Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia | ||
---|---|---|
Corporation of Newport News | ||
FIPS code 51-56000[3] | | |
GNIS feature ID | 1497043[4] | |
Website | www.nnva.gov |
Newport News (
Newport News is included in the
In 1881, fifteen years of rapid development began under the leadership of
With many residents employed at the expansive
Etymology
The original area near the mouth of the
The source of the name "Newport News" is not known with certainty, though it is the oldest English city name in the Americas.
Another source gave the original name as New Port Newce, named for a person with the name Newce and the town's place as a new seaport. The namesake, Sir William Newce, was an English soldier and originally settled in Ireland. There he had established Newcestown near Bandon, County Cork. He sailed to Virginia with Sir Francis Wyatt in October 1621 and was granted 2,500 acres (1,012 ha) of land. He died two days later. His brother, Capt. Thomas Newce, was given "600 acres at Kequatan, now called Elizabeth Cittie." A partner Daniel Gookin completed founding the settlement.[11][dubious ]
In his 1897 two-volume work Old Virginia and her Neighbors, American historian John Fiske writes:
... several old maps where the name is given as Newport Ness, being the mariner's way of saying Newport Point.[12]
The fact that the name formerly appeared as "Newport's News" is verified by numerous early documents and maps, and by local tradition. The change to Newport News came about through usage; by 1851 the Post Office Department sanctioned "New Port News" (written as three words) as the name of the first post office. In 1866 it approved the name as "Newport News", the current form.[10]
History
European settlement
During the 17th century, shortly after founding of
In 1619, the area of Newport News was included in one of four huge corporations of the
By 1634, the English colony of Virginia consisted of a population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. It was divided into eight shires of Virginia, which were renamed as counties shortly thereafter. The area of Newport News became part of Warwick River Shire, which became Warwick County in 1637. By 1810, the county seat was at Denbigh. For a short time in the mid-19th century, the county seat was moved to Newport News.[14]
Restoration
Newport News was a rural area of plantations and a small fishing village until after the American Civil War. Construction of the railroad and establishment of the great shipyard brought thousands of workers and associated development. It was one of only a few cities in Virginia to be newly established without earlier incorporation as a town. (Virginia has had an independent city political subdivision since 1871.) Walter A. Post served as the city's first mayor.[15]
The area that formed the present-day southern end of Newport News had long been established as an unincorporated town. After
Huntington knew the railroad could transport coal eastbound from West Virginia's untapped natural resources. His agents began acquiring land in Warwick County in 1865. In the 1880s, he oversaw extension of the C&O's new
His next project was to develop
1900s
In addition to Collis, other members of the Huntington family played major roles in Newport News. From 1912 to 1914, his nephew, Henry E. Huntington, assumed leadership of the shipyard. Huntington Park, developed after World War I near the northern terminus of the James River Bridge, is named for him.[19]
Collis Huntington's son,
The city grew in territory through the annexation of parts of Warwick County and also of the town of Kecoughtan in adjoining Elizabeth City County.[21]
In 1958, the citizenry of the cities of Warwick and Newport News voted by referendum to consolidate the two cities, choosing to assume the better-known name of Newport News. The merger created the third largest city by population in Virginia, with a 65 square miles (168 km2) area. The boundaries of the City of Newport News today are essentially the boundaries of the original Warwick River Shire and the traditional one of Warwick County, with the exception of minor border adjustments with neighbors.[7]
The city's original downtown area, on the
In July 1989, the United States Navy commissioned the third naval vessel named after the city with the entry of the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine USS Newport News, built at Newport News Shipbuilding, into active service.
