Evening star., 1936-08-30
Norfolk Resort Area Ideal Place for Motor Travel
Beaches, Scenic Points and
Historic Communities
Are Attractive.
Naval Activities on Large
Scale Give Importance
to Various Sections.
Bv James N. Miller

MI sand, mountainous sand
v dunes in countless numbers,
lofty observation towers,
available free Of charge to all visitors,
from which the finest ocean views Of
the mid-Atlantic coast may be en-
joyed.
These are just a few of the delights
encountered by the motorist while
travelling the southernmost part Of the
Virginia Peninsula. Last Sunday it
was suggested here that Washingto-
mans visit the northern section, taking
in Williamsburg, jamestown and
Yorktown.
An ideal week end drive for today
includes the many beaches, historical
havens and scenic points around Nor
folk. This is one of the most delight
full resort sections in the South, with
Cape Henry and Virginia Beach with
in 20 miles, Seashore State Park near
Cape Henry, and Ocean View only
eight miles from the heart Of the city.
To the southwest is q famous hunting
and fishing region, the Dismal
Swamp. near Suffolk. Chesapeake
Bay affords unsurpassed fishing for
spot, trout, founder and mackerel,
while rock, drum and other game fish
are caught in the ocean. The Back
Bay marshes are famous for hunting:
myriads Of ducks and geese, quail and
shore birds abound.
Without single exception worthy
of mention, roads are in well nigh
perfect condition. You will be ire
sistibly attracted by the fine stretch
of coastal highway, some 20 miles
along route SO. connecting Norfolk
with Virginia Beach.
Take your time. Every mile Of the
| journey is brimful of worthwhile
things to see. Figure on three days
all told, If possible. However, you
can hit the high spots in two days.
Decide upon Norfolk as the focal
point of your tour and you may
easily avoid all reasonable chance of
losing your way. If you've never been
to Petersburg here's a grand route
that takes in the famous city in
which Gen. Grants strategic ma
neuvers achieved the turning point
in the Civil War. Cross the Arling-
ton Bridge near the Lincoln Memorial
and get on the Mount Vernon Me-
mortal highway. You are now on
| route l. Follow it to Fredericksburg
(57 miles from Washington: then
take route to Richmond u12 miles
from Washington; here you should
pick up route l and ride % miles to
Petersburg. Be on the lookout for
route 460, q few miles farther. and
take it through Suffolk; watch for
the point where 460 runs into route
So, and follow the latter into Ports
mouth; take ferry here for Norfolk
(about $50 miles from Washington !:
and finally get on route So to Virginia
Beach.
GLOW down and look around you
for historical road markers while
passing through the little village of
Hanover, county seat of Hanover
County, about 1s miles this side Of
Norfolk The battle of Hanover Court
House was fought here in 1862, be-
tween a part of the Federal Army Of
the Potomac, under Gen. Fitz John
Porter, and a Confederate brigade un-
der Gen. Branch, in which the latter
was defeated.
There was famous tavern in Han
over in the early days. kept by the
Sheltons, whose daughter married
Patrick Henry. In the court house
here Henry made his first great speech
in the lawsuit known as the parsons
cause. 1t dealt with the principle
of taxation without representation,
and was his first public triumph. The
court house was built in 1735.
Richmond's major points Of interest
were described in last weeks trip, and
the city is not being visited on this
particular journey. However, be sure
to pick up route here and ride %
miles to Petersburg.
Petersburg, situated near the mouth
of the Appomattox River and at the
head of navigation, is one of the lead
ing tobacco markets in the country.
with several enormous tobacco ware
houses, and also large trade in cot
ton, peanuts and other products.
Gov. Berkeley built Fort Henry on
the Appomattox River in 1916. It
became the most important frontier
post in Southern Virginia, and from
it many exploring parties went out
into the painless wilderness beyond.
This was an old settlement when
William Byrd founded" the city and
was q thriving town at the time Of
the revolution.
Petersburg's place in history, how
ever, was chiefly won in 1864-5, when
the long siege and the Battle of Crater
| took place. After his disastrous failure
at Cold Harbor (Mechanicsville) Grant
moved on to Petersburg, intending to
cut OF Lees line Of communication
with Richmond and compel the
evacuation of the Confederate capi-
tai. Four days Of furious fighting
(June 1919, 1864, only forced the
Confederate line back mile. Here
both armies intrenched, and Grant
settled down to the siege which lasted
almost 10 months. Losses in the
Petersburg campaign are estimated as
AZ, 900 in Federal killed, wounded and
missing and $4,000 for the Con-
federates.
Points Of interest include the court
house, begun in 1888 and occupied
early in 1s40, and Central Park on
Sycamore street, formerly known as
Poplar Lawn. Here Petersburg volun-
teers camped in 1912 and volunteers Of
1861 were enlisted. A hospital was
here in 1864-5.
Other interesting places are the
home Of Maj. Gen. Malone, "hero Of
the crater" Market street between
Washington and Lawrence, and Wal
lace House, now the Seward Home,
situated on Brown and Market streets,
where Lincoln conferred with Grant
the day after the evacuation of Peters,
burg.
A COUPLE Of minutes ride out Of