List of former counties, cities, and towns of Virginia facts for kids

A map of the former Colony of Virginia, showing its old territory and claims

Former counties, cities, and towns of Virginia are places that used to exist within the English Colony of Virginia or, later, the Commonwealth of Virginia, but are no longer the same today. These places disappeared or changed for many reasons. Some small settlements became empty when people moved away. Others changed their names, became more independent (like a town becoming a city), or were taken over by bigger nearby places. Also, large parts of Virginia were separated to form new states, or their borders changed.

As of 2005, Virginia had 95 counties, 38 independent cities, and 190 incorporated towns. There are also many smaller, unincorporated places that have their own identities.

History of Virginia's Settlements
Areas No Longer Part of Virginia
Areas Now in Virginia That Changed
See also

History of Virginia's Settlements

Early English Settlements

After Europeans discovered North America in the 1400s, many countries wanted to start colonies there. England claimed a huge area they called "Virginia." This claim stretched from what is now North Carolina all the way up to Acadia (parts of Canada). In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh explored the coast of present-day North Carolina. Queen Elizabeth I named the territory "Virginia," possibly because she was known as the "Virgin Queen." Early English attempts to settle, like the Roanoke Colony in the 1580s, didn't last.

Jamestown: The First Permanent Home

Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement in North America. It was founded on May 14, 1607, by the Virginia Company of London. The location was good for defense against enemy ships, but it was a bad place for people to live. The water was salty, there wasn't much game to hunt, and Native American tribes were sometimes hostile.

Jamestown struggled a lot in its first five years. Most early colonists died. The worst time was the "starving time" in 1609-1610, when over 80% of the colonists died. However, new supplies arrived, and John Rolfe successfully grew tobacco as a crop to sell. This helped the colony survive and grow.

Even though Jamestown became a permanent settlement, people mostly left it a century later. The capital moved to a higher, better location called Middle Plantation, which was soon renamed Williamsburg. Jamestown became farmland again until people started preserving its history in the late 1800s.

Other Early Settlements

Another important early settlement was Kecoughtan, in what is now Hampton. English colonists took this better-located spot from Native Americans in 1610. Today, Hampton claims to be the oldest continuously lived-in English settlement in what is now the United States.

For almost 400 years, many counties, cities, and towns were formed in Virginia. The English usually started with large areas and then divided them into smaller, easier-to-manage parts as more people settled there.

Virginia's Connection to Bermuda

In 1609, a fleet of nine ships from the Virginia Company of London was sailing to Virginia. Their main ship, the Sea Venture, got caught in a huge hurricane. To save the ship from sinking, Admiral Sir George Somers steered it onto an uninhabited group of islands known as Bermuda.

The shipwrecked crew and passengers were stuck on Bermuda for 10 months. They built two new ships from the wrecked Sea Venture. In 1610, they finally sailed to Jamestown. Among them was John Rolfe, who would later start Virginia's tobacco industry.

When they arrived in Virginia, they found the Jamestown colony almost wiped out by the "Starving Time." They decided to leave, but then another supply fleet arrived, saving the colony.

News of Bermuda spread in England. In 1612, the Virginia Company's royal charter was expanded to include Bermuda. A group of 60 settlers was sent there, and they founded the town of St. George. So, from 1612 to 1614, Bermuda was legally part of the Virginia Colony. Many connections between Bermuda and Virginia continued for a long time after that.

How Virginia Was Organized

Early "Cities"

In 1619, the Virginia Company of London divided the settled parts of Virginia into four large areas called "burroughs" or "citties." These were:

Kecoughtan (later renamed Elizabeth City)
James City
Charles City
Henrico City

It's not clear if this way of organizing things continued after the Virginia Company's charter was taken away in 1624, and Virginia became a Royal Colony (controlled by the King).

Shires and Counties

In 1634, Virginia started using "counties" as local government units, like the "shires" in England. The idea was to have an area small enough so that people could travel to a "court" within a day to handle legal matters like land sales or solving arguments. As counties grew, they often split into smaller ones.

The eight original shires of Virginia created in 1634 were renamed as counties a few years later. This sometimes caused confusion, leading to names like "James City County." In Virginia, a place can be either a county or an independent city, but not both.