The ship was initially commanded by CDR. Mark B. Keef; the city held a public celebration of the event, which was attended by Vice President of the United States Dan Quayle. In conjunction with this milestone, a song was written by a city native and formally adopted by Newport News City Council in July 1989. The lyrics appear with permission from the author:
(First verse): Harbor of a thousand ships/Forger of a nation's fleet/Gateway to the New World/Where ocean and river meet
(Chorus): Strength wrought from steel/And a people's fortitude/Such is the timeless legacy/Of a place called Newport News
(Second verse): Nestled in a blessed land/Gifted with a special view/Forever home for ev'ry man/With a spirit proud and true
(repeat chorus to fade)
2000s
Despite city efforts at large-scale revitalization, by the beginning of the 21st century, the downtown area consisted largely of the coal export facilities, the shipyard, and municipal offices. It is bordered by some harbor-related smaller businesses and lower income housing.[22]
Newport News grew in population from the 1960s through the 1990s. The city began to explore New Urbanism as a way to develop areas midtown. City Center at Oyster Point was developed out of a small portion of the Oyster Point Business Park. It opened in phases from 2003 through 2005. The city invested $82 million of public funding in the project.[23] Closely following Oyster Point, Port Warwick opened as an urban residential community in the new midtown business district. Fifteen hundred people now reside in the Port Warwick area. It includes a 3-acre (1.2 ha) city square where festivals and events take place.[24]
In January 2023, a six-year-old shot his teacher Abby Zwerner in an elementary school in Newport News, VA.[25]
Geography
Newport News is located at 37°4′15″N 76°29′4″W / 37.07083°N 76.48444°W (37.071046, −76.484557). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 120 square miles (310 km2), of which 69 square miles (180 km2) is land and 51 square miles (130 km2) (42.4%) is water.[26]
The city is located at the Peninsula side of
Newport News shares land borders with
Cityscape
The city's downtown area was part of the earliest developed area which was initially incorporated as an independent city in 1896. The earlier city portions also included the "East End" or "Southeast" community, which was predominantly black American, the "North End" and the shipyard and coal piers. The town of Kecoughtan in Elizabeth City County was annexed by Newport News in 1927, extending the city along Hampton Roads from Salter's Creek to Pear Avenue. After World War II, public housing projects and lower income housing were built to improve housing in what came to be known as the East End or "The Bottom" by locals.[15] The city expanded primarily westward where land was available and highways were built. While the shipyard and coal facilities, and other smaller harbor-oriented businesses have remained vibrant, the downtown area went into substantial decline. Crime problems have plagued the nearby lower-income residential areas.
West of the traditional downtown area, another early portion of the city was developed as Huntington Heights. In modern times been called the North End. Developed primarily between 1900 and 1935, North End features a wealth of architectural styles and eclectic vernacular building designs. Extending along west to the James River Bridge approaches, it includes scenic views of the river. A well-preserved community, the North End is an historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.[27]
The 1958 merger by mutual agreement with the City of Warwick removed the political boundary, which was adjacent to
At the extreme northwestern edge adjacent to Skiffe's Creek and the border with James City County is the Lee Hall community, which retains historical features including the former Chesapeake and Ohio Railway station which served tens of thousands of soldiers based at what became nearby Fort Eustis during World War I and World War II. The larger-than-normal rural two-story frame depot is highly valued by rail fans and rail preservationists.[28]
In downtown Newport News, the Victory Arch, built to commemorate the Great War, sits on the downtown waterfront. The "Eternal Flame" under the arch was cast by Womack Foundry, Inc. in the 1960s. It was hand crafted by the Foundry's founder and president, Ernest D. Womack. The downtown area has a number of landmarks and architecturally interesting buildings, which for some time were mostly abandoned in favor of building new areas in the northwest areas of the city (a strategy aided by tax incentives in the postwar years).
