Timeline of Hampton, Virginia

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Hampton, Virginia, United States.

17th century

• 1607 - April 30: European settlers arrived at Old Point Comfort and established settlement of Mill Creek (later Phoebus) just outside the Algonquin village of Kecoughtan
• 1610
• July 9 - European settlers permanently drove out the Native Americans from Kecoughtan.
• Fort Algernon, Fort Charles, and Fort Henry were built.
• St. John's Church was founded.
• 1619
• Mill Creek settlement became part of newly formed Elizabeth Cittie.
• August: 1619 First Africans in Virginia landed at Point Comfort
• 1630 – Trading post was established.
• 1634 – Settlement became part of newly formed Elizabeth City County.
• 1680 – Town of Hampton was established per "Act of Cohabitation."

18th century

• 1705 – Hampton became a "port of entry."
• 1715 – Hampton designated seat of Elizabeth City County.
• 1718 – Head of dead pirate Blackbeard was displayed on a pole at place later known as "Blackbeard's Point."
• 1727 – St John’s church was rebuilt.
• 1728 - Fort George was built at Old Point Comfort.
• 1749 - The Coastal Hurricane of 1749 hit area, destroyed Fort George and created Willoughby Spit
• 1755 – "1,000 Acadian" travellers stayed temporarily in Hampton.
• 1775 - October 24–27: British troops directed by John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore raided Hampton, but were repulsed by patriot Virginia Militia
• 1788 – Hampton became part of the new U.S. state of Virginia.

19th century

• 1805 – Hampton Academy became active.
• 1813 – Hampton was taken by British forces during the War of 1812.
• 1823 – U.S. Fort Monroe was built.
• 1849
• March: Town of Hampton incorporated.
• December: Town incorporation repealed.
• 1852 – Town incorporated again.
• 1857 – Chesapeake Female College was built.
• 1860
• Town incorporation repealed again.
• Population expanded up to 1,848.
• 1861 – August: Residents set fire to town in order to repel Union forces during the American Civil War.
• 1865 – February 3: U.S.- Confederate Hampton Roads Conference held aboard the steamboat River Queen to discuss terms to end the American Civil War.
• 1868 – Hampton Agricultural and Industrial Institute and its museum were established.
• 1870 – National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Southern Branch began operating.https://web.archive.org/web/20110612153353/http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/veterans_affairs/Southern_Branch.htmlhttps://archive.org/details/OpticViewsAndImpressionsOfTheNationalSoldiersHomeSouthBranchN.H
• 1871 – Hampton Institute Press was founded.
• 1872 – Hampton Institute's Southern Workman journal began publication.
• 1875 – Booker T. Washington graduated from Hampton Institute.
• 1876
• Hampton Monitor newspaper began publication.
• County courthouse was built.
• 1878 – Little England Chapel was built.
• 1882 – Railroad began operating.
• 1884
• Fire.
• Bulletin newspaper began publication.
• 1887 – Town incorporated again once more.
• 1889
• Citizens Railway (trolley) began operating.
• People's Building and Loan Association in business.
• 1890 – Population increased up to 2,513.
• 1891 – Dixie Hospital nursing school was established.
• 1897 – Annual Hampton Negro Conference was held at the Hampton Institute.
• 1900 – Population increased up to 2,764.

20th century

• 1903 – Hampton Institute's Huntington Memorial Library was built.
• 1908
• March 4: City of Hampton was incorporated.
• B’nai Israel synagogue was built.
• 1912 – American Theatre was built.
• 1915 – Apollo Theatre in business.
• 1916 – Braddock monument was erected.
• 1917 – U.S. military Langley Field (airfield) and its Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory (later NASA Langley Research Center) began operating.
• 1920
• Scott Theatre was opened.
• Population grew up to 6,138.
• 1922 – February 21: U.S. military airship Roma exploded during test flight.
• 1926 – Taylor Memorial Library was opened.
• 1928 – Chamberlin Hotel was built.
• 1930 – "Hampton Veterans' Facility" began operating.
• 1937 – Aberdeen Gardens (housing) was built by U.S. Interior Department's Subsistence Homesteads Division.
• 1939 – Hampton City Hall was built.
• 1943 – U.S. Langley Research Center's racially segregated West Area Computers began operating.
• 1948
• WVEC radio began broadcasting.
• Green Acres Auto Theatre (drove-in cinema) in business.
• 1950 – Population expanded up to 5,966.
• 1952
• July 1: Elizabeth City County (including Phoebus) was consolidated into city of Hampton.
• Fort Wool historic site was established.
• 1954 – October: Hurricane Hazel occurred.
• 1957 – Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel to Norfolk was opened.
• 1960
• Interstate 64 highway construction was completed.
• Population increased up to 89,258.
• 1962
• Kecoughtan High School was founded.
• 1964 – WHOV radio began broadcasting.
• 1968
• Thomas Nelson Community College was founded.
• Bethel High School was built.
• 1970 – Hampton Coliseum was opened.
• 1973 – Coliseum Mall in business.
• 1979 – September: Hurricane David occurred.
• 1982 – Finite element machine was invented at NASA Langley Research Center (approximate date).
• 1984 – Hampton University became active.
• 1987 – Hampton Public Library new building was opened.
• 1992 – Virginia Air and Space Center was established.
• 1993 – Bobby Scott became U.S. representative for Virginia's 3rd congressional district.
• 1994 – Hampton Roads Voice newspaper began publication.
• 1996
• July: Hurricane Bertha (1996) occurred.
• City website started operating online (approximate date).

21st century

• 2003 – Hampton History Museum was opened.
• 2008 – Molly Joseph Ward became mayor.
• 2010
• U.S. military Joint Base Langley–Eustis started its operation near city.
• Population rose up to 137,436.
• 2011
• Fort Monroe was decommissioned by the U.S. military
• 2016
• Donnie Tuck became mayor.
• Hidden Figures movie was released, partially set in Hampton.

See also

• Hampton history
• List of mayors of Hampton, Virginia
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampton, Virginia
• History of Hampton Roads area
• of other cities in Virginia: Alexandria, Lynchburg, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Richmond, Roanoke, Virginia Beach

References

Bibliography

• (Includes information about Hampton)
• (Includes information about Hampton)
• 1917 ed.

External links

• Items related to Hampton, Virginia, various dates (via Digital Public Library of America)