Cape Henry facts for kids
Cape Henry is a point of land on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Virginia. It's located in the northeast part of Virginia Beach, Virginia. This cape marks the southern edge of the entrance to the huge Chesapeake Bay.
Across the bay's mouth to the north is Cape Charles. Both Cape Henry and Cape Charles were named in 1607 after two sons of King James I of England. Together, they are known as the Virginia Capes.
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History of Cape Henry
The First Landing
Cape Henry got its name on April 26, 1607. It was named for Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, who was the older son of King James I of England. An expedition from the London Company led by Captain Christopher Newport arrived here. After a very long journey of 144 days from England, this was the first land they saw. This important event is now called "The First Landing."
Soon after landing, the English colonists put up a wooden cross. They gave thanks for their safe trip to this new land. King James I had given them land to help spread the Christian religion.
Establishing Jamestown
Captain Newport had three ships: the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery. With 104 men and boys, they explored further inland. They later started Jamestown on an island in the James River. Jamestown became the first lasting English settlement in North America.
The next year, in 1608, Captain John Smith took a small boat. He explored north up the Chesapeake Bay. He mapped its coasts, rivers, and smaller waterways.
Battle of the Capes
In 1781, the waters near Cape Henry were the site of a very important naval battle. This was near the end of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). French warships fought against British warships in the Battle of the Capes.
The French Navy won this battle. This victory was crucial because it stopped the British Army troops of Lord Charles Cornwallis from getting help. Cornwallis's army was surrounded at Yorktown, Virginia, a short distance up the Bay.
The French fleet, led by Admiral deGrasse, came from the Caribbean Sea. They won a surprising naval victory over the British. This meant the British general, Cornwallis, had to surrender in October 1781. He surrendered to a combined American and French army. This army was led by General George Washington, General Marquis de Lafayette, and French General Rochambeau.
The Battle of the Capes helped ensure that the American colonies would become independent. The war officially ended about a year and a half later with the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
Cape Henry Today
The Cape Henry Memorial remembers "The First Landing" of the Jamestown settlers. Close by, the historic Cape Henry Lighthouse was the first lighthouse built by the United States.
A railroad passenger station, built in 1902, has been restored. It is now used as an educational building by Fort Story. Fort Story is a Navy base located at Cape Henry, started in 1914.
First Landing State Park protects much of the cape and nearby areas. Shore Drive (US-60) is a well-known road that lets people see the rest of the shoreline at Cape Henry.