City leaders are working to bring new life into this area, by renovating and building new homes and attracting businesses. The completion of
Much of the newer commercial development has been along the Warwick Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue corridors, with newer planned industrial, commercial, and mixed development such as Oyster Point, Kiln Creek and the City Center. While the downtown area had long been the area of the city that offered the traditional urban layout, the city has supported a number of New Urbanism projects. One is Port Warwick, named after the fictional city in William Styron's novel, Lie Down in Darkness. Port Warwick includes housing for a broad variety of citizens, from retired persons to off-campus housing for Christopher Newport University students. Also included are several high-end restaurants and upscale shopping.[31]
City Center at Oyster Point, located near Port Warwick, has been touted as the new "downtown"[citation needed] because of its new geographic centrality on the Virginia Peninsula, its proximity to the retail/business nucleus of the city, etc. Locally, it is often called simply "City Center".[32] Nearby, the Virginia Living Museum recently completed a $22.6 million expansion plan.[33]
Newport News is also home to a small Korean ethnic enclave on Warwick Boulevard near the Denbigh neighborhood on the northern end of the city. Although it lacks the density and character of larger, more established enclaves, it has been referred to as "Little Seoul"—being the commercial center for the Hampton Roads Korean community.[34]
Neighborhoods
Newport News has many distinctive communities and neighborhoods within its boundaries, including Brandon Heights, Brentwood,
Climate
Newport News is located in the humid subtropical climate zone, with cool to mild winters, and hot, humid summers. Due to the inland location, throughout the year, highs are 2 to 3 °F (1.1 to 1.7 °C) warmer and lows 1 to 2 °F (0.6 to 1.1 °C) cooler than areas to the southeast. Snowfall averages 5.8 inches (15 cm) per season, and the summer months tend to be slightly wetter. The geographic location of the city, with respect to the principal storm tracks, favours fair weather, as it is south of the average path of storms originating in the higher latitudes, and north of the usual tracks of hurricanes and other major tropical storms.[35]
Climate data for Newport News, Virginia (1981–2010 normals) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 49.5 (9.7) |
52.9 (11.6) |
60.7 (15.9) |
71.1 (21.7) |
78.5 (25.8) |
86.2 (30.1) |
89.6 (32.0) |
87.4 (30.8) |
82.2 (27.9) |
72.5 (22.5) |
63.3 (17.4) |
53.4 (11.9) |
70.6 (21.4) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 31.8 (−0.1) |
32.6 (0.3) |
39.5 (4.2) |
47.8 (8.8) |
57.0 (13.9) |
66.3 (19.1) |
70.3 (21.3) |
68.8 (20.4) |
62.7 (17.1) |
51.7 (10.9) |
43.0 (6.1) |
34.6 (1.4) |
50.5 (10.3) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.33 (85) |
3.01 (76) |
3.44 (87) |
3.33 (85) |
3.74 (95) |
3.81 (97) |
4.71 (120) |
5.35 (136) |
4.79 (122) |
3.47 (88) |
3.08 (78) |
3.38 (86) |
45.44 (1,155) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.4 (6.1) |
2.1 (5.3) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1.0 (2.5) |
5.8 (14.66) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.4 | 9.5 | 10.6 | 10.1 | 10.6 | 9.9 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 8.8 | 7.6 | 8.5 | 9.8 | 116.8 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 3.9 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 170.5 | 178.0 | 229.4 | 252.0 | 272.8 | 279.0 | 279.0 | 260.4 | 231.0 | 207.7 | 177.0 | 161.2 | 2,698 |
Source: NOAA (temperature and total precipitation normals at Newport News Int'l, all others at Norfolk Int'l),[36] HKO (sun only 1961–1990)[37] |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1890 | 1,234 | — | |
1900 | 19,635 | 1,491.2% | |
1910 | 20,205 | 2.9% | |
1920 | 35,596 | 76.2% | |
1930 | 34,417 | −3.3% | |
1940 | 37,067 | 7.7% | |
1950 | 42,358 | 14.3% | |
1960 | 113,788 | 168.6% | |
1970 | 138,177 | 21.4% | |
1980 | 144,903 | 4.9% | |
1990 | 170,045 | 17.4% | |
2000 | 180,150 | 5.9% | |
2010 | 180,719 | 0.3% | |
2020 | 186,247 | 3.1% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[38] 1790–1960[39] 1900–1990[40] 1990–2000[41] 2018 Estimate[42] 2020[5] |
2020 census
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[43] | Pop 2010[44] | Pop 2020[45] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH)
|
93,624 | 83,153 | 71,250 | 51.97% | 46.01% | 38.26% |
Black or African American alone (NH)
|
69,538 | 71,727 | 76,870 | 38.60% | 39.69% | 41.27% |
Alaska Native alone (NH)
|
685 | 682 | 571 | 0.38% | 0.38% | 0.31% |
Asian alone (NH) | 4,112 | 4,858 | 6,230 | 2.28% | 2.69% | 3.35% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 199 | 284 | 404 | 0.11% | 0.16% | 0.22% |
Some Other Race alone (NH) | 356 | 308 | 1,124 | 0.20% | 0.17% | 0.60% |
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 4,041 | 6,117 | 10,510 | 2.24% | 3.38% | 5.64% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7,595 | 13,590 | 19,288 | 4.22% | 7.52% | 10.36% |
Total | 180,150 | 180,719 | 186,247 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 Census
As of the census
There were 69,686 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.04.