Today, five of the original eight shires still exist as counties in Virginia, though their names or borders might have changed.

Independent Cities

Starting in 1871, after the American Civil War, cities in Virginia became politically independent of counties. An independent city in Virginia is like a county. Many U.S. government agencies treat Virginia's independent cities as if they were counties.

Incorporated Towns

In Virginia, incorporated towns are located within counties. They have their own local government but are still part of the county. Towns can try to take over nearby county land to grow, but they can't take land from other towns or independent cities. Some incorporated towns have grown to become independent cities.

Unincorporated Communities

Unincorporated communities (sometimes called villages) don't have their own formal political structure. Virginia doesn't officially recognize them as separate government units like counties, independent cities, or incorporated towns.

Areas No Longer Part of Virginia

Virginia was once much larger! Four other states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia) include land that was once part of Colonial Virginia. Other neighboring states also have smaller pieces of land that used to be Virginia's.

Maryland

In 1631, a man named William Claiborne from Jamestown started a trading post on the Isle of Kent (now Kent Island) in the Chesapeake Bay. This was three years before the colony of Maryland was founded. Virginia and Maryland argued over who owned the island until 1658. Virginia didn't officially give up its claim until 1776. Today, Kent Island is part of Maryland.

Pennsylvania

Virginia and Pennsylvania argued a lot about their western borders before 1780. Surveyors like Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon drew the famous Mason–Dixon line to settle disputes between Maryland and Pennsylvania, but their line didn't go far enough west to solve Virginia's border issues.

After the United States was formed, Virginia and Pennsylvania agreed on their borders. Most of what was called Yohogania County in Virginia became part of Pennsylvania in the 1780s. A small piece left in Virginia was added to another Virginia county.

Illinois and Indiana

By the late 1700s, the areas that became Illinois and Indiana were all part of just one Virginia county called Illinois County. This county was created by George Rogers Clark during the American Revolutionary War.

In 1787, these areas became part of the original Northwest Territory, which was federal land. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 allowed for up to five new states to be created there. This territory included what are now Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Indiana became a state in 1816, and Illinois became a state in 1818.

Kentucky

During the American Revolution, many Virginia settlers moved through the Cumberland Gap into what is now Kentucky. This region was first part of Fincastle County, Virginia, but in 1776, it became Kentucky County. Four years later, it was divided into three counties. By 1792, the region had nine counties and separated from Virginia to form the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Counties Lost to Kentucky

The nine Virginia counties that became part of Kentucky in 1792 were:

West Virginia

An 1864 map showing Virginia and West Virginia after they separated.

As Virginia grew, people in the western parts felt disconnected from the state government in Richmond. Their economic interests were different, focusing on rivers that flowed west, not east to the Atlantic. These differences caused problems that were never fully solved.

The American Civil War finally brought these issues to a head. When Virginia left the Union, the western counties, which were less dependent on slavery and felt ignored by the eastern parts, chose to stay with the Union. This led to the formation of the new State of West Virginia, which joined the Union in 1863.

Virginia lost 50 counties when West Virginia was formed, far more than it lost to Kentucky. Interestingly, Virginia had named a county after Thomas Jefferson twice, and both times, that county was lost to the formation of another state!

Counties Lost to West Virginia

The 50 Virginia counties that became part of West Virginia in 1863 were:

Cities and Towns Lost to West Virginia

Many cities and towns were also lost to Virginia when West Virginia was formed.

In total, 62 former counties became part of other states. Many cities and towns in those areas were also "lost" to Virginia.

Areas Now in Virginia That Changed

Virginia started "losing" counties, cities, and towns almost as soon as they were formed. The reasons vary widely. Jamestown, settled in 1607, is a good example.

Changes Due to Transportation and Growth

From the 1600s to today, Virginia's communities changed a lot because of transportation. Early settlers used waterways for travel and trade. Later, old Indian trails became roads. In the 1800s, railroads changed everything, creating new towns for fuel, water, and services. In the 1900s, cars and trucks became popular, leading to even more new places, while some older railroad towns faded away.

Names of places often came from local families, important people, or nearby natural features. When the U.S. Mail started Rural Free Delivery, some names had to change to avoid confusion.

How Places Change Their Status

Virginia law allows communities to change their official status.

An unincorporated community can become an incorporated town (still within a county).
An incorporated town can become an independent city.
Any of these can merge with a neighbor.

It's also possible for places to become less independent. Incorporated towns can give up their charters. Some independent cities have even become towns again and rejoined their counties.

Annexation and Mergers

Virginia law allows incorporated towns and independent cities to take over parts of nearby, less independent areas. For example, a town can annex unincorporated county land. An independent city can annex unincorporated county land or land from an incorporated town. However, independent cities cannot annex land from each other.

Many people feel that Virginia's annexation laws make it hard for local governments to work together, as it creates mistrust. Because of this, Virginia has put a pause on many major annexations since the late 1900s.

Counties, cities, and towns can also merge, but only if the Virginia General Assembly (the state's legislature) approves it with a special law. The last big wave of mergers happened in the Hampton Roads area between 1952 and 1976.

Jamestown: A Historic Site

The first English settlers chose Jamestown Island because it was easy to defend. It also wasn't occupied by Native Americans, mainly because the land was marshy and unhealthy. This led to many early settlers dying from disease and starvation.

Jamestown was abandoned for a day in 1610 after the "Starving Time." The remaining settlers left, but then met a new supply convoy led by Governor Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr. Among the new arrivals was John Rolfe, who brought tobacco seeds that saved the colony economically. Jamestown began to thrive and became the capital in 1619.

Despite its success, Jamestown had a bad climate, no fresh water, and many mosquitoes. The statehouse burned down several times. After another fire in the 1690s, the capital moved in 1699 to Middle Plantation, which was renamed Williamsburg. The town of Jamestown was finally abandoned soon after.

The area returned to nature and became an island. By the 1750s, it was a farm. In 1892, it was bought by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Barney, who donated some land, including the old church tower, to Preservation Virginia. A sea wall was built in 1900 to protect the site from erosion.

In 1930, the U.S. Congress created the Colonial National Monument, which became the Colonial National Historical Park in 1936. The National Park Service bought the rest of Jamestown Island in 1934.

For Jamestown's 350th anniversary in 1957, the National Park Service rebuilt the land bridge to the island, making it a peninsula again. Virginia also built Jamestown Festival Park. These sites are now known as Historic Jamestowne and Jamestown Settlement.

In 1994, archaeologists found the remains of the original 1607 fort, protected by the sea wall. More discoveries continue to teach us about early Jamestown.

Jamestown has been "reborn" as a historic site, but it's not an active town where people live. Only wildlife and park staff stay there overnight.

Eight Lost Shires

Virginia no longer uses the term "shire" for its local government units; they are all called "counties." So, in a way, all the original shires are "lost" in name. However, five of the eight shires of Virginia created in 1634 still exist today as counties, even if their names or borders have changed.

Still Existing Today

The five original shires that still exist as counties are:

Charles City Shire (1634–1643) became Charles City County
Charles River Shire (1634–1643) became Charles River County in 1636, then York County
James City Shire (1634–1636) became James City County
Henrico Shire (1634–1642) became Henrico County
Warrosquyoake Shire (1634–1637) became Isle of Wight County

No Longer Existing

The three original shires that no longer exist in their original form are:

Accomac Shire (1634–1643) (no longer exists)
Elizabeth River Shire (1634–1636) became Elizabeth City Shire in 1636, then Elizabeth City County (no longer exists)
Warwick River Shire (1634–1643) became Warwick County, later City of Warwick (no longer exists)

Nineteen Lost Counties

Nineteen counties that were once in parts of Virginia (and are still within the state's current borders) either no longer exist or changed their names completely.

One example is Alexandria County. It left Virginia for about 56 years (1791–1847) to become part of the District of Columbia. When it returned to Virginia, its name was changed to Arlington County in 1920. It's Virginia's smallest county.

Two current counties, Madison and Rappahannock, reused names of older lost counties.

