Newport News

Newport News is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the northern shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News Point on the harbor of Hampton Roads. The area now known as Newport News was once a part of Warwick County. In 1958, by mutual consent by referendum, Newport news was consolidated with the former Warwick County (itself a separate city from 1952 to 1958), rejoining the two localities to approximately their pre-1896 geographic size. Newport News also serves as a junction between the rails and the sea with the Newport News Marine Terminals located at the East End of the city. The city's economy is very connected to the military, with many residents employed at the expansive Newport News Shipbuilding and Joint Base LangleyEustis, and other military bases and suppliers. The original area near the mouth of theJames River was first referred to as Newportes Newes as early as 1621. The name is the oldest English city name in the Americas. It may have derived its name from an old English word "news" meaning "new town". At least one source claims that the "New" arose from the original settlement's being rebuilt after a fire. Another source gave the original name as New Port Newce, named for a person with the name Newce.

Etymology

Newport News is the primary city name, but also Hampton are acceptable city names or spellings. The official name is City of Newport News. The name "Newport News" is the oldest English city name in the Americas. The original area near the mouth of the James River was first referred to as Newportes Newes as early as 1621. The name may have derived its name from an old English word "news" meaning "new town". At least one source claims that the "New" arose from the original settlement's being rebuilt after a fire. Another source gave the original name as New Port Newce, named for a person with the name Newce and the town's place as a new seaport. The change to Newport News came about through usage; by 1851 the Post Office Department sanctioned "New Port News" (written as three words) as the name of the first post office. In 1866 it approved the name as " newport News", the current form. The current name is used for the city of Newport News, Virginia, which was founded in 1776. The city is located on the banks of James River, near the junction of James and Rappahannock Rivers. It is the largest city in Virginia, with a population of more than 100,000 people. The town's name is derived from the English word for "good news", which means "new" or "better" in English. The word "News" is also used to refer to a place in the U.S. that was once called Newport Ness, being the mariner's way of saying Newport Point.

History

Newport News was a rural area of plantations and a small fishing village until after the American Civil War. It was essentially founded by California merchant Collis P. Huntington, one of the Big Four associated with the Central Pacific Railroad. The city's original downtown area, on the waterfront, changed from a farm town to a new city in the last quartee of the 19th century. In 1958, the cities of Newport News and Warwick voted to consolidate the two cities, choosing to assume the better-known name Newport News. The merger created the third largest city in Virginia, with a 65 square miles (168.2 km) area. It is one of only a few cities in Virginia to be newly established without earlier incorporation as a town (Virginia has had an independent city political subdivision since 1871.) Walter A. Post served as the city's first mayor. The Mariners' Museum has grown to become one of. the largest and finest maritime museums in the world. A major feature of the city is Huntington Park, developed after World War I near the northern terminus of the James River Bridge, is named for him. The first train to ever depart from Newport News left Lee Hall Depot on October 19, 1881, and arrived at Yorktown for the Cornwallis Surrender Centennial Celebration, a commemoration of the British defeat at the Battle of Yorktown. In the 1880s, the company built seven of the first sixteen warships in the Great White Fleet. The company also developed coal piers on the harbor of Hampton Roads.

