North Newport News , Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Newport News Park
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 18, 2021
1. Newport News Park Marker [Left plaque]
Inscription.
Newport News Park. .
In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of Newport News Park 1966 - 2016. "On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, this park, one of the largest and most treasured municipal parks in the country, is hereby rededicated for the enjoyment of the residents and visitors of Newport News."
1966. This park is dedicated to the citizens of Newport News, their peninsula friends, neighbors and visitors, for permanent year-round recreation and enjoyment.
Located on 8,500 acres of undisturbed woodland on the beautiful watershed of the Warwick River, the completed park concept envisages facilities for golfing, picnicking, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, camping, and also an amphitheatre, arboretum, community buildings and historical restorations.
Newport News is indeed fortunate to have this watershed area of incomparable beauty as the site of a recreational facility in the very heard of a great metropolitan region. The park itself is a realization of the dreams of community leaders, particularly of Mr. Joseph C. Biggins, City Manager from 1926 to 1965, who conceived the idea of the park and labored tirelessly to ensure its becoming a reality.
Senate Resolution No. 37 Patrons: Senator John C. Miller and Senator Thomas K. Norment
Agreed to by the Senate of Virginia, February 4, 2016
WHEREAS, Newport News Park was dedicated on May 28, 1966, after the City of Newport News set aside thousands of acres of city-owned land in the watershed area of Newport News and York County for public recreation and enjoyment; and
WHEREAS, during the dedication ceremony, United States Senator A. Willis Robertson predicted that "in the course of time, this park will become one of the most attractive, as well as one of the most useful in the state"; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Parks, Recreation and Tourism was originally established to save open spaces, preserve historic sites, provide facilities for children and adults to play and relax, and designate areas where wildlife could continue to thrive; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park receives more than two million visits annually and, at over 7,700 acres, holds the distinction of being one of the largest municipal parks in the entire country; it is a valuable asset not only to the City of Newport News and the Virginia Peninsula but also to the entire Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park is rich with recreational opportunities and offers more than 30 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails; two freshwater, fishable lakes; a modern campground; picnic areas and playgrounds; two 18-hole golf courses and a disc golf course; a nature and history Discovery Center; facilities for bicycle, boat, canoe, and paddleboat rentals; an arboretum with an authentic Japanese teahouse; a model aircraft flying field; an outdoor performing arts center; an archery range; and a visitor information center; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park is home to a full schedule of special events, including the annual Fall Festival of Folklife, Children's Festival of Friends, and the Commonwealth's first drive through holiday light display, the Celebration in Lights; these regional traditions account for more than 200,000 annual visitors to the Newport News area; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park comprises a diverse ecosystem of forests, meadows, wetlands, and lakes; combined with the park's recreational opportunities, the natural beauty and tranquility serve to enhance the quality of life for residents of and visitors to the Virginia Peninsula; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park is home to a wide variety of indigenous plants and animals, including more than 250 species of wildflowers, 284 species of birds, 25 species of amphibians, 103 species of trees and shrubs, 35 species of reptiles, 16 species of ferns, 17 species of freshwater game fish, and 31 species of mammals, along with a wealth of invertebrates, grasses, aquatic plants, and other plant and animal species; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park preserves a number of historical features including a National Register of Historic Places site that is situated on the hallowed grounds of the Union ARmy's only assault on Major General John B. Magruder's Warwick River lines; the park provides visitors with outstanding views of strategic locations vital to the legacy of the Civil War in their untouched and natural states; and
WHEREAS, the creation and operation of Newport News Park promotes regional travel and tourism in partnership with its gateway communities, providing jobs and contributing to the economic vitality of the region; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park is deserving of the recognition and continued support of citizens throughout the Commonwealth to preserve its ecological and cultural integrity, maintain its recreational viability, and protect its scenic views for generations to come; and
WHEREAS, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Newport News Park, the City of Newport News has planned special programs and stewardship activities throughout 2016 to enable residents to reconnect with and enjoy this outstanding public asset; and
WHEREAS, Senator Robertson's prediction that Newport News Park would become one of the most attractive and useful parks in the Commonwealth has been and continues to be fully realized; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That the City of Newport News hereby be commended on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the opening of Newport News Park; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the Mayor and City Council of Newport News as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect and appreciation for the city's 50 years of stewardship in protecting and managing this outstanding public treasure.
In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of Newport News Park
1966 - 2016
"On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, this park, one of the largest and most treasured municipal parks in the country, is hereby rededicated for the enjoyment of the residents and visitors of Newport News."
1966
This park is dedicated to the citizens of Newport News, their peninsula friends, neighbors and visitors, for permanent year-round recreation and enjoyment.
