Central Newport News , Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Camp Alexander

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, July 31, 2010

1. Camp Alexander Marker

Inscription. Camp Alexander was created from a portion of Camp Hill between Warwick and Jefferson Avenues on Aug. 15, 1918. Part of the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, it quartered Black stevedore regiments and labor battalions. Named for 2nd Lt. John Hawks Alexander, U.S. Army. Graduating in 1887, he was the second Black graduate of West Point. He served with the 9th Cavalry on the frontier, then as Prof. of Military Science at Wiberforce University.

Erected 1985 by Newport News Historical Committee.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War, World I. In addition, it is included in the Virginia, Corporation of Newport News series list. A significant historical date for this entry is August 15, 1918.

Location. Marker has been reported missing. It was located near 37° 1.491′ N, 76° 27.301′ W. Marker was in Newport News, Virginia. It was in Central Newport News. It was at the intersection of Warwick Boulevard (U.S. 60) and Franklin Road, on the right when traveling south on Warwick Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 9607 Warwick Blvd, Newport

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News VA 23601, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker was on Virginia’s Peninsula,

in Hampton Roads,

in Coastal Virginia,

and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area.

It was also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found 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 location: WW II U.S. Submarine Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Four Heroic Chaplains (approx. 0.3 miles away); U.S.S. Scorpion SSN 589 (approx. 0.3 miles away); Precursor to the Atomic Age (approx. 0.3 miles away); A Behemoth in the Field (approx. 0.3 miles away); Vietnam War Monument (approx. 0.3 miles away); 40mm/56 Quad Mount Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun (approx. 0.3 miles away); Pearl Harbor Survivors (approx. 0.3 miles away).

Hilton Blvd & Jefferson Ave image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bernard Fisher, July 31, 2010

2. Hilton Blvd & Jefferson Ave

Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newport News.

More about this marker. The name "John Hanks Alexander" is misspelled as "John Hawks Alexander". The marker was originally located 2 miles south near the intersection of Hilton Blvd & Jefferson Ave (GPS 37.00894, -76.43772).

Also see . . . John Hanks Alexander (1864-1894). Encyclopedia of Arkansas (Submitted on March 28, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)

Lt. John Ha<b>n</b>ks Alexander image. Click for full size.

Photographed by U. S. Military Academy, circa 1887

3. Lt. John Hanks Alexander

as cadet, West Point, circa 1887

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 16, 2024

4. Camp Alexander Marker

New location on Warwick Blvd near Franklin Rd. Monty's Penguin in the background.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 3, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,073 times since then and 78 times this year. Last updated on February 23, 2025, by Will Hrachovina of Newport News, Virginia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 3, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 3. submitted on March 28, 2011, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 4. submitted on July 17, 2024, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina.