The Development Of Olde Wythe

The Development Of Olde Wythe. Laying the Foundation of the Neighborhood. In the years prior to the Civil War, the area known today as Olde Wythe was simply country farm land, with no special designation. After the war it remained the same for quite a while as there were no roads in the area, just country lanes. Although northern entrepreneurs were able to buy cheap land throughout the area, they sometimes held that land for as long as 30-40 years before developing it, renting it as farm land or farming it themselves., As development progressed, slowly houses sprang up in the area starting along the waterfront and at each end of Olde Wythe. Along the Boulevard a few hotels were built offering their guests boating, bathing, and fishing, along with serving fresh seafood and other home own specialties. By 1905 the street car line on Electric Avenue (Victoria Boulevard) was extended via LaSalle Avenue down The Boulevard, (Chesapeake Avenue), to Newport News., In 1907 a temporary ferry service was established at the end of Manteo Avenue to transport passengers across the Hampton Roads harbor to the Jamestown Exposition. This location was selected as it was the halfway point between Hampton and Newport News. In 1912 the Chesapeake Ferry Company started regular service to Norfolk from the same spot. The ferry often ran aground at the slip and, in 1914, was moved to deeper water in Newport News. With the increase of local industries and accessible transportation, people began building homes and moving into the area., In the 1920s houses, businesses, and churches continued to spring up throughout the area. The storm of 1933 destroyed the streetcar line on the Boulevard, and, due to the cost, as well as the increased popularity of automobiles, it was decided not to replace the tracks. As a result, Kecoughtan Road became central to new commerce in the area., The 1930s through the 1960s brought improved shopping centers, restaurants, entertainment, mass transit, and modernization of roads in the area. Civic associations were formed and residents took pride in maintaining their community., By the 1970s Olde Wythe had fallen victim to a problem of the time – urban flight. However, by the 1990s, Olde Wythe began to experience a renaissance with new families moving into the area and homes being refurbished. Today, Olde Wythe, defined as the area between LaSalle Avenue, Pear Avenue, Kecoughtan Road and Chesapeake Avenue, is a thriving neighborhood which its residents are proud to call home., Bringing History to Life , For more neighborhood information visit: www.oldewythe.com , For more visitor information visit: www.VisitHampton.com , In partnership with Virginia Civil War Trails, www.civilwartrails.org