Bower's Hill
- Lambert's Point
External links
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopędia Britannica.