Colonial Heights, Virginia

Colonial Heights is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,170. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the City of Colonial Heights (along with the City of Petersburg) with Dinwiddie County for statistical purposes. Brazilian philosopher, Olavo de Carvalho, used to live in this city.

Colonial Heights is located in the Tri-Cities area of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

History

Like much of eastern Virginia, the site of Colonial Heights was located within the Algonquian-speaking confederation known as Tenakomakah, ruled by Chief Powhatan, when the English colonists arrived at Jamestown on May 14, 1607. Captain John Smith's early map of Virginia testifies that the present area of Colonial Heights included the principal town of the Appamattuck subtribe, led by their ''weroance'', Coquonasum, and his sister, Oppussoquionuske. In the aftermath of the Indian attacks of 1622 and 1644, the Appamattuck became tributary to England and relocated to nearby Ettrick, and its opposite bank, near Fort Henry (within modern-day Petersburg, Virginia).

The area including present-day Colonial Heights was made a part of " Henrico Cittie", one of 4 huge "incorporations" formed in the Virginia Colony in 1619 by the London Company. English colonists first settled in the Colonial Heights area in 1620. A small group sailed up the Appomattox River looking for clear land, and finally settled in an area where Swift Creek runs into the Appomattox River, which they named Conjurer's Neck. This confluence was formerly the residence of a Native American healer (known as a "conjurer") who was thought to have cast spells over the waters.

Shortly thereafter, Charles Magnor registered the first land patent in the area for , which he later developed into a plantation before selling it in 1634. That same year, by order of King Charles I of England, the Virginia Colony was divided into the 8 original shires of Virginia by the House of Burgesses, one of which was Henrico County, which included the future land of Colonial Heights.

In 1635, the English had a small town called ''Appamattucks'' near the "Old Towne" Creek, thought to be located near the intersection of Temple Avenue and Dimmock Parkway. Also in that year, Captain Henry Fleet and Francis Poythress built a small fort nearby, on "Fleet's Hill" just west of the current city, now occupied by the campus of Virginia State University.

During the period from 1677 to 1685, one of the area's historic landmarks was constructed with the building of the Old Brick House. Richard Kennon came to Virginia prior to 1670, and became a merchant of Bermuda Hundred. He represented Henrico County in the House of Burgesses. His son, Richard Kennon, Jr., was also a member of the House of Burgesses and married the daughter of Col. Robert Bolling, the emigrant, and his second wife, the former Anne Stith. Richard's sister, Mary Kennon, was married to Major John Fairfax Bolling, half-brother of Richard's wife. Major Bolling was the son of Col. Robert Bolling and his first wife Jane Rolfe, who was granddaughter of the early colonist John Rolfe and his Native American wife, Pocahontas. The Bollings lived at Cobb's, a plantation in eastern Chesterfield near Point-of-Rocks.

The plantation house built by Richard Kennon (later known as the "Brick House") is now thought to be the oldest permanent structure in Colonial Heights. One wall of the house survived a disastrous fire in 1879, and the rest was rebuilt.

In 1749, an area south of the James River was divided from Henrico County by the House of Burgesses, and named Chesterfield County. The area which became Colonial Heights was to remain in Chesterfield County for almost 200 more years, until 1948.

The name "Colonial Heights" results from an incident during the American Revolutionary War. In May 1781, the French troops of General Marquis de Lafayette, known as the ''Coloniels'', advanced south from Richmond and deployed artillery on the heights overlooking Petersburg from across the Appomattox River. The area thereafter came to be known as "Colonial Heights", and the name was given to a subdivision of the Oak Hill tract in 1906.

A historic site, Oak Hill, on Carroll Avenue, also called Archer's, Hector's, or Dunn's Hill, consisted of two one-story weatherboarded structures connected by a deep inside porch that extends from an uncovered section toward the street. From the lawn of this house, in May 1781, General Lafayette — with cannon behind a boxwood hedge that still fringes the hill — shelled Petersburg, then occupied by British troops under Major-General William Phillips (who died of typhoid during this bombardment).

The area also became involved in operations during the American Civil War. General Robert E. Lee made his headquarters at Violet Bank from June through September during the Siege of Petersburg in 1864.

In 1926, Colonial Heights became an incorporated town in Chesterfield County. Originally seeking to be annexed by the City of Petersburg, in the face of overwhelming public support, a judges ruling instead saw Colonial Heights designated an incorporated town.

