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Virginia Beach, Virginia

"Resort City"
Where English colonists first set foot in the New World in 1607, Virginia Beach grew from a quiet seaside retreat into the most populous city in Virginia — a military powerhouse with 35 miles of coastline.
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Founded 1906 | Population 452,375 | Peak 459,673 (2020) | County Independent City

Top 10 Most Important Events for Virginia Beach, Virginia

1
1607First Landing of English Colonists: The three ships of the Virginia Company made landfall at Cape Henry on April 26, 1607, before continuing to Jamestown. This first landing site is preserved as First Landing State Park, Virginia's most-visited state park.
2
1963Merger Creates Modern Virginia Beach: Virginia Beach merged with Princess Anne County to prevent annexation by Norfolk, creating an independent city of 310 square miles. The merger transformed a small resort town into Virginia's largest city.
3
2019Municipal Center Mass Shooting: A city engineer opened fire inside the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, killing 12 colleagues before being killed by police. The shooting prompted statewide gun legislation debates.
4
1942NAS Oceana Established: Naval Air Station Oceana was commissioned as a military airfield, growing into the Navy's East Coast master jet base housing F/A-18 squadrons and generating billions in economic impact.
5
1927Boardwalk and Resort Development: The oceanfront boardwalk opened along the Atlantic shore, establishing Virginia Beach as a premier vacation destination. The three-mile boardwalk remains one of the longest recreational beachfront promenades in the world.
6
1883Railroad Reaches the Beach: The Norfolk and Virginia Beach Railroad connected the oceanfront to Norfolk, making the beach accessible to visitors for the first time and launching the resort era.
7
1691Cape Henry Lighthouse Authorized: The first Cape Henry Lighthouse, authorized by George Washington in 1791, became one of the first federally funded construction projects in the United States.
8
2003Pharrell Williams and the Neptune Festival Era: Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams and The Neptunes dominated global music charts, putting the city on the cultural map. The annual Neptune Festival became a major civic celebration.
9
1952Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Planned: Planning began for the 17.6-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel connecting Virginia Beach to the Eastern Shore, which opened in 1964 as an engineering marvel.
10
1862Battle of Hampton Roads Nearby: The revolutionary naval battle between the ironclads Monitor and Merrimack took place just offshore, forever changing naval warfare and bringing the Civil War to Virginia Beach's waters.
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Population Over Time

0 114,868 229,735 344,603 459,470 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

Latest News in Virginia Beach

Feb 20, 2026
Dad And Son Charged With 216 Counts Of Incest, Pay The Price
A father and son in West Virginia has been charged with over 216 counts of incest, sexual assault and sexual abuse that involved t…

Complete Historical Timeline

1607 Government
English colonists make first landing at Cape Henry
1691 Government
Princess Anne County established
1791 Architecture
Cape Henry Lighthouse authorized by Congress
1862 Government
Battle of Hampton Roads fought offshore
1883 Transport
Railroad connects Norfolk to the beach
1906 Government
Virginia Beach incorporated as a town
1918 Government
World War I military camps established in the area
1927 Architecture
Oceanfront boardwalk opens
1942 Government
Naval Air Station Oceana established
1952 Government
Virginia Beach becomes an independent city
1963 Government
Merger with Princess Anne County creates modern city
1964 Engineering
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel opens
1972 Business
Tourism becomes dominant economic force
1992 Architecture
Greenbrier neighborhood development boom
1999 Architecture
Town Center development transforms city core
2003 Architecture
Virginia Beach Convention Center opens
2016 Social
VB Strong community resilience initiative launched
2019 Crime
Municipal Center mass shooting kills 12
2020 Government
City population reaches 459,000 in census
2024 Architecture
Atlantic Park surf park and entertainment district under development

Did You Know?

1
Virginia Beach holds the Guinness World Record for the longest pleasure beach, with 35 miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay.
2
The city's First Landing State Park marks the exact spot where English colonists first touched American soil in 1607, 13 days before founding Jamestown.
3
Virginia Beach is home to three military installations — NAS Oceana, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, and Dam Neck — making the military its largest employer.

Famous People from Virginia Beach, Virginia

PW
Pharrell Williams
Entrepreneur, Singer · Born Apr 5, 1973 · Age 52
D
Danja
Composer, Singer · Born Feb 22, 1982 · Age 44
WS
Walker Scobell
Actor · Born Jan 5, 2009 · Age 17
TB
Todd Boehly
Businessperson, Investor · Born Sep 20, 1973 · Age 52
JG
Jason Winston George
Actor, Model · Born Feb 9, 1972 · Age 54
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