proudly serving the military for over 75 years. Mike Pagan • Chesapeake (also services Portsmouth and Suffolk) 757-549-1772 Ben Willis • Norfolk • Virginia Beach 757-583-2200 Greg A. Holestin, Jr. • Hampton 757-838-5050 Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or in all GEICO companies. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. GEICO gecko image © 1999-2012. © 2012 GEICO CONTENTS WHAT’S INSIDE WELCOME INDUSTRY Greetings from the Hampton Roads 4 The Job Market 30 Chamber of Commerce Employment Resources America’s First Region Major Employers 32 Making History 5 Major Employers in Hampton Roads Landmark Events & Interesting Facts (1,000+ employees) Exploring Hampton Roads 7 Business & Industry 33 Geography Lesson 101 The Dynamic Business Community The Right Stuff 36 CITY GUIDES Saluting Our Armed Forces Chesapeake 8 RETIREMENT Franklin & Southampton County 9 The Golden Years 38 Hampton 10 Resources For Retirees Newport News 11 Norfolk 12 EDUCATION Poquoson 13 School Days 39 Portsmouth 14 Your Child’s Education Suffolk 15 Higher Learning 45 Developing Skills For a Lifetime Virginia Beach 16 Williamsburg 17 HEALTH CARE Hampton Roads Counties 18 Promoting Good Health 53 Health Care in Hampton Roads NEWCOMERS Guide for New Residents 21 RECREATION Sources To Help You Move Fun Seekers & Explorers 56 DMV Guidelines Area Attractions, Exhibits, Utility Connections & Services Parks, Gardens, & Events Voter Registration Emergency Contacts Big Stage Venues 67 Road Systems Live & Up Close Transportation Culture & Fine Arts 69 In Hampton Roads Just Add Water 74 Catch a Wave, Catch a Fish & More Sports 77 Professional Sports in Hampton Roads Get A Move On 78 Local Teams, Recreation Centers & More 2 THIS IS HAMPTON ROADS THIS IS HAMPTON ROADS PUBLISHER’S NOTE The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce publishes This is Hampton Roads. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher. Copyright 2013 This is Hampton Roads is a registered trademark of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. 2013 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Deborah Stearns, Chair Susan Blackman, Treasurer Harvey Lindsey, Commercial Real Estate Willcox & Savage, P.C. Michael Dudley, Chair-Elect John A. Hornbeck, Jr., CCE Sentara Optima Health Plan President & CEO, Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Hampton Roads Chamber’s Strategic Partners: CONTACT INFORMATION For additional copies of This is Hampton Roads, please call 757.622.2312. For advertising information call: Sarah Martin Lampert, Vice President of Development, at 757.664.2503. This is Hampton Roads 500 East Main Street Suite 700 Norfolk, VA 23510 CREDITS Cover Design Copywriting, Editing & Research Ryan Saul Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Pictured: Dr. Robert H. MacDonald, Virginia Beach Editorial & Research Assistance Project Manager Daniel Cox, Intern, Virginia Wesleyan College Lisa Jones, Director, Communications & Marketing Charlsea Sharp, Intern, Old Dominion University Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Layout & Printing Preferred Direct Marketing Services, Inc Editorial content provided by Hampton Roads cities and counties; Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance; Hampton Roads Statistical Digest; various business organizations; various event and attraction-oriented organizations; colleges and universities; and independent research by Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce staff. Photography Ryan Saul; Carole J. Oste; Scott Wolff; Anne M. Peterson; Mark Dellos; Steve Thomas; Larry Whitesel; Susan Kellogg; Norfolk Convention & Visitors Bureau; David Polston; Portsmouth Convention & Visitors Bureau; Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau; Isle of Wight Department of Economic Development; City of Norfolk Development Department; Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance; City of Virginia Beach photograph by Craig McClure; various events, attraction-oriented establishments, institutions, associations; organizations, businesses and universities; cities and counties; U.S. Air Force; and U.S. Navy; South Norfolk Jordan Bridge. THIS IS HAMPTON ROADS 3 CELEBRATING MORE THAN 400 YEARS GREETINGS From the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Thank you for taking the time to discover and explore our great region. As you read through the pages of This is Hampton Roads, you’ll understand why we are so proud to call Hampton Roads our home, and why we love to show it off. Welcome to America’s First Region Hampton Roads has a very special history – more The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce has Governor’s Palace, Williamsburg than 400 years’ worth. In fact, our region is considered proudly served its members and communities since “America’s