It was incorporated as a city in 1948; under Virginia law, it separated from Chesterfield County and became an independent city. Its current charter was granted in 1960. From 1960 to 1970, Colonial Heights experienced a period of rapid growth as the population jumped from 9,587 to 15,097.

In the mid-1980s, completion of the State Route 144 (Temple Avenue Connector) and a new bridge across the Appomattox River provided access to State Route 36 near Fort Lee. The new road and bridge effectively opened a large previously isolated tract of land along the southeastern edge of the city for commercial development. There, the regional Southpark Mall and many other retail businesses and offices were built.

On August 6, 1993, an F4 tornado (max. wind speeds 207-260 mph) passed through Colonial Heights. It caused extensive damage to the Southpark Mall and collapsed the roof of an old Wal-Mart (now Sam's Club) store. It also did extensive damage in Petersburg and Hopewell. In the Tri-Cities area, the tornado killed four people (three in Wal-Mart and one in Prince George), injured 246, and caused an estimated $50 million in property damage.

On April 28, 2008, an EF1 tornado (max. wind speeds 86-110 mph) produced a near long, though discontinuous, path through Colonial Heights. The tornado first touched down near the Colonial Heights Middle School football field, damaging the field clubhouse roof, then causing roof damage and spill onto I-95 from Medallion Pool business. The tornado then jumped I-95 and touched down again in the Dimmock Square Shopping Center. Several cars were flipped and piled in the parking lot of a strip mall (which had extensive roof damage) that is less than a tenth of a mile from the site of the old Walmart which was destroyed by an F4 tornado on August 6, 1993. The tornado then continued across Temple Avenue, causing tree and roof damage in the neighborhood near Fine Drive and Puddledock Road (in Prince George County) before lifting for good. The tornado injured 21 and caused an estimated $10 million in property damage.

Historical attractions

Three area attractions with historic roots are Violet Bank, Swift Creek Mill, and the world's largest Arby's. There are also several parks in the area, including Fort Clifton Park, Dimmock Boat landing, and White Bank Park.

Geography

According to ''The Comparative Guide to American Suburbs,'' Colonial Heights's elevation is 95 feet.

Colonial Heights is located at (37.262257, -77.402728).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and of it (3.7%) is water.

Colonial Heights is located on just north of the Appomattox River across from the modern-day City of Petersburg at the river's fall line It is located south of Chesterfield County (practically surrounded by it except for a south border with Petersburg) and in some areas, Swift Creek divides the city from the county.

Adjacent county / Independent city

* Chesterfield County, Virginia - west, north, southeast (Appomattox River islands)
* Petersburg, Virginia - south
* Prince George County, Virginia - east
* Hopewell, Virginia- north

Demographics

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2010 Census

According to ''The Comparative Guide to American Suburbs, in 2012'' 88.3% of people living in Colonial Heights above the age of 25 have a high school diploma of GED.

Out of the adults 25+ living in Colonial Heights that same year, 20.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher and 6.9% have a masters or higher.

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,897 people, 7,027 households, and 4,722 families living in the city. The population density was 2,260.3 people per square mile (872.2/km²). There were 7,340 housing units at an average density of 981.9 per square mile (378.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.66% White, 13.81% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 3.24% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 4.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 17,411 people living in the city of Colonial Heights. Of those 17,411 people, 76.2% of them were white, 16% were African American, 4.1% were Asian, and 5.9% were Hispanic. The population density of the city was recorded as 2315.3 people per square mile. There were 7,735 housing units measured during the years 2012-2016 within the city limits. There were 7,206 households residing in those housing units, of which the average family per household during the same years, 2012–2016, was 2.41.

There were 7,027 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,529, and the median income for a family was $66,381. Males had a median income of $39,900 versus $28,875 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,282. About 7.42% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Major highways

*
*
*
*
In 2017, Colonial Heights added a roundabout off the I-95 exit.

Economy

According to ''The Comparative Guide to American Suburbs,'' in 2013, Colonial Heights had an unemployment rate of 8.1%.

