Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Cape Henry Railroads
National Park Service, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, August 16, 2018
1. Cape Henry Railroad Marker
The first railroad to Cape Henry was a temporary tramway built in 1880 to transport materials for the construction of the new Cape Henry Lighthouse. In 1902 the Chesapeake Transit Company opened an electric rail line from Norfolk to the cape, allowing a resort village to develop. A brick passenger depot, 250 yards northwest of here, opened in 1904. Later that year, the line merged with the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. The U.S. Army established Fort Story here in 1914 and laid new track. During World War II the army used the tracks to transport artillery and ammunition for the coastal defense system. Commercial and passenger service to Cape Henry ended in 1947.
Erected 2016 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number KV-24.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars • War, World I • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.
Location. 36° 55.497′ N, 76° 0.453′ W. Marker is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is in Fort Story. It is at the intersection of Cebu Road and Sicily Road
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads, specifically in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Into the 21st Century / The Amphibians Arrive (within shouting distance of this marker); The Guns of Fort Story / Fort Story Rises from the Dunes (within shouting distance of this marker); The Emerging Community / Defending the Chesapeake Bay (within shouting distance of this marker); Movement and Display of the USS Iowa Battleship Barrel at Cape Henry/Fort Story (within shouting distance of this marker); "A picturesque spot which impresses all who see it" (within shouting distance of this marker); WW2 16-inch/50 Coast Defense Batteries at Fort Story (within shouting distance of this marker); Expanding Military Operations at Fort Story (within shouting distance of this marker); The Cottages of Cape Henry at Fort Story (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Virginia Beach.
Also see . . . Railroads to Cape Henry in Virginia Beach get their place in history. The Virginian-Pilot (8/4/2017) (Submitted on August 19, 2019.)
National Park Service, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, August 16, 2018
2. Cape Henry Railroad Marker and railway equipment.
National Park Service, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, August 16, 2018
3. Cape Henry Railroad Marker, railway equipment, and both Cape Henry Lighthouses.
Viewing north towards marker and lighthouses. The series of markers called "Fort Story" are visible on the right side of the image.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 19, 2019. This page has been viewed 1,330 times since then and 73 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 19, 2019. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
