Lightfoot, Virginia
Lightfoot (formerly Kelton) is an unincorporated community which straddles the James City–York county border, west of Williamsburg, in the U.S. state of Virginia.
Originally known as Six-Mile Ordinary, Lightfoot is six miles west of the colonial capital on the Richmond Road (
Nearby, by tradition, the land at War Hill (or, as it came to be called, Warhill) is named for an
In 1881, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was built through the area, and a local station named Kelton was established in what is now the Lightfoot area. The source of the station's name is not clear. In 1882, when a post office was established, the first postmaster suggested the name of Philip Lightfoot, who had been a prominent lawyer and merchant prior to 1748. However, it may also have been named for Lightfoot Taylor, who ran a stage stop there in the 1880s.
In modern times, Lightfoot is probably best known as home to the expansive Williamsburg Pottery Factory. At one time, the entrance to the Lightfoot community had a sign that read "Welcome to Lightfoot, Home of the Williamsburg Pottery Factory."
Lightfoot also has a strip of outlet and specialty shops, hotels, motels, and restaurants, including the Great Wolf Lodge family resort, and a small but popular amusement park called
Near Great Wolf Lodge is Bruton High School, which opened in 1976.
By the late 20th century, the 588-acre (238 ha) Warhill tract was one of the largest undeveloped parcels of land in the area. In 1996, it was purchased for public use. Located on Centerville Road near the interchange of U.S. Route 60 and
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Further reading
- McCartney, Martha W. (1977) James City County: Keystone of the Commonwealth; James City County, Virginia; Donning and Company; ISBN 0-89865-999-X
References
- ^ Public-private infrastructure act cleared way for new high school
- ^ "Parks and Recreation: Warhill Stadium". Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
- ^ Climate Summary for Lightfoot, Virginia