Virginia Beach history from the 1607 landing at Cape Henry to today's city, with all its National Register listings by year and free museum hours.
Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Facts come from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources’ Virginia Beach register entries, the National Park Service’s National Register listings, the Virginia Beach History Museums and the City Clerk. Museum questions: 757-385-5100.
Virginia Beach’s history starts at Cape Henry, near the spot where English colonists first set foot on Virginia soil in 1607, according to the Department of Historic Resources. For most of the next three centuries this was rural Princess Anne County. The resort town of Virginia Beach elected its first mayor in 1906, the City Clerk’s records show, and the county later became part of the independent City of Virginia Beach; the clerk’s record of today’s City Council begins in 1963.
Who to call
- Virginia Beach History Museums: 757-385-5100
- Historic preservation and historic districts: Planning Department, Historic Preservation Commission
- State register records: Virginia Department of Historic Resources
Timeline
- 1607: English colonists land at Cape Henry.
- 1636: Adam Thoroughgood obtains the land where the Thoroughgood House stands.
- About 1719: the Thoroughgood House is built, a date set by tree-ring dating in 2008.
- About 1725: Francis Thelaball builds the Lynnhaven House.
- October 1792: the Cape Henry Lighthouse goes into operation.
- About 1805: the Francis Land House is built.
- 1881: a second Cape Henry lighthouse tower is built.
- 1906: the town of Virginia Beach’s first mayor takes office.
- 1938: a four-classroom high school opens for Black students, later Princess Anne County Training School and, from 1962, Union Kempsville High School.
- 1963: the clerk’s record of the present City Council begins.
- 1969: Union Kempsville High graduates its last class as Virginia Beach schools integrate.
Museums you can visit
All four are run by the Virginia Beach History Museums.
| Museum | Address | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thoroughgood House, about 1719, a National Historic Landmark | 1636 Parish Road | Thursday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. | Free tours every 45 minutes |
| Francis Land House, about 1805 | 3131 Virginia Beach Blvd. | Thursday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. | Free hourly tours |
| Lynnhaven House, about 1725 | 4409 Wishart Road | Closed for restoration; free preservation tours at noon on the third Thursday of each month | Free |
| PACTS/UKHS Museum | Inside Renaissance Academy | Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Free, self-guided |
Groups of 10 or more should call 757-385-5100 one to two days ahead.
The lighthouses
The old Cape Henry Lighthouse, built of sandstone and lit in October 1792, was the first lighthouse authorized, completed and lighted by the new federal government; President George Washington approved the bid. It has been owned by Preservation Virginia since 1930 and is kept as a museum. A second tower, built in 1881, stands nearby, according to the Department of Historic Resources. Both are at Fort Story, part of a military base; check visitor access with Preservation Virginia before you go.
National Register of Historic Places listings
Every Virginia Beach listing on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed:
| Year | Property | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Adam Thoroughgood House | 1636 Parish Road |
| 1966 | Cape Henry Lighthouse (1792 tower) | Atlantic Avenue at Fort Story |
| 1969 | Lynnhaven House | 4409 Wishart Road |
| 1970 | Pembroke Manor | near U.S. 58 and Constitution Drive |
| 1972 | Old Donation Episcopal Church | 4449 N. Witchduck Road |
| 1973 | Pleasant Hall | 5184 Princess Anne Road |
| 1973 | Keeling House | 3157 Adam Keeling Road |
| 1974 | Weblin House | 5588 Moore’s Pond Road |
| 1975 | Upper Wolfsnare | near Potters and London Bridge roads |
| 1975 | Francis Land House | 3131 Virginia Beach Blvd. |
| 1979 | Virginia Beach Surf and Rescue Museum (old Coast Guard station) | Atlantic Avenue and 24th Street |
| 1980 | Bayville Farm | off State Route 650 |
| 1988 | de Witt Cottage | 1113 Atlantic Ave. |
| 1997 | John Miller-Masury House | 515 Wilder Point |
| 1999 | Shirley Hall | 1109 S. Bay Shore Drive |
| 2002 | Cape Henry Light Station, second tower (1881) | Fort Story |
| 2004 | Thomas Murray House | 3425 S. Crestline Drive |
| 2005 | Ferry Plantation House | 4136 Cheswick Lane |
| 2005 | Camp Pendleton-State Military Reservation Historic District | General Booth Boulevard and S. Birdneck Road |
| 2005 | First Landing State Park | 2500 Shore Drive |
| 2007 | Woodhouse House | 3067 W. Neck Road |
| 2008 | The Hermitage | 4200 Hermitage |
| 2012 | Briarwood | 1500 Southwick Road |
| 2013 | Green Hill | 1721 Lovetts Pond Lane |
| 2014 | Cavalier Hotel | 4200 Pacific Ave. |
| 2017 | Oceana Neighborhood Historic District | Oceana |
| 2018 | Virginia Beach Courthouse Village and Municipal Center Historic District | Courthouse Drive |
| 2019 | Cavalier Shores Historic District | 42nd to 45th streets |
| 2021 | Jefferson Manor Motel Apartments | 3300 Pacific Ave. |
| 2022 | L & J Gardens Neighborhood Historic District | off Northampton Boulevard |
| 2022 | Blue Marlin Lodge | 2411 Pacific Ave. |
| 2022 | Crest Kitchenette Motel | 3614 Atlantic Ave. |
| 2023 | Woodhurst Neighborhood Historic District | Woodhurst Drive area |
| 2024 | Seatack Historic District | Seatack |
| 2024 | Beach Carousel Motel | 1300 Pacific Ave. |
| 2024 | Pleasant Ridge School Historic District | 1392 Princess Anne Road |
| 2024 | Chesapeake Beach Historic District | Chesapeake Beach |
| 2025 | 37th Street Cottages Historic District | 201-205 37th St. |
Years are the National Register listing dates, which we checked against the Department of Historic Resources’ entries. Most of these are private homes or businesses; view them from the street unless they are open to the public.
The Oceanfront motels
Several recent listings are 1950s and 1960s Oceanfront motels. The state’s Oceanfront Resort Motels and Hotels study covers buildings from 1955 to 1970, when “Mom and Pop” motels in a modern, Florida-inspired style filled the resort strip; the Blue Marlin Lodge, built in 1965, is one of three remaining motels designed by architect William Burton Alderman, the department says.
What this means for you
- The Thoroughgood and Francis Land houses are free and open Thursday through Sunday.
- Lynnhaven House is under restoration; catch a third-Thursday preservation tour.
- Own a historic property? The Historic Preservation Commission can explain the programs.
Related: parks and trails, things to do this month and Virginia Beach population and growth.
Frequently asked questions
What is the oldest house in Virginia Beach you can visit?
The Lynnhaven House, built around 1725, and the Thoroughgood House, dated to about 1719, are among the oldest. Thoroughgood House, 1636 Parish Road, is open free 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
When was the Cape Henry Lighthouse built?
The first Cape Henry Lighthouse went into operation in October 1792, the first lighthouse authorized and completed by the new federal government. A second tower was built nearby in 1881.
How many National Register of Historic Places listings are in Virginia Beach?
38 listings of properties and districts, from the Thoroughgood House and the old Cape Henry Lighthouse, both listed in 1966, to the 37th Street Cottages Historic District, listed in 2025.
Are the Virginia Beach history museums free?
Yes. The Francis Land House and Thoroughgood House offer free tours, and the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum is free on Saturdays. Call 757-385-5100.
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