The counties of Virginia that no longer exist are:

Alexandria County (1749–1791) and (1846–1920) - became Arlington County in 1920.
Charles River County (1637–1643) - renamed York County.
Dunmore County (1772–1778) - renamed Shenandoah County.
Elizabeth City County (1643-1952) - merged with the Town of Phoebus to form the independent City of Hampton.
Fincastle County (1772–1776) - divided into Montgomery, Washington, and Kentucky counties (Kentucky County later became the state of Kentucky).
Lower Norfolk County (1637–1691) - divided into Norfolk County and Princess Anne County.
Nansemond County (1646–1972) - became the independent City of Nansemond (later merged with Suffolk).
New Norfolk County (1636–1637) - divided into Lower Norfolk County and Upper Norfolk County.
Norfolk County (1691–1963) - merged with the independent City of South Norfolk to form the independent City of Chesapeake.
Patrick Henry County (1777–1790) - split into Patrick County and Henry County.
Princess Anne County (1691–1963) - merged with the independent City of Virginia Beach.
Rappahannock County (1656–1692) - divided into Essex County and Richmond County (not the current capital city).
Upper Norfolk County (1637–1646) - became Nansemond County.
Warwick County (1643–1952) - became the independent City of Warwick (later merged with Newport News).

Seven Extinct Independent Cities

Seven cities in Virginia are now considered "extinct." These are different from the small "cities" mentioned in the 1600s.

Virginia laws in the late 1900s allowed smaller independent cities to become towns again and rejoin a county. This was seen as a way to simplify local government. As of 2013, three cities had done this.

The "lost" independent cities of Virginia were:

City of Bedford (1968–2013) - became an incorporated town in Bedford County.
City of Clifton Forge (1906–2001) - became an incorporated town in Alleghany County.
City of Manchester (1874–1910) - merged with the independent City of Richmond.
City of Nansemond (1972–1974) - merged with the independent City of Suffolk.
City of South Boston (1960–1995) - became an incorporated town in Halifax County.
City of South Norfolk (1919–1963) - merged with Norfolk County and changed its name to the independent City of Chesapeake.
City of Warwick (1952–1958) - merged with the independent City of Newport News.

Lost Incorporated Towns

Many of Virginia's incorporated towns grew to become independent cities. Most of Virginia's current independent cities started as towns. If a town became a city of the same name (like Charlottesville or Richmond), it's not listed here as "lost."

The incorporated towns of Virginia that no longer exist are:

Town of Barton Heights (1896) - annexed by the City of Richmond in 1914.
Town of Basic City (1890–1923) - merged with the town (later city) of Waynesboro.
Town of Berkley (unknown–1906) - became part of the City of Norfolk by annexation in 1906.
Town of Big Lick (1874–1882) - became the town (later city) of Roanoke (name change).
Town of Castlewood (1991–1997) - disincorporated in 1997.
Town of Central City (1885–1890) - became the town (later city) of Radford (name change).
Town of City Point (1826–1923) - became part of the independent City of Hopewell by annexation in 1923.
Town of Clover (1895–1998) - disincorporated in 1998.
Town of Columbia (1788–2016) - disincorporated in 2016.
Town of Fairmount (1902) - annexed by the City of Richmond in 1914.
Town of Ginter Park - annexed by the City of Richmond.
Town of Goodson (1856–1890) - became the independent City of Bristol (name change).
Town of Highland Park - annexed by the City of Richmond in 1914.
Holland - merged into the independent City of Suffolk.
Town of Kecoughtan - annexed by the City of Newport News in 1927.
Town of North Danville/Town of Neapolis (1877–1896) - annexed by the City of Danville in 1896.
Town of North Richmond - annexed by the City of Richmond.
Town of North Tazewell (1894–1963) - merged with the Town of Tazewell in 1963.
Town of Phoebus (1900–1952) - merged with Elizabeth City County into the City of Hampton in 1952.
Town of Portlock (1947?–1952) - annexed by City of South Norfolk in 1952.
Town of Potomac (1908–1930) - became part of the City of Alexandria by annexation in 1930.
Town of Salem - became Marshall, Virginia.
Whaleyville - merged into the independent City of Suffolk.

