Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1907-11-20
INTERESTING CITY OF NORFOLK.
Was Center of Colonial Civilization and
IS Proud of It's Antiquity.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

tn century business houses, before the
war residences, andnow a new life with
modern ways. Near Norfolk was the
oldest Indian legends, the earliest Eng
lish civilization, the beginning of plan
tation life, the first cultivation of to-
baec0, the commencement of slavery in
the colonies, the exploits of the Smith
family, christianizing of the natives,
baptism of POcahontas. and the fiery
oratory of Patrick Henry and eonser-
walton democratic influence of jefferson.
Every field on either side of the James
river has been the scenes of Indian
wars. battlefelds during the revolu-
tionary and civil wars, while the har-
bors and rivers have tloated frigates
and iron clads of the British. French.
United States and Confederate navies.
The stars and stripes floating from
masts and staffs were lowered and in
their places the Confederate flag was
raised, which in time came down, and
''old glory" came back respected as the
flag of their fathers. Colonial, French
and English armies eamped and drilled
on the plantations, hostile fleets have
anchored in the harbors. and four years
during the rebellion realized the mis-
fortunes of war. saw il with all the
horrors; her historic homes in ashes,
her sons slain by the tens of thousands.
proud of the defense of their institu-
tions, their homes, the confederacy.
They speak praise of the noble army
that stood heroiely for the lost cause,
and rejoice today that the old dominion
is one of the United States. Dismem-
bered OF West Virginia, and de"asted
as she was by war, they speak with
pride of the heroic d ance of the homes
by the Confederate soldiers.
The Royal fleet shelled Norfolk, jan
uary, 1776, ball lodging in the brick
wall of st. Paul's church, and is still
there to be seen today, one hundred
and twenty-seven years later, his
torical incident of the revolution.
The Royal feet came again i'm 1914,
fired salute, sailed up the Chesapeake.
disembarked small army and captured
the national capital.
Norfolk was loyal to the Confederate
cause, and sent her battalions with
Gods blessing to fight for new flag,
new government, a new constitution,
recognizing slavery as the proper sphere
for the black man. From this harbor
the Virginia, restored Merimae, sailed
March s, 1862 a new creation in naval
war, floating battery, iron clad, TO
run down the frigates Cumberland.
Congress and Minnesota. The wooden
feet .Den fire on the iron monster, the
shells did no injury, glanced from the
armGr of iron and fell into the water.
The fleet was soon disabled; the ,'ir-
ginia steamed back to the navy yard
| for some repairs and to resume the
work in the morning The turreted
Monitor came during the night and
waited the return of the Virginia. The
Virginia appeared. the Monitor steamed
out to meet her, and there was fought
/ the first iron clad battle, which quickly
changed the navies oil the world. They
Unanswered for position To ram, they
fred at close range, both disabled. The
! Virginia, a few days later, on the
evacuation of Norfolk, was blown up,
and sank in the water where she had
been armored In the same harbor
| today the new navy floats gracefully,
1 the pride or the United States. The
| Monitors turret received many indent-
ures from land batteries while trying to
ascend the James river, and finally
went down in storm at sea, parting
/ her cable while being towed off Cape
! Hatteias.
The good people of this place point
with pride TO the Spanish war. when
! 500 soldiers and as many sailors, from the
best families. enlisted to maintain the
honor of the flag their fathers had died
to destroy, and no hearts beat more
loyal than the young life Of Norfolk
when they marched away beneath the
| folds of the stars and stripes 10 the
music of national airs, and no prayers
were more fervent than the mothers Of
these boys in blue Family pi1de is
strong, and many trace the line back
to the early arrivals. who were regis
tered as gentlemen. They have the
old family crest printed on paper,
| stamped on envelopes with Latin mot
toes pride in the inheritance of a
good name.
The women generally dress in black,
having long mourning period. The
young woman is type of beauty pecu-
! liar to the first families of Virginia.
while the young men are chiyalrous in
the presence Of the fair sex.
There AS been happy awakening
/ in this city. The north folks have com,
down with the energy and enterprise
Characteristic Of higher latitude,
AVE brought capital. transplanted
their ways Of plating additions, level
ing sand doons, filling marshes, dock
building, warehouse constructing, ship
ping, railroading, electric road build
| ing. numbering, and in all things that
| lead 20 an Industrial, architectural, ed
ucational and progressive life. Long
trains of cars bring from the south
west corn, wheat and coal; the harbOr
is filled with four masted ships waiting
! their turn to load corn and wheat for
f! Hamburg, while coal and lumber goes
up and down the coast, to the Bermudas,
West Indies and South America.
Large sawmills have been built, re-
ceiye the gum tree and beech towed
| from the dismal swamp, and trains of
cars with logs cut in North Carolina
and pine forests Of Virginia, grown on
| the worn out tobacco plantations
! Truck farming is the country employ
ment here fJr shipment to northern
cities. The n.arket is an interesting
place TO visit. Thrre is to be seen
much Of vegetables; kingdom, barn
I ward and aquatic fowls; many birds
! that fiy in the air; many kinds of fishes
! that swim in the ocean, bays, sounds,
lakes and rivers; the creeping and
crawling crabs and obsters, Lynu
/ Hayens. terrapins and canvass backa:
all are hunted, hooked, netted and
I prepared for the markets. Upthe river
/ a few miles is the county Isle of
| Wight, organized by the grace Of God
and James /. The comfy seat con
tains the court house, Jail, sheriff 9
Office and a ta,ern. The only village
( is Smithfeld. near the James river.
7 aatfIad In 1912 The Mace ig noted AZ