Located on 8,500 acres of undisturbed woodland on the beautiful watershed of the Warwick River, the completed park concept envisages facilities for golfing, picnicking, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, camping, and also an amphitheatre, arboretum, community buildings and historical restorations.
Newport News is indeed fortunate to have this watershed area of incomparable beauty as the site of a recreational facility in the very heard of a great metropolitan region. The park itself is a realization of the dreams of community leaders, particularly of Mr. Joseph C. Biggins, City Manager from 1926 to 1965, who conceived the idea of the park and labored tirelessly to ensure its becoming a reality.
Senate Resolution No. 37
Patrons: Senator John C. Miller and Senator Thomas K. Norment
Agreed to by the
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Senate of Virginia, February 4, 2016
WHEREAS, Newport News Park was dedicated on May 28, 1966, after the City of Newport News set aside thousands of acres of city-owned land in the watershed area of Newport News and York County for public recreation and enjoyment; and
WHEREAS, during the dedication ceremony, United States Senator A. Willis Robertson predicted that "in the course of time, this park will become one of the most attractive, as well as one of the most useful in the state"; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Parks, Recreation & Tourism was originally established to save open spaces, preserve historic sites, provide facilities for children and adults to play and relax, and designate areas where wildlife could continue to thrive; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park receives more than two million visits annually and, at over 7,700 acres, holds the distinction of being one of the largest municipal parks in the entire country; it is a valuable asset not only to the City of Newport News and the Virginia Peninsula but also to the entire Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park is rich with recreational opportunities and offers more than 30 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails; two freshwater, fishable lakes; a modern campground; picnic areas and playgrounds; two 18-hole
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 18, 2021
2. Newport News Park Marker [Center plaque]
golf courses and a disc golf course; a nature and history Discovery Center; facilities for bicycle, boat, canoe, and paddleboat rentals; an arboretum with an authentic Japanese teahouse; a model aircraft flying field; an outdoor performing arts center; an archery range; and a visitor information center; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park is home to a full schedule of special events, including the annual Fall Festival of Folklife, Children's Festival of Friends, and the Commonwealth's first drive through holiday light display—the Celebration in Lights; these regional traditions account for more than 200,000 annual visitors to the Newport News area; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park comprises a diverse ecosystem of forests, meadows, wetlands, and lakes; combined with the park's recreational opportunities, the natural beauty and tranquility serve to enhance the quality of life for residents of and visitors to the Virginia Peninsula; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park is home to a wide variety of indigenous plants and animals, including more than 250 species of wildflowers, 284 species of birds, 25 species of amphibians, 103 species of trees and shrubs, 35 species of reptiles, 16 species of ferns, 17 species of freshwater game fish, and 31 species of mammals, along with a wealth of invertebrates, grasses, aquatic plants, and
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 18, 2021
3. Newport News Park Marker
other plant and animal species; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park preserves a number of historical features including a National Register of Historic Places site that is situated on the hallowed grounds of the Union ARmy's only assault on Major General John B. Magruder's Warwick River lines; the park provides visitors with outstanding views of strategic locations vital to the legacy of the Civil War in their untouched and natural states; and
WHEREAS, the creation and operation of Newport News Park promotes regional travel and tourism in partnership with its gateway communities, providing jobs and contributing to the economic vitality of the region; and
WHEREAS, Newport News Park is deserving of the recognition and continued support of citizens throughout the Commonwealth to preserve its ecological and cultural integrity, maintain its recreational viability, and protect its scenic views for generations to come; and
WHEREAS, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Newport News Park, the City of Newport News has planned special programs and stewardship activities throughout 2016 to enable residents to reconnect with and enjoy this outstanding public asset; and
WHEREAS, Senator Robertson's prediction that Newport News Park would become one of the most attractive and useful parks in
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 18, 2021
4. Newport News Park Display
the Commonwealth has been and continues to be fully realized; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That the City of Newport News hereby be commended on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the opening of Newport News Park; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the Mayor and City Council of Newport News as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect and appreciation for the city's 50 years of stewardship in protecting and managing this outstanding public treasure.
Location. 37° 10.776′ N, 76° 32.771′ W. Marker is in Newport News, Virginia. It is in North Newport News. Marker is on Constitution Way, 0.4 miles east of Jefferson Avenue (Virginia Route 143) when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Newport News VA 23608, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 21, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 214 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 21, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
![Newport News Park Marker [Left plaque] image. Click for full size.](Photos5/564/Photo564909.jpg?1212021115000PM "Newport News Park Marker [Left plaque]. Click for full size.")
![Newport News Park Marker [Center plaque] image. Click for full size.](Photos5/564/Photo564910.jpg?1212021115100PM "Newport News Park Marker [Center plaque]. Click for full size.")