Lost Unincorporated Communities

Many communities in Virginia were never officially incorporated as towns. Most of these simply changed names, or grew and became part of larger cities. However, some have completely disappeared. For example, the first settlement in Fairfax County, the town of Colchester, is gone.

Some lost towns have dramatic stories. Boyd's Ferry was destroyed by flooding around 1800. It was rebuilt across the river and became the Town of South Boston. Conflicts with Native Americans destroyed other early Virginia towns. Henricus and Wolstenholme Towne were wiped out in the Indian Massacre of 1622.

Communities Taken by Governments

Not all lost communities disappeared long ago. Sometimes, the state or federal government took land for public projects, even if people didn't want to leave.

Shenandoah National Park

When Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Drive were created between 1924 and 1936, many families and entire communities had to leave their homes in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This happened mostly because the Commonwealth of Virginia took the land and then gave it to the federal government. Many residents were very upset about losing their homes.

The state used the Great Depression and the promise of jobs and modern services (like indoor plumbing) to justify moving these mountain residents. Creating the park and Skyline Drive did create much-needed jobs during the Depression. However, nearly 90% of the people removed worked the land for a living. Even though some families were forced to leave, a few were allowed to stay until they died. The last person died in 1979. Small family cemeteries were allowed to remain in the park. The lost communities were a price paid for one of the country's most beautiful national parks.

Virginia Peninsula

During World War I, Mulberry Island became part of a military camp called Fort Abraham Eustis (now Fort Eustis). Nearby, a large area in York County and a smaller part of James City County, where many African Americans lived in the community of Lackey, was taken to create a military base called Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. Many residents moved to Grove in nearby James City County.

During World War II, the U.S. Navy took over more land in York and James City counties for Camp Peary. All residents of the towns of Magruder and Bigler's Mill were moved out. Camp Peary later became a secret training facility. These towns are "lost" to Virginia, but for national defense. Also in 1943, the town of Penniman was taken over and became part of the Cheatham Annex military complex.

Northern Virginia

In Northern Virginia, a program started to turn an area in Prince William County into a park for Washington, D.C.. This led to the loss of three towns: Batestown, Hickory Ridge, and Joplin. During World War II, this parkland became a spy training facility. Similarly, Marine Corps Base Quantico expanded for the war, taking over the town of Kopp.

List of Lost Unincorporated Communities

Here is an alphabetical list of "lost" unincorporated towns and communities in Virginia:

