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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

N is for Newport News


Photo by Kay Davies, Best Western Plus, Newport News, Virginia, September 2013
Downtown Newport News, Wikipedia photo
I recently spent a night and a morning in Newport News, Virginia. I did take a few photos inside my hotel room, but none of the city, not even the area around the airport where I rented a car, or the train station downtown, where I spent a lot of time when I was early for the northbound train.
As a result, I have no city photos of my own to show here, but the story of Newport News is not in its newness, it is in its history.
Although there are numerous stories about the origin of the name, the original area near the mouth of the James River was first referred to as Newportes Newes as early as 1621.

Warwick County (in orange on this 1895 map) was originally one of the eight shires created in colonial Virginia in 1634.
In 1958, citizens of the cities of Warwick and Newport News voted to consolidate the two cities, choosing the name of Newport News. The merger created the third largest city by population in Virginia.


Posted for the letter N
at this week's ABC Wednesday
hosted by Leslie in my home province of British Columbia


10 comments:

Photo Cache said...

that happens to me too sometimes, i'm too busy looking and soaking that i forget to take photos.

http://ewok1993.wordpress.com

Roger Owen Green said...

I was there once, a very long time ago, and I don't remember it well. thanks.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Friko said...

But you didn’t say what you were doing there . . . .

photowannabe said...

I remember going through there quite a few years ago and I also have no photos of it...(not even the hotel room) (:0)

Reader Wil said...

Hi Kay! Good choice for N ! You are a real globetrotter! It' s lovely to travel so much sometimes in reality sometimes by reading the stories of the bloggers.
Have a great time together!
Wil, ABCW Team.

Jenn Jilks said...

We were in Newboro yesterday!
It occurred to me I didn't get many Thanksgiving photos! sigh. I often forget.

Leslie: said...

Don't you just find it fascinating how many places in North America are named after places in England?

Leslie
abcw team

Joyful said...

I too often don't get photos of my travels ;-) I see you stayed at Best Western Plus. When I was down in the states recently too I stayed mostly at Best Western Hotels. I found they were best value for the money. Nice and clean too with comfy beds. I hope you enjoyed your stay as much as I did.

diane b said...

An interesting snippet of history about a city with an interesting name.

kaykuala said...

Some historical facts can really give a grand picture even without pics. Thanks Kay for having it known!

Hank