The age distribution is: 27.5% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,597, and the median income for a family was $42,520. Males had a median income of $31,275 versus $22,310 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,843. About 11.3% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
Crime (per 100,000 people) | Newport News, Virginia (2007) | National average |
---|---|---|
Murder | 15.8 | 5.6 |
Rape | 51.3 | 32.2 |
Robbery | 288.9 | 195.4 |
Assault | 336.2 | 340.1 |
Burglary | 892.1 | 814.5 |
Automobile theft | 377.4 | 526.5 |
Newport News experienced 20 murders giving the city a murder rate of 10.8 per 100,000 people in 2005. In 2006, there were 19 murders giving the city a rate of 10.5 per 100,000 people. In 2007 the city had 28 murders with a rate of 15.8 per 100,000 people.
The total crime index rate for Newport News is 434.7; the United States average is 320.9.[47] According to the Congressional Quarterly Press' "2008 City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America," Newport News ranked as the 119th most dangerous city larger than 75,000 inhabitants.[48] The neighborhood with the highest crime rates in Newport News is the East End.
Economy
Among the city's major industries are shipbuilding, military, and aerospace.
Newport News plays a role in the maritime industry. At the end of CSX railroad tracks lies the Newport News Marine Terminal. Covering 140 acres (0.57 km2), the Terminal has heavy-lift cranes, warehouse capabilities, and container cranes.[50]
Newport News' location next to Hampton Roads along with its rail network has provided advantages for the city. The city houses two industrial parks which enabled manufacturing and distribution to take root in the city. As technology-oriented companies flourished in the 1990s, Newport News became a regional center for technology companies.[51]
Additional companies headquartered out of Newport News include Ferguson Enterprises and L-3 Flight International Aviation.[52][53]
Newport News Shipbuilding serves as the city's largest employer with over 24,000 employees. Fort Eustis employs over 10,000, making it the second largest employer in the city. Newport News School System creates over 5,000 jobs and acts as the city's third largest employer.[54]
Established during
Research and education play a role in the city's economy. The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF) is housed in Newport News. TJNAF employs over 675 people and more than 2,000 scientists from around the world conduct research using the facility. Formerly named the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF), its stated mission is "to provide forefront scientific facilities, opportunities and leadership essential for discovering the fundamental structure of nuclear matter; to partner in industry to apply its advanced technology; and to serve the nation and its communities through education and public outreach."[57]
Culture
People who have grown up in the
Near the city's western end, a historic
Recovered artifacts from
The
The Peninsula Fine Arts Center contains a rotating gallery of art exhibits. The center also maintains a permanent "Hands on For Kids" gallery designed for children and families to interact in what the Center describes as "a fun, educational environment that encourages participation with art materials and concepts."[61]
PFAC, which had been open for 58 years, closed at the end of 2020,[62] as its merger with Christopher Newport University's new addition to the Ferguson Center to house the arts center is completed.
The
The Ferguson Center for the Arts is a theater and concert hall on the campus of Christopher Newport University. The complex fully opened in September 2005 and contains three distinct, separate concert halls: the Concert Hall, the Music and Theatre Hall, and the Studio Theatre.[65]
The Port Warwick area hosts the annual Port Warwick Art and Sculpture Festival where art vendors gather in Styron Square to show and sell their art. Judges have the chance to name artwork best of the Festival.[66]
The Virginia Living Museum is an outdoor living museum combining aspects of a native wildlife park, science museum, aquarium, botanical preserve, and planetarium.[67]
Parks and recreation
Newport News Parks is responsible for the maintenance of 32 city parks. The smallest is less than half an acre (2,000 m2). The largest,
Newport News Park is in the northern part of the city. The city's golf course lies in the park along with camping and outdoor activities. There are over 30 miles (48 km) of trails in the Newport News Park complex. It has a 5.3 miles (8.5 km) multi-use bike path. The park offers bicycle and helmet rental, and requires helmet use by children under 14. Newport News Park offers an archery range, disc golf course, and an "aeromodel flying field" for remote-controlled aircraft, complete with a 400 ft (120 m) runway.[70]
The city supplies two public boat ramps for its citizens: Denbigh Park Boat Ramp and Hilton Pier/Ravine.
