Chesapeake, Independent city in southeastern Virginia, United States
Description
Chesapeake is an independent city in southeastern Virginia that stretches across flat coastal plains with urban neighborhoods, farmland, and parts of the Great Dismal Swamp refuge. Numerous canals and waterways cut through the area and separate different parts of town from each other.
History
The merger of South Norfolk and Norfolk County in 1963 formed today's political unit and created one of Virginia's largest cities by area. This union brought rural communities and a small port town under one administration.
Culture
The name comes from a Lenape word for the great bay and connects today's residents with the first people of this coastal region. The community uses its waterways as a visible feature in daily life and shows the importance of navigation for local identity.
Practical
The city covers a wide area so a vehicle is necessary for most errands and outings. Many public facilities and shopping districts lie along main roads that run through different zones.
Did you know?
Part of the urban area sits below sea level and is protected from flooding by levees and pump stations. This engineering recalls Dutch land reclamation methods and is rarely used on the Atlantic coast.
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Great Dismal Swamp
20.3 km
USS Wisconsin
9 km
Norfolk Scope
9.6 km
Dismal Swamp Canal
24.9 km
Veterans Ampitheater
16.4 km
Nauticus
8.9 km
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth
8.7 km
MacArthur Memorial
8.9 km
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
25.1 km
Harbor Park
8.4 km
Chrysler Museum of Art
9.9 km
Westin Virginia Beach Town Center
16 km
Jordan Bridge
4.6 km
Confederate Monument
7.6 km
Ferry Plantation House
18.5 kmHampton Roads Naval Museum
9 km
William "Dick" Price Stadium
9.2 km
Norva Theatre
9.2 km
Saint Paul's Episcopal Church
8.9 km
Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal
16.5 km
Berkley Bridge
8.2 km
Drydock Number One, Norfolk Naval Shipyard
5.9 km
Portsmouth
8 km
Norfolk City Hall
8.9 km
Harrison Opera House
10.1 kmHigh Rise Bridge
1.3 km
Francis Land House
20.2 km
Basilica of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Norfolk
8.9 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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