 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Story of Wythe
Long before citizens of Hampton ever called Olde Wythe home, this area was used by the Kicotan Indians for hunting, fishing, and growing crops. The Kicotan (Kecoughtans) were part of a loose confederation of the Algonquin whose chieftain was Powhatan. The Algonquin first lived on the Virginia peninsula over two thousand years ago. The Indians were hospitable to visiting 16th century Spanish Jesuits, and when the English who arrived in 1607. In 1610 the Jamestown settlers seized the land from the Indians and established the oldest, continuously inhabited English-speaking settlement in the United States which became known as Hampton. In 1616 the colonists formed the first church at Kecoughtan, just east of today’s LaSalle Avenue.
Olde Wythe was once part of Elizabeth City County, one of the first eight Virginia counties, established in 1634, and named for the daughter of King James I. The Virginia Assembly created a town and customs district in 1691 and named the town Hampton in 1706 in honor of the Earl of Southampton. Elizabeth City County continued, with Hampton as its seat, until 1952, when the residents of Hampton Phoebus and Elizabeth City County voted to merge into one city name Hampton.
After the Revolutionary War, Wythe was simply country farmland with no special designation, though it had strategic value for military operations and economic value for the port of Hampton. The only significant establishment in Colonial Wythe was Celey’s Plantation, from Salters Creek, then part of Elizabeth City County to roughly what is today’s Claremont Avenue.
On June 25,1813 during the war of 1812, Murphy’s farm near Indian River Creek was the site where 2500 British troops landed. After they disembarked, the troops mounted an attack on the town of Hampton.
During the Civil War, Elizabeth City County’s self-government disappeared. No court minutes were recorded between May 1861 and November 1865. The most remarkable event of the Civil War in Wythe was the battle between the ironclads USS Monitor and CSS Virginia, fought in Hampton Roads harbor, with residents watching wide-eyed from the shores. Following the war, county demographics changed enormously due to the burning and evacuation of Hampton, as well as the huge influx of freedmen and Northern entrepreneurs. As a result, Elizabeth City County was divided into three new districts: Chesapeake, Southfield, and Wythe.
After the Civile War, Hampton attracted many innovated northners who contributed to the growth of Wythe by their investments in land and industry. These Northern newcomers, such as Charles E. Hewins and John C. Robinson, saw not only the chance to make money but to also help rebuild a fractured society and economy. Captain Robinson set up a seafood plant and a brick enterprise; Captain Hewins invested in oysters and land, both the Robinsons and Hewins built their large , attractive homes near their occupations in Olde Wythe. Another family that had a inpact in Olde Wythe was the Armstrongs, who obtained lands east of the Hewins. These leaders were the key to the growth of modern Wythe and joined with James S. Darling, James McMenamin, and others to develop the economy of Elizabeth City County.
By the beginning of the 20th century, the Celey Plantation lands had passed into developers’ hands and been divided into small lots for home sites. Elizabeth City County was divided into three districts: the town of Hampton ,Chesapeake and Wythe. Meanwhile Newport News’ industrial growth was creating a demand for labor, housing, and transportation. The opening of the Chesapeake Dry Dock and Construction Company attracted skilled laborers, senior managers, investors, and associated support services. This influx, encouraged the growth Wythe’s residential development, and services.
In 1905 LaSalle Avenue was extended from Electric Avenue (Victoria Boulevard) to the Boulevard (Chesapeake Avenue) in order to accommodate a new trolly line which connected the growing neighborhood to both Hampton and Newport News. The trolley also brought visitors to Wythe, stopping near the Hampton Roads Golf and Country Club, which club house was located on Amonate (Hampton Roads) Avenue, and to the resorts hotels along the waterfront at that time. In 1907 the trolley added a stop for the temporary ferry service at the end Manteo Avenue, where tourists were ferried across the harbor to the exciting events of the Jamestown Exposition in Norfolk. Virginia.
Growth in Wythe continued through World War I, which brought a number of important changes to the area. The Hampton Roads U.S. Army Port of Embarkation at Newport News shipped troops, horses, and cargo; stressed local transportation and housing; and also attracted yet more skilled laborers. Langley Field was established in 1917, combining initiatives from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the U.S. Army for test and training facilities.
The growing industrial workforce, both white and blue collar, responded eagerly to the newly accessible real estate in the Wythe District. In 1912 ferry service was re-established at the end of Manteo Avenue. Being located between two growing cities, this was an ideal place to make runs across the harbor to Norfolk. Because of the shallow waters and difficulty navigating the channel, the ferry often got stuck, and in 1914 was moved to deeper water in Newport News. On May 1, 1916, the Boulevard Development Company began selling lots in Indian River Park, making it one of the earliest planned communities in the country, with streetlights, sewers, and sidewalks. In the 1920’s, with the closing of the golf course, the Armstrong properties began to sprout new bungalows and grand houses. Small stores along Kecoughtan Road served local needs.
The storm of August 23, 1933, a nor’easter influenced by a hurricane, caused the worst natural destruction of the area in nearly two centuries. In Olde Wythe, it sent waves over the hedges on the Boulevard and wrecked the shoreline streetcar tracks beyond repair. Following this disaster, and in light of the growing popularity of the automobile, the trolly tracks were not repaired.
By the mid 1930’s with the increase in the number of families moving into Wythe, the business district along Kecoughtan Road began to grow. Kecoughtan Road became home to many unique establishments and Hampton‘s first shopping plaza which included a grocery store, drug store, a soda fountain, and a movie theater.
World War II brought new troop, ship, and cargo demands to Hampton and Newport News, including military training camps. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the army set up an aircraft-spotting unit located in Olde Wythe along the waterfront bring the war closer to home. During and after the war, the Wythe business district continued to blossom, stretching along Kecoughtan Road for several miles. It included the first bank drive-up window in the county, as well as many new restaurants, stores, and houses of worship.
Civic associations have always played a large role in the community starting in 1921, with the formation of the Indian River Park Association, bringing together residents bordering Indian River. Throughout the decades, other organizations such as the Wythe Civic Club and Wythe Protective Association, were also involved in the community. In 1980, the Indian River- Robinson Creek Neighborhood Association was formed by the homeowners of the Indian River and Robinson Park areas. This group organized one of the first neighborhood watch programs in Hampton, and held various social events to bring neighbors together. In 1993, the Indian River/Robinson Park Association evolved into the Wythe Neighborhood Association as part of the Hampton Neighborhood Initiative program. The new association extended it boundaries from LaSalle Avenue to Pear Avenue and from Kecoughtan Road to Chesapeake Avenue. The name was changed to the Olde Wythe Neighborhood Association in 1999 to highlight the historical significance of our area.
As one walks the streets of Olde Wythe, it is hard not to notice the diverse architecture of the many homes in this largely waterfront community. One home predates the Civil War While nearby a new Victorian style residence is being constructed. This diversity lends testimony lto the age and rich historical roots of the neighborhood.
While it is possible to find large Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, and Tudor Revival homes along Chesapeake Avenue many of the homes in Olde Wythe reflect the bungalow and Craftsman style that became prevalent just after 1900. This steady process of development has resulted in a neighborhood with no sense of architectural cohesion but acts as a timeline to tell the stories of the lives and events that created and continue to build Wythe.
Today the future of Olde Wythe lies in the ability of its residents to preserve its charm. Homeowner restorations and civic investment in the neighborhood, as well as developing new models for residential and business patterns, are all vital to the neighborhood of Olde Wythe as well as to the rest of 400-year old Hampton.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