Education

Elementary and secondary

The City of Colonial Heights is served by Colonial Heights Public Schools. There are three elementary schools, Lakeview Elementary School, North Elementary School, Tussing Elementary School; one middle school, Colonial Heights Middle School; and one high school, Colonial Heights High School. All of the schools are accredited by the Virginia Board of Education and by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Higher education

The area is served by three schools of higher education:
* Virginia State University
* Richard Bland College
* John Tyler Community College

Parks and recreation

The city of Colonial Heights has nine parks composed of 75 acres that they must maintain. Those nine parks include White Bank Park, Floral Avenue Park, Edinborough Park, Flora Hill Park, Appamattuck Park, Fort Clifton Park, Lakeview Park, Roslyn Landing Park, and Wakefield Park. In addition to these nine parks, the city also maintains many other recreational facilities such as ballfields (including Shephard Stadium), a soccer complex, and tennis courts.

White Bank park is located at 400 White Bank Rd, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. The park runs adjacent to Swift Creek and stretches over 22 acres. The park has two pavilions that citizens rent out for events.

Floral Avenue Park consists of .3 acres. The park is home to basketball courts and playgrounds.

Edinborough Park is located at 800 Edinborough Dr, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. In this park, one can find basketball courts, picnic tables, and playground equipment.

Flora Hill Park is located at 300 Richmond Ave, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. This park is mainly just open grassy areas, trails, and playground equipment.

Appamattuck Park is located at 151 Archer Ave, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. This park consists of land surrounding the Appomattox River and falls along the Petersburg border of Colonial Heights.

Fort Clifton Park is located at 100 Brockwell Ln, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. Fort Clifton also runs along the Appomattox River and consists of 24 acres. This park is historical and according to the Colonial Heights City website noted as where five Union ships sailed Confederate Troops on June 11, 1864. This may be Colonial Heights's most abundant park, filled with amenities such as an amphitheater, ballfields, basketball courts, drinking fountain, fishing pier, pavilions, picnic shelters, playgrounds, restrooms, and trails. The local public schools use Fort Clifton for sporting events and recesses. The playgrounds found in Fort Clifton Park are technically belonging to Tussing Elementary.

Lakeview Park is located at 503 Lake Ave, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. In addition to the playgrounds, trails, and picnic tables, Lakeview Park is home to a boating ramp where community members can go fishing during daylight.

Roslyn Landing Park is located at Appomattox River Trail, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. This park is mainly just trails for walking or biking.

Climate

The climate in and around the city of Colonial Heights is described as a humid subtropical climate where the summers are very hot and humid while the winters are moderately cold. The coldest weather is seen from December to February, January's daily average temperature is 37.9 degrees Fahrenheit. The hottest weather is seen from June through August, July's daily average temperature is 79.3 degrees Fahrenheit.
The total annual precipitation normal for the city is approximately 43.6 inches. The month with the highest normal precipitation is August with 4.66 inches on average while February is the month with the least amount of precipitation on average with 2.76 inches.

Economy

Top employers

According to the City of Colonial Height's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Media

Colonial Heights has one weekly periodical, a free publication:
* Colonial Heights Patriot, published by the Hopewell Publishing Company.
It is also served by a daily newspaper of record for the area http://mediakit.gatehousemedia.com/Petersburg_VA/:
* The Progress-Index, published by Gatehouse Media.

Notable people

* Gray Gaulding - NASCAR driver
* The Unipiper - Brian Kidd, Internet Celebrity
* Kirk Cox Former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates

Politics

Unlike most independent cities in the state of Virginia, Colonial Heights has consistently voted Republican in presidential elections since its date of incorporation. All GOP presidential candidates since 1952 have carried the city, with the 13 most recent campaigns each garnering over 60% of the vote. In 1972, and again in 1980, Colonial Heights gave the GOP nominee the largest percentage of the vote of any county or incorporated city in Virginia.

Colonial Heights has seven council members; Mayor Gregory T. Kochuba, Vice-Mayor E. "Betsy" Gentry Luck, Councilman Michael A. Cherry, Councilman John E. Piotrowski, Councilwoman Dr. Laura F. Poe, Councilman R.W. "Bobby" Wade, and Councilman John T. Wood.

Colonial Heights has a city manager named Douglas E. Smith and a city lawyer named Hugh "Chip" P. Fisher, III.

See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Colonial Heights, Virginia
* Tri-Cities, Virginia
*Virginia

References

Further reading

* Hawkins, David W., ''History of Colonial Heights'' (August, 1947) Virginia Municipal Review.

External links

Violet Bank, U.S. Route 1 vicinity, Colonial Heights, Colonial Heights, VA
8 photos and 2 data pages at Historic American Buildings Survey

City of Colonial Heights

{{authority control

Greater Richmond Region
1926 establishments in Virginia
Cities in Virginia