Visitor's Handbook of Old Point Comfort, Virginia
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Visitors' hand book of Old Point Comfort, Virginia and vicinity, including Fort Monroe National Soldiers' Home ... Betts, C. W. [from old catalog] [n.p.] Printed by students of the Hampton institute, c1893. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/loc.ark:/13960/t1vd73q65 Public Domain in the United States http://www.hathitrust.org/access_use#pd-us We have determined this work to be in the public domain in the United States of America. It may not be in the public domain in other countries. Copies are provided as a preservation service. Particularly outside of the United States, persons receiving copies should make appropriate efforts to determine the copyright status of the work in their country and use the work accordingly. It is possible that current copyright holders, heirs or the estate of the authors of individual portions of the work, such as illustrations or photographs, assert copyrights over these portions. Depending on the nature of subsequent use that is made, additional rights may need to be obtained independently of anything we can address. F 232 .H23B5 . Visitors' 44aNd^^ooK -i- Old Poiqt Gon^fort, Virginia + V i c i T -$^aNd |\h Y- *£- J.M l-l 111 \(. FORT HONROE, NATIONAL SOLDIERS' HOME, J NATIONAL CEMETERY, V HAMPTON INSTITUTE, TOWN OF W HAMPTON, NEWPORT NEWS, /x$| NORFOLK, etc. 3feg SIXTH EDITION. Price 25 Cents. Pr '" icd by Stu<k ' n,s '" ,ho , Hampton . Institute. _^~ =„^«._„ — . k\ out \ /" Old Poii^t (,on)fort. >Y reference to the map orfopposite page, a narrow b:'strip of land, almost surrounded by water, extend- ing nut from the eastern shore of Virginia into the broad expanse of water [•Mined by the confluence of the Chesa- peake Bay and James River, will be noticed. This is "Old Point Comfort." In 1606, a company was formed in London, for the purpose of conizing Virginia. The persons named in the charter, which was dated April 10, 1606, as founders of the London Company, were Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Somers, Richard Hakluyt, and Edward Maria Wingfield. The Company guaranteed, for every £.\z 10s. (about $60.) paid into the treasu- ry, to give the contributor one hundred acres of land in the new colony, with the promise of one hundred acres more when the first lot had been cultivated. The Company organized, fitted out their vessels under the command of Captain Christopher Newport, who had acquired a maritime reputation by former expedi tions against the Spaniards. On December 19, i6o6,one hundred and five men embark- ed in these vessels, destined to form the first colony of Virginia, but not very well selected for such a purpose. Of this number, forty eight were "gentlemen," persons brought up to esteem labor degrading. There were but twelve laborers, four carpen- 4 visn •ok. ters and a few o s. The leaders were Wingfield, a merchant, Gosnold, who had made a previous v ■ Mew World, the chaplain; and last but not least, that seventeenth century hero — John Smith - soldier, smlor. discoverer, diplo- matist, and historian of the enterp The names of the future consellors to whim the g vrrmm-nt of the colony was to be entrusted, wore carried to Virginia a profound secret, carefully sealed up in a tin box, along with kinj Newport proceeded by way of the Can- aries and the Wj Wingfield, jeal- ous of Smith's n the Council, usurp the government and make himself King of Virginia; and on this extraordinary charge Smith was arrested and inement during tin- remainder of the passage. Several n ling thence in search of the coast of Virginia, a fortunate ssels past Roanoke, and after a fonrmonths' ; lay or "Mother of the Waters." The two I the entrance wee named Cape Henry and Capt Charles, after Hie king's two sons. A party of thirty landing .it Cape Ilcnrv. were attacked by liv Hided. Presently the ship came to a:i al the mouth of a broad river or estuary. Here tli' : the Council made known. They then continued their journey < ( exploration up tl e Powhatan, (James) traf- ficking with the natives, who received them kindly and regarded them with curious eyes, as many of them had never befere seen a white man. A »pot was finally chosen -— 1 HTTCiiii ■'!'