©
Cape Charles trip planner
Create a fully customized day by day
itinerary for free
itinerary for free
Cape Charles
Cape Charles is a town in Northampton County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,009 at the 2010 census.HistoryCape Charles, located close to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, on Virginia's Eastern Shore, was founded in 1884 as a planned community by railroad and ferry interests. In 1883 Scott became president of the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad Company (NYP&N), and purchased three plantations comprising approximately 2,509 acres from the heirs of former Virginia Governor Littleton Waller Tazewell. Of this land, 40 acres were ceded to the NYP&N, and 136 acres went to create the Town of Cape Charles. Some of this land, named Cape Charles for the cape found to the south, Scott sold to the Railroad Company to serve as the southern terminus. In that same year, construction of the railroad began. In Cape Charles, the Railroad Company built a harbor to handle steamships and freighters from Cape Charles to Norfolk. The original Town was approximately 136 acres divided into 644 equal lots. Seven avenues which run from east to west were named for Virginia statesmen; the streets which run north and south were named for fruits. The original layout of the Town is still very visible today.Historian William G. Thomas writes, "At a cost of nearly $300,000, the N.Y., P. & N. was dredging a new harbor out of a large fresh-water lagoon between King's and Old Plantation creeks in lower Northampton County, and Scott planned to develop a new town around it called Cape Charles City. The appellation "City" for any place on the Eastern Shore was romantic, a vision of the future that the railroad might make possible....In 1890 the Corps of Engineers dredged the harbor basin, its entrance, and a channel through Cherrystone Inlet and built stone jetties protecting the harbor outlet. By 1912 the Corps estimated that Cape Charles harbor handled 2,500,000 tons of freight a year."Plan your vacation with our United States online trip itinerary planner and discover the best things to do in Cape Charles.
Source
Create a full itinerary — for free!
Plan your trip to Cape Charles
Get a personalized tripA full day by day itinerary based on your preferences Customize itRefine your trip. We'll find the
best routes and schedules Manage itEverything in one place. Everyone on the same page.Know more
Popular things to do in Cape Charles
Side trips from Cape Charles
Hidden gems in Cape Charles
Shopping in Cape Charles
Spas in Cape Charles
Museums in Cape Charles
Places to visit with Cape Charles
WilliamsburgTrip planner
Best for: History Museum, Water Park, Historic Site
Chincoteague IslandTrip planner
Best for: National Park, Dolphin / Whale Watching, History Museum
Virginia BeachTrip planner
Best for: Pier / Boardwalk, Beach, Aquarium
ArlingtonTrip planner
Best for: Cemetery, Monument, Historic Walking Area
CharlottesvilleTrip planner
Best for: Garden, Nightlife, Winery / Vineyard
Recently planned trips to Cape Charles
2 days in Cape Charles
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge
Cape Charles Beach
Tidewater Charters
13 days in United States
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Denton
Rehoboth Beach
Cape Charles
5 days in Philadelphia, Cape May & Cape Charles
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Philadelphia
Cape May
Cape Charles
1 day in Cape Charles
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Cape Charles Beach
Shooting Star Gallery
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
5 days in Bethany Beach & Cape Charles
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Bethany Beach
Cape Charles
6 days in Cape Charles
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
Cape Charles Beach
Bay Creek Golf Club
Kiptopeke State Park