Denbigh Park allows access into the
Sports
Newport News has been the home to sports franchises, including the semi-pro football Mason Dixon League's former teams Peninsula Pirates, Peninsula Poseidons, and the Virginia Crusaders.[73]
Currently, Christopher Newport University Captains field fourteen sports and compete in the
High school sports (especially football) play a large role in the city's culture. The city's stadium, John B. Todd Stadium, houses five high schools’ worth of football games usually spread over Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The stadium also holds the schools' track and field meets.[75][76]
The city is also home to Lionsbridge FC, an American soccer club (USL League Two), which plays at Christopher Newport University during the summer months. Lionsbridge FC
Additional sports options can be found just outside Newport News. On the collegiate level, the
The city has hosted a marathon annually since 2015. The One City Marathon was hosted virtually in 2021.[80] The course spans the length of Newport News and begins in Newport News Park. It ends at the Victory Arch downtown, and the course weaves through Mariners' Museum Park, CNU and Hilton Village. The course is USTAF certified and can be used as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. There also is a half marathon, relay, 8K and one-mile fun run.
Government and politics
Newport News is an independent city with services that counties and cities in Virginia provide, such as courts and social services. Newport News has both a police department and a city sheriff's department.[81][82]
Newport News operates under a council-manager form of government, which consists of a
Newport News has a federal courthouse for the
Prior to 1956, Newport News voted in line with a Solid South county except for 1928 when anti-Catholic voting boosted Herbert Hoover to a victory in the county & statewide. From 1956 to 2004, it became a swing county, but became increasingly Democratic towards the end of that stretch. Since 2008, it has become solidly Democratic. In each presidential election from 2008 on, Democratic candidates have won at least 60% of the county's vote while no Republican candidate has cracked 40%. In 2020, Donald Trump achieved the lowest Republican vote share at a presidential election in the city since 1948.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 26,377 | 32.48% | 53,099 | 65.39% | 1,727 | 2.13% |
2016 | 25,468 | 33.67% | 45,618 | 60.31% | 4,551 | 6.02% |
2012 | 27,230 | 34.28% | 51,100 | 64.32% | 1,114 | 1.40% |
2008 | 28,667 | 35.26% | 51,972 | 63.93% | 656 | 0.81% |
2004 | 32,208 | 47.40% | 35,319 | 51.98% | 425 | 0.63% |
2000 | 27,006 | 46.70% | 29,779 | 51.50% | 1,040 | 1.80% |
1996 | 23,072 | 42.50% | 27,678 | 50.98% | 3,538 | 6.52% |
1992 | 26,779 | 43.83% | 25,743 | 42.14% | 8,569 | 14.03% |
1988 | 32,570 | 59.88% | 21,413 | 39.37% | 412 | 0.76% |
1984 | 33,614 | 60.35% | 21,834 | 39.20% | 250 | 0.45% |
1980 | 22,423 | 47.73% | 22,066 | 46.97% | 2,493 | 5.31% |
1976 | 20,914 | 47.01% | 23,058 | 51.83% | 520 | 1.17% |
1972 | 27,169 | 67.40% | 12,233 | 30.35% | 910 | 2.26% |
1968 | 12,774 | 34.46% | 13,370 | 36.07% | 10,925 | 29.47% |
1964 | 10,584 | 40.87% | 15,296 | 59.07% | 14 | 0.05% |
1960 | 10,098 | 53.56% | 8,678 | 46.02% | 79 | 0.42% |
1956 | 3,779 | 53.26% | 3,069 | 43.26% | 247 | 3.48% |
1952 | 2,769 | 40.46% | 4,051 | 59.20% | 23 | 0.34% |
1948 | 1,453 | 27.73% | 3,420 | 65.28% | 366 | 6.99% |
1944 | 1,237 | 23.30% | 4,051 | 76.30% | 21 | 0.40% |
1940 | 863 | 17.98% | 3,907 | 81.41% | 29 | 0.60% |
1936 | 919 | 18.52% | 4,021 | 81.04% | 22 | 0.44% |
1932 | 1,515 | 35.20% | 2,703 | 62.80% | 86 | 2.00% |
1928 | 3,118 | 61.51% | 1,951 | 38.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
1924 | 917 | 32.95% | 1,574 | 56.56% | 292 | 10.49% |
1920 | 1,450 | 45.27% | 1,703 | 53.17% | 50 | 1.56% |
1916 | 465 | 31.74% | 939 | 64.10% | 61 | 4.16% |
1912 | 100 | 7.52% | 938 | 70.58% | 291 | 21.90% |
1908 | 498 | 37.84% | 788 | 59.88% | 30 | 2.28% |
1904 | 335 | 29.36% | 744 | 65.21% | 62 | 5.43% |
1900 | 1,108 | 36.36% | 1,896 | 62.23% | 43 | 1.41% |
1896 | 815 | 53.76% | 676 | 44.59% | 25 | 1.65% |
1892 | 1,542 | 25.20% | 4,479 | 73.20% | 98 | 1.60% |
1888 | 3,198 | 54.80% | 2,613 | 44.77% | 25 | 0.43% |
Education
The main provider of primary and secondary education in the city is