Geography

Newport News is located at 37°415N 76°294W (37.071046, 76.484557). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 120 square miles (310 km²) The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Statistical Area is the 37th largest in the nation with a 2014 population estimate of 1,716,624. The city's downtown area was part of the earliest developed area which was initially incorporated as an independent city in 1896. The earlier city portions also included the "East End" or "Southeast" community, which was predominantly African-American, the "North End" and the shipyard and coal piers. After World War II, public housing projects and lower income housing were built to improve housing in what came to be known as the East End or "The Bottom" by locals. Newport News serves as one of the business centers on the Peninsula, while the city of Norfolk is recognized as the central business district. The Victory Arch, built to commemorate the Great War, sits on the downtown waterfront. The larger-than-normal two-story arch was cast under the "Eternal Flame" by rail fans and is highly valued by rail preservation fans and preservationists. The North End is an historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Along with some newer residential areas, major features of the Newport News Park System include much of the Warwick River, the expansive Newport News Water System, and a small portion of the Naval Weapons Station Eustis.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 180,719 people, 69,686 households, and 46,341 families residing in the city. There were 74,117 housing units at an average density of 1,085.3 per square mile (419.0/km²) The racial makeup of the city was 49.0% White, 40.7% African American, 0.5% Native American, 2.7%. Asian, 0,2% Pacific Islander, 2,7% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.5%. The median income for a household in theCity was $36,597, and the median income. for a family was $42,520. The per capita income for the city is $17,843. About 11.3%. of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 9.8%. of those age 65 or over. The city is located on the U.S.-Mexico border. It is on the border between Mexico and the United States. It has a population of about 180,000, including about 70,000 Latinos. The population is expected to grow to 180,500 by the 2020 census. 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 anyrace.

Crime

Newport News experienced 20 murders giving the city a murder rate of 10.8 per 100,000 people in 2005. The total crime index rate for Newport News is 434.7; the United States average is 320.9. Newport News ranked as the 119th most dangerous city larger than 75,000 inhabitants in the Congressional Quarterly Press' "2008 City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America" The East End is the neighborhood with the highest crime rates in Newport News. The city's crime rate is higher than the U.S. average, according to the Congressional quarterly press' " 2008 City Crime rankings: Crime In Metropolitan America," Newport News was ranked 119th out of 150 cities in the country. The U.N. World Crime Report ranks Newport News as one of the world's most dangerous cities for crime in 2006 and 2007, with a crime rate of 11.7 per cent and 10.5 per cent, respectively. In 2007, the city had 28 murders with a rate of 15.8per cent, and in 2006, there were 19 murders, giving theCity of Newport News a crime index of 434,7.7. The United States has a crimeIndex rate of 320,902.9; Newport News has a Crime Index rate of 433,722.7, and the United states has acrime index rate of 325,922.9, and Newport News ranks No. 119 in the world for the crime index. The highest crime rate in the city is in the East End.

Economy

Newport News is home to the world's largest shipbuilding facility, Huntington Ingalls Industries. Fort Eustis employs over 10,000 people, making it the second largest employer in the city. Newport News School System creates over 5,000 jobs and acts as the city's third largest employer. The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF) is housed in Newport News. TJNAF employs over 675 people and more than 2,000 scientists from around the world conduct research using the facility. Other U.S. military facilities include Langley Air Force Base, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Camp Peary, USCG Training Center Yorktown and the now-deactivated Fort Monroe. The James River Bridge and Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel are a portion of the circumferential Hampton Roads Beltway, linking the city with each of the other major cities of Hampton Roads via I-64 and I-664. The city's location next to Hampton Roads along with its rail network has provided advantages for the city, allowing manufacturing and distribution to take root. As technology-oriented companies flourished in the 1990s, Newport News became a regional center for technology companies. Other military installations are located across the James River in South Hampton Roads, including the world’s largest naval base, Naval Station Norfolk. In adjacent localities, other military facilities are located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Virginia and Maryland, including Fort McHenry and Fort Leavenworth.

Culture

Hampton Roads has a unique Tidewater accent. Vowels have a longer pronunciation than in most accents. The Mariners' Museum is one of the more notable museums of its type in the world. The Virginia Living Museum is an outdoor living museum combining aspects of a native wildlife park, science museum, aquarium, botanical preserve, and planetarium. The U.S. Army Transportation Museum is a United States Army museum of vehicles and other Army transportation-related equipment and memorabilia. The Ferguson Center for the Arts is a theater and concert hall on the campus of Christopher Newport University. The Port Warwick area hosts the annual Port Warwick Art and Sculpture Festival where art vendors gather in Styron Square to show and sell their art. The first modern duel of ironclad warships, the Battle of Hampton Roads, took place not far off Newport News Point in 1862. The museum's collection includes, weapons, vehicles, artifacts, uniforms and posters from various periods of American history. It is officially dedicated to General Frank S. Besson, Jr., who was the first four-star general to lead the transportation command, and extends over 6 acres (24,000 m2) of land, air and sea vehicles and indoor exhibits. The Museum's collection include a section of the Berlin Wall and the outer wall from Dachau Concentration Camp. The Center also maintains a permanent "Hands on For Kids" gallery designed for children and families to interact in what the Center describes as "a fun, educational environment that encourages participation with art materials and concepts".

