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Cape Henry Memorial

1935 sculpturesAC with 0 elementsAmerican Revolutionary War monuments and memorialsAmerican Revolutionary War sitesBuildings and structures in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Colonial National Historical ParkHistory of Virginia Beach, VirginiaHistory of the Thirteen ColoniesMonuments and memorials in VirginiaMonuments and memorials on the National Register of Historic Places in VirginiaNational Park Service areas in VirginiaProtected areas established in 1935Stone sculptures in VirginiaTourist attractions in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Cape henry memorial
Cape henry memorial

The Cape Henry Memorial commemorates the first landfall at Cape Henry, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, of colonists bound for the Jamestown settlement. After landing on April 26, 1607, they explored the area, named the cape, and set up a cross before proceeding up the James River. A stone cross, set up in 1935 by the Daughters of the American Colonists, stands in the quarter-acre site. The memorial marks the First Landing, the very beginning of what would become British North America and subsequently Anglo Canada and the United States of America. The Memorial also overlooks the scene of the Battle of the Virginia Capes, in which the French navy prevented the British from reinforcing General Cornwallis, and led to the Franco-American victory at Yorktown. A statue of Admiral Comte de Grasse and a granite memorial honor those who fought in the battle. Although not memorialized at the park, this was also the location of the earlier smaller naval Battle of Cape Henry in which British and French naval squadrons fought in 1781. The Cape Henry Memorial is within Joint Expeditionary Base East, but is an isolated unit of Colonial National Historical Park. A national park passport stamp for the Memorial can be obtained at the adjacent Old Cape Henry Light (not formally part of the Memorial).

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Cape Henry Memorial (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Cape Henry Memorial
Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach

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Wikipedia: Cape Henry MemorialContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 36.928055555556 ° E -76.008333333333 °
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O'Keefe's Overlook

Atlantic Avenue
Virginia Beach
Virginia, United States
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Cape henry memorial
Cape henry memorial
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First Landing State Park
First Landing State Park

First Landing State Park (formerly Seashore State Park) offers recreational opportunities at Cape Henry in the independent city of Virginia Beach, Virginia. As the first planned state park of Virginia, First Landing is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Seashore State Park Historic District. A portion of the park is listed as a National Natural Landmark as part of the Seashore Natural Area. The state park is near the site of the first landing on April 26, 1607 of Christopher Newport and the Virginia Company colonists before establishing themselves at Jamestown. The park includes cabins, areas for camping, fishing, and swimming, a public beach, and over 19 miles (31 km) of trails for hiking and biking. Virginia's most popular state park, it's visited by over a million people each year. Its main entrance is located on Shore Drive across from the beach camping entrance. First Landing State Park charges a fee for its camping facilities and for the overnight use of its cabins. Originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, First Landing State Park is located on the Chesapeake Bay. The park, which is Virginia's most visited state park, is nestled in Virginia Beach. First Landing offers boating, swimming, nature and history programs, hiking, biking, picnicking, a boat launch, cabins and 19 miles (31 km) of trails on 2,888 acres (11.69 km2). It also has campsites that have water and electric hook-ups and nearby access to restrooms and showers. The park's name was changed in 1997 from Seashore State Park to First Landing State Park to reflect its heritage as the first place where members of the Virginia Company landed (though its former name is still commonly used by Tidewater locals).