Norfolk: 1890 Annexation
The acquisition
of the Brambleton neighborhood in 1887 increased the city's
population and encouraged future city annexations. In 1890,
Atlantic City and a large tract of undeveloped land was annexed
to the city of Norfolk. Atlantic City, which was located near
Fort Norfolk, was a thriving working-class community with
homes, shops and industries. Major employers included the
Norfolk Knitting Mills, several lumber firms, and an oyster
business. The former Atlantic City Baptist Church still stands
on Olney Road.
Land developers seized the opportunity to build housing
for the growing population. In May of 1890, the Norfolk Company
was chartered for the purpose of buying, selling, improving,
and developing real estate in Norfolk. 250 acres of land were
subdivided into lots, and streets were laid out to conform
to the contour of the land with a crescent shaped boulevard,
Mowbray Arch, along the water. Streets and sidewalks were
paved, sewer and water systems were installed, and trees were
planted throughout the area. The first home completed, was
a large Georgian Revival house which set the tone for future
development A variety of architectural styles were popular
during this time period, including the Shingle Style, Dutch
Colonial Revival, and Queen Anne Styles. Ghent, Norfolk's
first planned community, was developed between 1893 and 1903
on farmland originally owned by Richard Drummond. In order
to honor the Treaty of Ghent, Drummond had changed the name
of his property to Ghent from Pleasant Point This treaty had
ended the War of 1812 with England and reopened the port of
Norfolk to overseas trade. One of Drummond's ships carried
the treaty from America to the Netherlands.
According to the
1900 census, there were 95 houses in Ghent. Within ten years,
development in the originally plotted area of Ghent was virtually
complete. It had become Norfolk's most fashionable area, a
neighborhood of elegant homes owned by some of the city's
most prominent families, including Retired Marine Major John
A. LeJeune, and France's Baron de Lustrac. Although several
other development companies tried to copy the success of Ghent,
none were able to do so.
In modern terms,
the boundaries of the 1890 annexation were: the area which
extends south from the railroad tracks of the Norfolk Southern
Railway, west from Armistead Avenue (one block east of Monticello
Avenue). It is bounded in the west by Lambert's Point Terminal,
and on the south by the Elizabeth River and the Hague. From
the Hague, the boundary extends northeasterly to Armistead
Avenue.
Boroughs:
Botetourt Gardens
Downtown College
Ghent
Ghent Commons
Mowbray Arch
West Ghent
21st Street
Civic Leagues:
Ghent Neighborhood League – Ms. Barbara Murphy; 619 Graydon
Avenue, Norfolk, 23507; 625-7001
Ghent Square Homeowners – Ms. Stephanie Calliott; 852
Mowbray Arch, Norfolk, 23507; 627-5757
West Ghent Civic League – Mr. James Farrell; P.O. Box 11526,
Norfolk, 23517; 623-6428
Libraries:
Van Wyck Branch
Museums
& Historic Sites:
Fort Norfolk
Parks
& Recreation Centers:
Hague Park
Schools:
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Ghent Elementary School
Article
researched by:
Stephanie Formby, ODU Student Intern
Karen Volkman, ODU Student Intern
Article
Written by:
Karen Volkman, ODU Student Intern
Statistics
compiled by:Karen Volkman, ODU Student Intern
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