Sports

Newport News has been the home to sports franchises, including the semi-pro football Mason Dixon League's Peninsula Pirates and Peninsula Poseidons and now the Virginia Crusaders. Christopher Newport University Captains field fourteen sports and compete in the Capital Athletic Conference in Division III of the NCAA. The city is also home to Lionsbridge FC, an American soccer club (USL League Two) The Atlantic 10 Conference has been headquartered in Newport News since 2009. The One City Marathon was hosted virtually in 2021. The course is USTAF certified and can be used as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. There also is a half marathon, relay, 8K and one-mile fun run. There are several high schools in the city, including Newport News High School, which holds football games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The Peninsula Pilots play just outside the city limits at War Memorial Stadium in Hampton. In Norfolk, the Norfolk Tides of the International League and the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League. In Virginia Beach, the Hampton Roads Piranhas field men's and women's professional soccer teams. On the collegiate level, the College of William and Mary, Hampton University, Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University offer NCAA Division I athletics. Virginia Wesleyan College also provides sports at the NCAA Division III level. The City has hosted a marathon annually since 2015, and the course spans the length of Newport News Park. It ends at the Victory Arch downtown, and weaves through Mariners' Museum Park, CNU and Hilton Village.

Parks and recreation

Newport News Parks is responsible for the maintenance of 32 city parks. The parks offer services to visitors, ranging from traditional park services like camping and fishing to activities like archery and disc golf. Newport News Park offers an archery range, disc golf course, and an "aeromodel flying field" for remote-controlled aircraft, complete with a 400 ft (120 m) runway. The city supplies two public boat ramps for its citizens: Denbigh Park Boat Ramp and Hilton Pier/Ravine. Croaker and trout are the fish primarily caught during the summer months and the pier is accessible to visitors in wheelchairs. There are over 30 miles (48 km) of trails in the Newport News park complex. The park offers bicycle and helmet rental, and requires helmet use by children under 14. It has a 5.3 miles (8.5 km) multi-use bike path. The largest park in the city is Endview Plantation at 7,711 acres (31.21 km²) The city's golf course lies in the park along with camping and outdoor activities. It also offers a small beach in addition to a ravine. It allows access into the Warwick River, a tributary of the James River, and a small fishing pier. It is located near the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel near the northern end of the city. The smallest park is less than half an acre (2,000 m2) and is in the southern end.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Newport News, Newport News City, Virginia = 5.3. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 70. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 81. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Newport News = 4.5 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 186,247 individuals with a median age of 34.4 age the population grows by 0.49% in Newport News, Newport News City, Virginia population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,699.62 residents per square mile of area (1,042.33/km²). There are average 2.41 people per household in the 73,601 households with an average household income of $46,295 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.20% of the available work force and has dropped -1.52% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 29.76%. The number of physicians in Newport News per 100,000 population = 202.3.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Newport News = 45.1 inches and the annual snowfall = 3.3 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 114. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 215. 89 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 32.3 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 36, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Newport News, Newport News City, Virginia which are owned by the occupant = 48.69%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 32 years with median home cost = $153,940 and home appreciation of -6.53%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $12.09 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,126 per student. There are 14.3 students for each teacher in the school, 236 students for each Librarian and 308 students for each Counselor. 7.38% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 13.46% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 6.57% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).