First Region,” and we are proud of that 1801. As the region’s premier not-for-profit, member- recognition. based business organization, the Chamber works to create economic prosperity and enhance the quality We celebrate our humble beginnings of 1607 together of life in Hampton Roads. with all the exciting, modern-day development and quality of life Hampton Roads has to offer. The Chamber will continue to achieve this by What most residents and visitors alike discover after representing business viewpoints and interests to the spending time here, is that our region has all the public sector; developing and improving the economy necessary elements one looks for in a great place to in the region; providing value-added programs and live and work – a stable economy, beautiful natural services to members to support and expand their resources, competitive cost of living, arts and culture, business; building awareness and support of the and countless attractions. Chamber’s mission, value and accomplishments with all key audiences; and operating the Chamber in an We have published This is Hampton Roads for 29 years in effective and efficient manner to ensure its long-term Helm of historic ship response to requests we receive annually for information viability and growth. about our region. We are proud to provide thousands of copies of this magazine each year to relocating The Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and represents nearly 2,000 member firms that employ Coast Guard. Welcome home to Hampton Roads! more than 280,000 working men and women. The Whether you stay for a lifetime or are just visiting, we Chamber extends its programs to 17 cities and extend our hospitality. counties in Southeastern Virginia. Sincerely, Questions? Visit HamptonRoadsChamber.com or call 757.622.2312. Early Colonial soldiers John A. Hornbeck, Jr., CCE President & CEO Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce 4 THIS IS HAMPTON ROADS MAKING HISTORY 1960 The original Mercury astronauts train at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton. 1971 Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. donates a major art collection to what is now The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk. 1980 Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk opens the nation’s first in-vitro fertilization 1600’s clinic. The clinic assists with the nation’s Footpath in Williamsburg American Rover first successful in-vitro birth in 1981. 1607 On April 26, the first English settlers 1800’s 1984 The Hampton Roads Chamber of disembark on Cape Henry, which later Commerce is formed through the becomes part of the city of Virginia Beach. merger of the Norfolk, Portsmouth, 1801 Virginians meet in Norfolk’s Exchange Shortly thereafter, Captain John Smith Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Coffee House to establish guidelines leads the first settlers to Jamestown. Suffolk chambers. for the city’s Chamber of Commerce, 1622 The Nansemond Indians coordinate an the third to be established in the U.S. 1992 In partnership with the city of Hampton assault on English settlers living in Suffolk 1862 The battle between the ironclad and the NASA Langley Research Center, which instigates the Powhatan-English vessels, Monitor and Merrimac, takes the Virginia Air & Space Center opens its war of 1622-1632. place in the waters of Hampton Roads. doors to the public. 1636 The Adam Thoroughgood House is built 1886 The Newport News Shipbuilding & 1998 The region welcomes 10 FA-18 Hornet in Virginia Beach. It is one of the first brick Drydock opens. It remains a major squadrons to Oceana Naval Air Station. homes built in the Colonies and remains employer today. a tourist destination to this day. 1888 The first wooden boardwalk is 1693 The College of William & Mary is founded constructed in Virginia Beach. in Williamsburg. It is the second oldest university in the United States. 2000’s NASA Langley Research Center 2002 Virginia Beach Town Center opens. When this new downtown center is fully built, it will span 17 city blocks. 2003 Archaeologists discover the village of 1700’s Werowocomoco in Gloucester county. Algonquin Chief Powhatan, the father Ship battling storm of Pocohantas, once resided there. 1718 The pirate Blackbeard, a terror on Virginia’s Crawford & Court streets, Portsmouth 2005 The Hampton Roads Chamber of waterways, is captured and killed. His 1900’s Commerce hosts a visit to Norfolk treasure and severed head are presented from President George W. Bush. in Williamsburg. 1910 Aviator Eugene Ely pilots the first flight from shipboard. He lands the plane on 2006 The Hampton Roads Sports Commission 1749 A hurricane creates the Willoughby Spit, the beach in Willoughby. produces the AAU Jr. Olympic Games which forms the Willoughby Bay in Norfolk. 1912 Amedeo