Norfolk is an independent city in Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Norfolk had a population of 238,005, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, and the 94th-largest city in the nation. Norfolk holds a strategic position as the historical, urban, financial, and cultural center of the Hampton Roads region, which has more than 1.8 million inhabitants and is the 37th-largest metropolitan area in the US, with ten cities.
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of Virginia, United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city in Virginia, fifth-most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, ninth-most populous city in the Southeast and the 42nd-most populous city in the U.S. Located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Beach is the largest city in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area which includes 6 other cities. This area, sometimes referred to as "America's First Region", also includes the independent cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Suffolk, as well as other smaller cities, counties, and towns of Hampton Roads.
Newport News is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the fifth-most populous city in Virginia and 140th-most populous city in the United States.
Chesapeake is an independent city in Virginia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 249,422, making it the second-most populous city in Virginia, the tenth-largest in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 90th-most populous city in the United States.
Old Dominion University (ODU) is a public research university in Norfolk, Virginia. It was established in 1930 as the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary and is now one of the largest universities in Virginia with an enrollment of 24,286 students for the 2021 academic year. Old Dominion University also enrolls over 700 international students from 89 countries. Its main campus covers 251 acres (1.02 km2) straddling the city neighborhoods of Larchmont, Highland Park, and Lambert's Point, approximately five miles (8.0 km) from Downtown Norfolk.
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), incorporated on October 1, 1999, began through the voluntary merger of PENTRAN on the Virginia Peninsula and TRT in South Hampton Roads and currently serves over 22 million annual passengers within its 369-square-mile (960 km2) service area around Hampton Roads. The purpose of the HRT is to provide reliable and efficient transportation service and facilities to the Hampton Roads community. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 6,750,200, or about per weekday as of the first quarter of 2023.
The Virginian-Pilot is the daily newspaper for Norfolk, Virginia, United States. Commonly known as The Pilot, it is Virginia's largest daily. It serves the five cities of South Hampton Roads as well as several smaller towns across southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina. It was a locally owned, family enterprise from its founding in 1865 at the close of the American Civil War until its sale to Tribune Publishing in 2018.
Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) is a public medical school in Norfolk, Virginia. Founded by grassroots efforts in the Southeastern part of Virginia known as Hampton Roads, EVMS is not affiliated with an undergraduate institution and coordinates training through multiple medical centers in the Hampton Roads region. EVMS campus includes the 555-bed Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, the region's only tertiary level 1 trauma medical care facility, and the 212-bed Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, a regional pediatric referral care facility and only stand-alone children's hospital in the state. EVMS is the first institution in the US to have produced a viable fetus through in vitro fertilization. EVMS is most known for its reproductive medicine and simulation/standardized-patient education as well as research in pediatrics, geriatrics, diabetes, and cancer. In addition, EVMS is well known for its leadership in community service and medical missions as evidenced by faculty and alumni responsible for the founding of Operation Smile, Physicians for Peace, Global Brigades, and CONRAD.
The Neptune Festival is an annual festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Virginia Beach Chamber of Commerce President and RK Chevrolet founder Richard Kline created the idea in 1973, to celebrate the heritage of the city. The first celebration took place in 1974.
Downtown Norfolk serves as the traditional center of commerce, government, and culture in the Hampton Roads region. Norfolk, Virginia's downtown waterfront shipping and port activities historically played host to numerous and often noxious port and shipping-related uses. With the advent of containerized shipping in the mid-19th century, the shipping uses located on Norfolk's downtown waterfront became obsolete as larger and more modern port facilities opened elsewhere in the region. The vacant piers and cargo warehouses eventually became a blight on downtown and Norfolk's fortunes as a whole. But in the second half of the century, Norfolk had a vibrant retail community in its suburbs; companies like Smith & Welton, High's, Colonial Stores, Goldman's Shoes, Lerner Shops, Hofheimer's, Giant Open Air, Dollar Tree and K & K Toys were regional leaders in their respective fields. Norfolk was also the birthplace of Econo-Travel, now Econo Lodge, one of the nation's first discount motel chains.
Since Norfolk serves as the commercial and cultural center for the geographical region of Hampton Roads, it can be difficult to separate the economic characteristics of Norfolk, from that of the region as a whole. The waterways which almost completely surround the Hampton Roads region also play an important part in the local economy. As a strategic location at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, its protected deep water channels serve as major arteries for the import and export of goods from across the Mid-Atlantic, Mid-West, and international destinations, as well as being the location of the world's largest naval base.
Virginia Beach, Virginia is a city that has become a popular tourist destination in recent years on account of its historical, scientific, and performing arts.
Glenn Carlyle Nye III is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for Virginia's 2nd congressional district from 2009 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was defeated in his attempt to attain re-election on November 2, 2010. The district included all of Virginia Beach and the Eastern Shore, as well as parts of Norfolk and Hampton.
Sentara Health, an integrated, not-for-profit health care delivery system, celebrates more than 130 years in pursuit of its mission - "we improve health every day." Sentara is one of the largest health systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and among the top 20 largest not-for-profit integrated health systems in the country, with 30,000 employees, 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina, and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves more than 1.2 million members in Virginia and Florida. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety, and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named to IBM Watson Health's "Top 15 Health Systems", and was recognized by Forbes as a "Best Employer for New Grads" (2022), "Best Employer for Veterans" (2022), and "Best Employer for Women" (2020).
Military Circle Mall, known as The Gallery at Military Circle Mall from 2002 to 2015, is a soon to be demolished enclosed shopping mall in Norfolk, Virginia. The mall opened in 1970. In October 2016 the Virginia Beach City Council rejected plans for an oceanfront arena. This vote triggered discussions for the Military Circle area to include the construction of a 20,000 seat multi purpose arena. However, rising city debt and other priorities appear to negate any near-term plans for a new arena to the area. The anchor stores are Ross Dress for Less, Optima Health, and Movement Mortgage. There are 3 vacant anchor stores that were once Cinemark, Sears, and Macy's. The mall permanently closed to the public on January 31, 2023.
Frederick Blair Wimbush, is a retired American railroad executive and lawyer. He continues to be a civic and professional leader. From 1980 to 2004, Wimbush progressed through positions of increasing responsibility in the Norfolk and Western Railway Company and Norfolk Southern Corporation Law Departments, including senior general counsel in 2002. In June 2004, he was elected vice president, real estate of Norfolk Southern Corporation, parent company of Norfolk Southern Railway Company. In November 2007, he became the first, and as of August 11, 2012, the only, executive level Corporate Sustainability Officer in the railroad industry, in addition to his real estate position. He managed several large conservation and energy efficiency projects for the company and has spoken on corporate sustainability at several corporate and educational conferences. He retired from Norfolk Southern Corporation after 35 years of service on May 1, 2015. Wimbush has served on the boards of the Hampton Roads Association of Commercial Real Estate, Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, and the Monarch Bank Norfolk City Board. On April 4, 2015, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that Wimbush had been appointed to the Virginia Port Authority board. On June 24, 2016, Governor McAuliffe reappointed Wimbush to a full five-year term ending June 30, 2021.
Glenn Ray Davis Jr. is an American politician from Virginia. Davis served as a member of the Republican Party representing the Virginia House of Delegates 84th district. He resigned on April 24, 2023 to serve as director of the Virginia Department of Energy.
The Virginia Beach Neptunes were a proposed American professional baseball team based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. They were planned to be a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. They would have been the second professional baseball club in the Hampton Roads region after the Norfolk Tides of the International League (AAA).
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
