Chesapeake, VA,
situated
about 11 miles south of Norfolk and 12 miles north of the North Carolina
border, is a city in southeastern Virginia. It is also surrounded by
Virginia Beach
(to the east) and Suffolk (to the west). The city is serviced by
Interstates
I-64 and I-464 (connecting it to Norfolk); as well as U.S. Routes 13,
17, 58,
and 460 and Virginia State Highway 168. Chesapeake Regional Airport is
the
city's general aviation facility, with Norfolk International Airport
located
nearby for commercial passenger service.
History of
Chesapeake, VA
The City of
Chesapeake
was formed in 1963 when Norfolk County and the City of South Norfolk
merged. The
actual history of Chesapeake goes back much further...to the early 1600s
when
the area was first settled. The historic Battle of Great Bridge took
place in
what is now Chesapeake in 1775, marking an early Revolutionary War
victory for
American troops over the forces of British Royal governor Lord Dunmore.
In
1793, work began on the Dismal Swamp Canal, which opened in 1805, but
later
experienced hard times and is today part of the Atlantic Intracoastal
Waterway.
By 1920 South Norfolk had developed to the point where it was
incorporated as a
city, but by the 1950s, had fallen victim (along with Norfolk County) to
annexation suits filed by neighboring cities. Finding it difficult to
plan for
the future, the two municipalities consolidated as the new city of
Chesapeake
in 1963. The city has continued to experience growth since that time,
and today
stands as a unique blend of rural and urban centers, with miles of
waterfront
industrial, commercial and residential property.
Things to Do in
Chesapeake, VA
Few locations
offer as
wide a variety of things to see and places to visit as the Hampton Roads
metro
area, and Chesapeake sits at the hub of the activity. The city is only
15
minutes from Norfolk, 20 minutes from the oceanfront, and 40 minutes
from
Colonial Williamsburg. Chesapeake has plenty of attractions in its own
right,
some of which are listed here:
· Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway: the historic waterway linking the
Chesapeake
Bay to North Carolina’s sounds.
· Chesapeake Arboretum: Headquartered in an eighteenth century farmhouse
with
48 acres of native plants and trees and trail systems which meander
through a
mature hardwood forest.
· Chesapeake City Park: A 75-acre site which hosts the annual Chesapeake
Jubilee and Symphony Under the Stars and also houses the Chesapeake
Skate Park.
· Chesapeake Planetarium: The first planetarium built by a public school
system
in the state of Virginia.
· Chesapeake Veterans’ Memorial: Commemorates the service and sacrifice
of
Chesapeake citizens who have served or are serving in the military.
· Deep Creek Lock Park: Heavily wooded with a pedestrian bridge and foot
trails.
· Dismal Swamp Canal Trail: An 8.5 mile long multipurpose trail which
accommodates horse owners, bicyclists, walkers, joggers, and boat
owners.
· Great Bridge Lock Park: A 19-acre venue featuring a two-lane boat
ramp,
picnic shelters, a foot trail, a large play area, and extensive fishing
and
crabbing areas.
· Portlock Galleries at SoNo: A renovated contemporary art gallery which
hosts
local and traveling exhibits.
Sports Teams in
Chesapeake, VA
Virginia is the
most
populous U.S. state which does not host a major professional sports
league
franchise. However, the Chesapeake area is within short driving distance
from
the host venues of some quality minor-league professional teams. The
Norfolk
Tides, a Class Triple-A farm team for the Baltimore Orioles, play their
International League home games at Harbor Park located only 15 minutes
away in
the city of Norfolk. Also in Norfolk are the Norfolk Admirals, a
minor-league
pro ice hockey team which competes in the American Hockey League (AHL).
The
Admirals are affiliated with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. Nearby
Hampton is
the home of the Hampton Roads Piranhas, a soccer team belonging to the
United Soccer
Leagues Premier Development League (PDL).
Buying a Home in
Chesapeake, VA
As you can see, Chesapeake,
VA is an
area rich in history and a convenient location to many different types
of
activities. Here is some more information when considering buying a home
in Chesapeake, VA:
·
The school district consists
of 28
elementary schools, 10 middle schools and 7 high schools.
·
Population is 219,154 with a
steady
growth of 9.4%
·
Median age is 36
·
Median household income is
$62,106
·
Sunny days are estimated at
211 per
year
Start your search today for a
beautiful Chesapeake home for sale that meets you
and your
family’s needs. Simply use our home search tool at the top of this page
to find
your new dream home.