Virginia History Facts

City aim, the oldest part of Hopewell, had been started in 1613 by Sir Thomas Dale. City Point’s area on a bluff overlooking the James and Appomattox streams has-been a significant factor in Hopewell’s record for pretty much four hundreds of years.

The little colonial village of City aim saw a Revolutionary War skirmish fought on its banks. Later, in 1864-1865, General Ulysses S. Grant directed the 10-month Siege of Petersburg from reasons of Appomattox Plantation. This historic residence happens to be area of the City aim device of Petersburg National Battlefield.

Hopewell was developed because of the DuPont business of Wilmington, Delaware in 1914. The corporation first built a dynamite factory and turned to the make of guncotton during World War I.

Although DuPont left Hopewell following the war, numerous manufacturing leaders have since located in the city. These businesses feature: Honeywell, Evonik Industries, Smurfit-Stone and Hercules.

Products as diverse since the very first automatic dish washer, 1st Kraft paper and cardboard bins, china and synthetic silk were manufactured in Hopewell.

Since its founding, Hopewell, named after an English ship, has actually proceeded its British connections by twinning using the City of Ashford, Kent, England.

Hopewell has received the Governor’s Clean City Award and it is noted for the gardening and beautification.

Record Timeline

• very early 1600s – English settlement at “Bermuda City, ” somewhere between City aim and Broadway Landing-as numerous as 119 men and women according to John Rolfe.
• 1700s – Tobacco warehouses at City aim.
• 1781 – section of Benedict Arnold’s journey of Brit soldiers passes through City Point.
• Early 1800s – City Point becomes a slot of entry with a U.S. Customs office. The area’s post office moves to City aim from across the river at Bermuda Hundred.
• 1826 – Town of City Point is incorporated (the good deal at 500 Prince Henry Street is at these old town limits).
• 1836-1850s – City Point Railroad Company types and very quickly starts to run among the nation’s very first outlines, between City aim and Petersburg.
• 1840 – Town populace 300.
• 1862 – Union naval officials are ambushed after coming ashore to provide health aid to civilians. Little skirmish with Confederate troops happens.
• 1864 – General Butler’s Army of the James consumes the area. Commanding General Ulysses S. give sets up his headquarters at Appomattox Manor. Due to the fact Union army lays siege to nearby Petersburg, City aim briefly becomes among the busiest seaports in world. Union army also creates a 6, 000 sleep hospital.
• 1865 image of waterfront, City aim, Virginia (today Hopewell).
• 1864, 1865 – Presidential visits from Abraham Lincoln.
• 1870 – City Point becomes a small town once again, with only 300 residents.
• belated 1800s – temporary sturgeon packing plant.
• 1910 – populace nevertheless about 300.
• 1912 – E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co. purchases 800 miles at close by Hopewell Farms. Trying to build a dynamite plant, the business is drawn because of the great deep port and train services.
• 1914 – DuPont buys 1600 miles of the Eppes property and builds the largest guncotton plant in the world: instant boom town.
• 1915 – Fire damages 300 buildings; quick rebuilding. 40, 000 utilized in Hopewell.
• 1916 – City of Hopewell incorporated.
• 1918 – End of World War we; guncotton plant shuts down.
• 1920s – various other industries, eg artificial silk (Tubize) and chemical production (ANCO, today Allied substance) exchange DuPont.
• 1942 – Camp Lee, alongside Hopewell, has actually military population of 45, 000.
• 1980 – Hopewell populace 23, 400.