Several private schools are located in the area, including Denbigh Baptist Christian School, Hampton Roads Academy, Peninsula Catholic High School, and Trinity Lutheran School.[citation needed]
The city contains
Religion
As a New South industrial city, Newport News developed a religious diversity greater than neighboring cities. The oldest congregation in the city, First Church of Newport News (Baptist) was organized in 1863, well in advance of the foundation of the city. Railroad connections encouraged Mennonites to establish farms and a colony in Warwick County and a congregation in the city itself. The city was fertile ground for black American evangelists including Lightfoot Solomon Michaux and Daddy Grace. Several synagogues were established in the city, and at least two of its historic church buildings, First Baptist Church and St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church were added to the National Register of Historic Places.[92]
Media
The City of Newport News operates two local government
Residents of Newport News can find programs highlighting local events and various things to do around the city. NNTV airs the City Council Meetings and Planning Commission Meetings live for the public to view while NNTV2 is a bulletin board channel that displays slides for various city events and essential information for residents. NNTV also produces the local Crimeline reports with officers from the Newport News Police Department.Newport News is also served by several television stations. The Hampton Roads
Newport News's daily newspaper is the
Christopher Newport University publishes its own newspaper, The Captain's Log.[95] Hampton Roads Magazine serves as a bi-monthly regional magazine for Newport News and the Hampton Roads area.[96] Hampton Roads Times serves as an online magazine for all the Hampton Roads cities and counties. Newport News is served by a variety of radio stations on the AM and FM dials, with towers located around the Hampton Roads area.[97]
Infrastructure
Transportation
Newport News has an elaborate transportation network, including
Newport News is served by three airports. Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, in Newport News; Norfolk International Airport, in Norfolk; and Richmond International Airport all of which cater to passengers from Hampton Roads.
The primary airport for the Virginia Peninsula is the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. As of 2011, it was experiencing a 5th year of record, double-digit growth, making it one of the fastest growing airports in the country. In January 2006, the airport reported having served 1,058,839 passengers. On February 4, 2010, the airport announced a new airline, Frontier Airlines, with direct flights to Denver, Colorado. It is also undergoing a $23 million expansion project. In 2012, Newport News became home to its own airline, PeoplExpress, which launched with headquarters at the Newport News/Williamsburg airport. Its inaugural first flights took place June 30, 2014, and now includes more than seven destinations. (IATA: PHF, ICAO: KPHF, FAA LID: PHF),[98]
Norfolk International Airport (IATA: ORF, ICAO: KORF, FAA LID: ORF) also serves the region. The airport is near the Chesapeake Bay, along the city limits of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.[99] Seven airlines provide nonstop services to 25 destinations. ORF had 3,703,664 passengers take off or land at its facility and 68,778,934 pounds of cargo were processed through its facilities.[100] The Chesapeake Regional Airport provides general aviation services and is on the other side of the Hampton Roads Harbor.[101]
Amtrak serves the city with four trains a day.[102] The line runs west along the Virginia Peninsula to Richmond and points beyond. Connecting buses are available to Norfolk and Virginia Beach. A high-speed rail connection at Richmond to the Northeast Corridor and the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor is under study.[103][104]
Utilities
The Newport News Waterworks was begun as a project of
A regional water provider, in modern times it is owned and operated by the City of Newport News and serves over 400,000 people in the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and portions of York County and James City County.[109]
The city provides wastewater services for residents and transports wastewater to the regional Hampton Roads Sanitation District treatment plants.[110]
Police
The Law Enforcement in Newport News is being provided by its Newport News Police Department.