!!' HJR1 MONRoIC. l.llOklX'; TlJH VKli.S HIE b V1S1 rORS HAND BOOK. for settlement on the north bank of the river, about fifty miles from the bay. This spot was called Jamestown, and the river soon came to be known as the James River. In July, 1608, Captain Smith, with a select party, started in an open boat to ex- plore the shores of the Chesapeake. They proceeded safely on their way as far as the entrance of the Piankatank River, when a mighty storm arose with thunder, wind and furious rain. In their open boats they were exposed to the lull force of tin- blast, and sought in vain to stem its fury and find their way into some convenient harbor. Unable to ride at anchor, they put their frail bark before the wind and scudded toward the southward. York river was passed; then Hack river, neither of which they could make; till finally they came to the sandy strip of land jutting out into the entrance of the James River, rounding which V. Iter from the storm, and named the place, in gratitude of heart, Point Comfort. The ai I," has since been giv- en to distinguish it from its sister shelter, New Point Comfort, higher up the bay. For years before the war Old Point Comfort had been celebrated as a watering place. The singular salubrn a wide celebrity as a place of residence during the heated summer months. The mildness of the climate, also, aided to produce the same results. Families from the upper country Hocked hither during the summer months to enjoy the unaccustomed luxury of sea bathing and fishing. But the outbreak of the war, which wrought so many changes, interposed an abrupt interruption to the career of Old Point Comfort as a resort for pleasure. Military necessity demanded the demolition of the hotel building which interferred VISITORS HAND BOOK. Ji/PiS^s/'Ji^fg^ltx'. 5 ,OK. Ily with the r; e guns of the fort, and for several years Old Point Comfort was known only .1- an important militan The Hotel nas originally located nearly opposite to whore the "Sherwood" now stands, and was built in the shape of a half moon. Previous to 1856, it was owned by several parties in succession; during this year it came into possession of Hon. Joseph Segar, whose estate was what is now known as "Roseland." Mr. C. C. Willard, of Washington. 1). C . was his partner. It was run by these gentle 11 :n n 'til its demolition, al d to. In 1863, Mr. Willa d seeing the necessity of a hotel, erected an unpretentious frame structure near the government wharf. After the war he sold it to Mr. Norris of Richmond, who in turn sold it to Capt. Clark (now of Phcebus) who look Mr. Wilson in as partner, considerably enlarging the building. In 1873, it was sold for $;;,ooo, a Mr. .West of Petersburg buying it for Mr. S. M. Shoemaker, the Baltimore milionaire, who installed Mr. Harrison Phoebus as man... The modest building was added to from year to year by Mr. Phoebus, until at his death, in 1S86, it was one of the finest and most complete hostelries in the Unit- ed States: and to-day it stands a monument to his skill and energy. Mr. PI on Thursday morning, February 25th, 18S6, at six o'clock, age 46 years. Since his death the Hotel has been under the ment of Mr. F. \. Pike, who was Mr. Phoebus right hand man for a number of years. Under his administration the house has retained its old time prestige and popularity, and it enjoys a liberal patronage the year round 10 OK. The climate of Old Point Comfort is un alubrity and general health- fulness. The record of the M en years shows tlu- following average temp Vutumn, 51 degrees; Winter, 47 degrees; Spring' 54.3 1 known fiict that every Post Physician th.it has been eaks in the highest tei gnant type, as •i- its beneficia irtain diseases. The 1 I which is the •id finest landing in I which during ig and Winte ■ on Hampton Roads. 1 i 1 ever-changing lie view, no matter 1 uilding is four d has ample ai It is furnished throughou ything but the nee of its guests. Steam radiators 01 S, electric bells, or oral enunciators, electric li ic or private, for hot or cold, fresh or sea water baths, with the m tern of ventilation and drainage, and its unsurpassed cuisine, plai es the Hygeia in the foremost rank of like establish- ments. A special feature i iths, including Turki ["hermo- ths, which adds another and most wonder- ful agent to the therapeutic .1 .lie Hygeia as beneficial ai it is unique. RS HANP COOK DINING ROOM, HYGEIA. The CI mio Railway Co. have extend Mill Creek, following the water linr and terminating within a few yardsof the Hotels, thus nt for tourists by rail, as by boat. iod" is another hotel, accomodating tnated near the entrance to the Fort, M t is owned entirely by the (inv. ernment. Not a foot of this land can be bought at any p a dwelling of any kind be erected thereon without a special act of Congress. A walk of about three minutes from the Hygeia brings u riplion of which is given in the next chapter.