Aiken's Landing - now part of Varina.
Algonquin Park - in Norfolk County.
Batestown - became part of Prince William Forest Park.
Bayville - in Princess Anne County.
Beahm - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Begonia - in Prince George.
Beldore Hollow - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Belfield - became part of the Town (later City) of Emporia.
Big Meadows - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Big Ran - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Bigler's Mill - taken by the U.S. Navy, now part of Camp Peary.
Blandford - became part of the independent City of Petersburg in 1784.
Broadwater - on Hog Island on the Eastern Shore.
Brown Cove - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Buzzard's Roost - in Elizabeth City County.
Canada - a small community of free African-Americans near Charlottesville.
Camden Mills - in Norfolk County.
Carvins Cove - flooded to create the Carvins Cove Reservoir.
Cobham - in Surry County.
Cockletown - in York County.
Cohoon's Bridge - in Nansemond County, was a county seat.
Cole - in Princess Anne County.
Creeds - in Princess Anne County.
Cumberland - a colonial town in New Kent County.
Cypressville - a town in Princess Anne County.
Dam Neck Mills - later part of the independent City of Virginia Beach.
Davis Creek - in Nelson County.
Denbigh - became part of the independent City of Warwick, then Newport News.
Euclid - in Princess Anne County.
Ewell - in James City County.
Fourway - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Frazier Hollow - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Gayton - a small mining town in Henrico County.
Glen Rock - in Princess Anne County.
Goose Pond Hollow - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Grand Contraband Camp - in Elizabeth City County.
Granite - became part of the independent City of Richmond.
Greenwich - in Princess Anne County.
Grove Station - in James City County.
Groveton - became part of Manassas National Battlefield Park.
Gum Grove - renamed Morrison, now a neighborhood of Newport News.
Halstead's Point - became part of the US Naval Weapons Station Yorktown.
Hazel - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Henricus - wiped out by the Indian Massacre of 1622 and not rebuilt.
Henry Town - 17th century settlement, later part of the independent City of Virginia Beach.
Hickory Ridge - became part of Prince William Forest Park.
Hicksford - became part of the Town (later City) of Emporia.
Hoco - in York County, became part of Tabb.
Holland - became part of City of Nansemond, later the independent City of Suffolk.
Isle of Wight Plantation - a town in what is now Isle of Wight County.
Jeffs - in York County, became part of the independent City of Poquoson.
Joplin - became part of Prince William Forest Park.
Kecoughtan (settled 1610) - became part of the Town (later City) of Hampton.
Keyser Run - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Kopp - became part of Marine Corps Base Quantico.
Lackey - taken by the U.S. Navy, now part of the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown.
Lamb's Mill - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Little Island Station - in Princess Anne County.
Lorraine - in Henrico County.
Magruder - taken by the U.S. Navy, now part of the Camp Peary facility.
Mellen - in Warwick County.
Millwood - became the incorporated Town of Phoebus, later part of the independent City of Hampton.
Minnieville - became part of Dale City in Prince William County.
Morrison - in Warwick County, now a neighborhood of Newport News.
Another Mt. Pleasant - in Franklin County, became part of Rocky Mount.
Mulberry Island - became part of a U.S. Army Camp (now Fort Eustis).
Negro Foot - in Hanover County.
Newmarket Corners - in Elizabeth City County.
New Market - a village in eastern Henrico County.
Newtown - the county seat of Princess Anne County before the Revolution.
Nicholson Hollow - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Novis - in the South Gap section of Bland County.
Nutmeg Quarter - in Warwick County, became Hidenwood, now a neighborhood in Newport News.
Ocean View - became part of the independent City of Norfolk.
Odd - in York County, became part of the independent City of Poquoson.
Old Rag - became part of Shenandoah National Park (the mountain is still there).
Osborne (or Osborne's) - on the James River.
Penniman - in York County, became part of Cheatham Annex (military reservation).
Pocahontas - became part of the independent City of Petersburg in 1784.
Port Conway - across the Rappahannock River from Port Royal.
Port Walthall - in Chesterfield County on the Appomattox River.
Port Warwick - a town in Chesterfield County (destroyed during the American Revolutionary War and not rebuilt).
Town of Potomac - annexed by the City of Alexandria.
Princess Anne - became part of the independent City of Virginia Beach.
Punch Bowl (aka Punch Bowl Hollow) - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Ravenscroft - became part of the independent City of Petersburg in 1744.
Rio Vista - in Henrico County.
Rocklin - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Rocky Ridge - became Town (later City) of Manchester, now part of City of Richmond.
Roseland Farms - became the incorporated Town of Phoebus, later part of the independent City of Hampton.
Schoolfield - became part of Danville.
Skyland Resort - a privately owned resort that became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Slabtown - in Elizabeth City County.
Spring Hill - became part of the independent City of Manchester, later part of the independent City of Richmond.
Strawberry Banks - became the incorporated Town of Phoebus, later part of the independent city of Hampton.
Sydney - became part of the independent City of Richmond.
Titustown - in Norfolk County.
Tottem-Down-Hill - in Culpeper County.
Trone - in Frederick County.
Upper Pocosin - became part of Shenandoah National Park.
Town of Varina - once the county seat of Henrico County, now a historic farm.
Wangle Junction.
Warwick Towne - formed in 1680, abandoned in 1809, later part of the independent City of Newport News.
Wash Woods - located at today's False Cape State Park in the City of Virginia Beach.
Wayland Crossing - renamed Crozet in 1870.
Westham - in Henrico County.
Whaleyville - became part of the independent City of Nansemond, later the independent City of Suffolk.
White House Landing - in New Kent County.
Willard - demolished in 1958 for Dulles International Airport.
Wolstenholme Towne - wiped out by the Indian Massacre of 1622 and not rebuilt.
Yorke - a town in York County that no longer exists.
Yorkville - in York County.