Notable people
- Willie Armstead (b. 1952) – former professional football player in the Canadian Football League
- Keith Atherton (b. 1959) – former pitcher for the Minnesota Twins and the Oakland Athletics.
- Pearl Bailey (1918–1990) – Tony Award-winning actress and singer
- strong safety for the San Francisco 49ers
- Larry Bethea (1956–1987) – late professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys
- Darryl Blackstock (b. 1983) – professional football player for the Cincinnati Bengals
- Blind Blake (1896–1934) – blues and ragtime musician (not officially confirmed he was born in Newport News)
- John Ian Bobbitt (b. 1984) – Photorealistic Artist with contributions to Film, Music, Custom Automotive Art, and Tattoo Culture
- supersonic flight
- Aaron Brooks (b. 1976) – former professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders; land developer
- Joyce Bulifant (b. 1937) – television actress
- Robert Cray (b. 1953) – blues guitarist
- Will Crutchfield (b. 1957) – opera conductor
- Scott Darling (b. 1988) – professional ice hockey goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes
- Ben Edwards (b. 1992) – American football player
- Frankie Faison (b. 1949) – film actor
- Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) – jazz singer
- Mimi Faust – reality television personality, Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta
- The Five Keys – popular soul and doo-wop act in the 1950s; featuring Newport News locals Ripley Ingram, Bernie West, Dickie Threat and Rudy West
- Johnny Gilbert (b. 1928) – announcer for the television quiz show Jeopardy!
- Marques Hagans (b. 1982) – NFL player
- Henry Jordan (1935–1977) – former professional football player for the Green Bay Packers; member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Richard Kelly (b. 1975) – film director and writer; films include Donnie Darko and Domino
- Leroy Keyes (1947–2021) – professional football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles
- J. J. Lankes (1884–1960) – woodcut artist, lived for many years in the Hilton Village neighborhood
- safety for the Arizona Cardinals
- Brandon Lowe – MLB player for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Washington Redskins
- Tony Award-winning actor
- Queen Esther Marrow (b. 1941) – soul and gospel singer
- Masego (musician) (b. 1993) – R&B and traphouse jazz artist[111]
- Lightfoot Solomon Michaux (1885–1969) – evangelist, early radio and television pioneer
- J. Clyde Morris (1909–1987) – first executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel; former city manager of the City of Warwick
- Hazel R. O'Leary (b. 1937) – former Secretary of Energy under President Bill Clinton and President of Fisk University
- Tommy Reamon (b. 1952) – former pro football player and coach
- Austin Roberts (b. 1945) – singer and songwriter
- Norm Snead (b. 1939) – former professional football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Sonja Sohn (b. 1964) – actress, The Wire, Body of Proof
- Jon St. John (b. 1960) – voice actor and singer, best known as the voice of Duke Nukem
- William Styron (1925–2006) – author of The Confessions of Nat Turner and Sophie's Choice
- Nick "The Goat" Thompson(b. 1981) – professional mixed martial arts fighter; Bodog Fight Welterweight Champion
- Mike Tomlin (b. 1972) – head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Al Toon (b. 1963) – former professional football player for the New York Jets
- Marcus Vick (b. 1984) – former NFL player, quarterback for Virginia Tech
- Michael Vick (b. 1980) – NFL quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles
- Victor Wooten (b. 1964) – musician
Sister cities
Newport News has three
- Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan
- Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
- Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
Newport News is also currently in the process of adding Carrigaline, County Cork Ireland as a Sister City.
See also
- List of people from Hampton Roads
- List of mayors of Newport News, Virginia
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Newport News, Virginia
- Newport News Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
- Newport News Sheriff's Office
- Warwick County, Virginia (defunct)
- USS Newport News, 3 ships
References
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Newport News was first settled in 1691, but was little more than farms until the late 1880s.
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Newport News is the oldest English place name of any city in the New World.
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External links
- Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 19 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 535. .
- Official website