Phoebus was an incorporated town located in Elizabeth City County on the Virginia Peninsula in eastern Virginia. Upon incorporation in 1900, it was named in honor of local businessman Harrison Phoebus (1840-1886), who is credited with convincing the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) to extend its tracks to the town from Newport News.
The town and county are both extinct, as they were consolidated by mutual consent with the independent city of Hampton in 1952, and adopted the latter's name. Phoebus is now an important historic neighborhood of Hampton and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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History
Captain
Mill Creek was located in Elizabeth Cittie [sic], one of four corporations, termed "citties" [sic], which were designated in 1619 by the Virginia Company of London, proprietor of the colony, to encompass the developed areas. (The other three were James Cittie, Charles Cittie, and Henrico Cittie). In 1634, the area became part of Elizabeth City Shire, one of the eight original shires of Virginia. Elizabeth City County was formed in 1643.
Old Point Comfort became the home of defensive fortifications at the entrance to Hampton Roads from the earliest times, and eventually saw the construction beginning in 1830 of Fort Monroe, the oldest active duty fort in the nation (although scheduled for base closure by 2011 [1]).
The Town of Phoebus was Roseland Farm until 1871 when it was divided into lots and became known as Chesapeake City. The streets were named after prominent citizens: Mallory, Curry, Hope, Lancer, and Mellen.
When the town was incorporated in 1900, it was named Phoebus in honor of its leading citizen, Harrison Phoebus, who is largely credited with prevailing upon the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) to build the Hampton Branch. No sooner had the tracks of the railroad's Peninsula Extension reached the new coal pier at Newport News in late 1881 than the same construction crews were put to work on what would later be called the Peninsula Subdivision's Hampton Branch. From the main line at Old Point Junction, tracks were extended easterly a distance of about 10 miles toward the U.S. Army base at Fort Monroe. The tracks were completed about 9 miles to the town which became Phoebus in December 1882. [1] A passenger and freight station was opened, and they were called "Phoebus" by the railroad.
From Phoebus, an extension across Mill Creek to reach Fort Monroe required a 2,800 foot long trestle and was not completed until 1890. At that time, passenger and freight facilities were also added. On the base, the U.S. Army built connecting tracks and operated its own locomotive for a number of years.
At Old Point Comfort, in addition to the Army base at Fort Monroe, the Hampton Branch served both the older Hygeia Hotel and the new Hotel Chamberlain, popular destinations for civilians. During the first half of the 20th century, excursion trains were operated to reach nearby Buckroe Beach, where an amusement park was among the attractions that brought church groups and vacationers.
Elizabeth City County and the town of Phoebus each agreed to be consolidated with the independent city of Hampton, Virginia in 1952 by voter referendum. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Phoebus National Historic District is a 86-acre section of Phoebus which encompasses the historic business area on Mellen and Mallory Streets and a significant number of homes.
References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
See also
External links
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Coordinates: 37°01′18″N 76°19′05″W / 37.02167°N 76.31806°W
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