Holland, Virginia facts for kids

Holland, Virginia, used to be a small town in Nansemond County, Virginia. It was a place with its own local government. In 1974, Holland became part of the much larger city of Suffolk, Virginia. Today, Suffolk is one of the biggest cities in Virginia by land area.

The Story of Holland, Virginia

Early Beginnings and the Holland Family

The town of Holland got its name from an English family. This family was led by Captain John Holland. He arrived in Massachusetts in 1630. Records show that John Holland and his wife were involved in disagreements about taxes with the King in 1627.

Captain Holland was a ship's captain. He sailed from Nantucket all the way to Virginia and even to English islands in the Caribbean. He passed away at sea in 1652. He is buried in Cape Charles, Virginia.

His son, John Jr., moved to Jamestown around 1645. He became a Major in the Virginia militia in 1654. The militia was a group of citizen soldiers. John Jr. was also a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. This was an early form of government in Virginia. He later moved his family to Nansemond County, Virginia.

James Holland was Captain John Holland's grandson. He was still living in Nansemond County in 1680. He is buried near Fighting Cock Plantation in Chuckatuck.

Growth and Important Events

Holland is located in what was once called Old Nansemond County. In 1860, the town's commission had 12 members. Ten of these members were named Holland! This shows how important the Holland family was to the area.

In 1890, Holland became a stop on the Atlantic and Danville Railway. This was a big step for the town. It helped people and goods travel more easily.

A very special event happened in Holland. On May 21, 1928, the very first Ruritan Club in the United States was started right here. Ruritan Clubs are community service organizations. They help improve towns and cities.

Becoming Part of Suffolk

Joining Forces with Other Towns

During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, many towns in southeastern Virginia started to join together. This was called "consolidation." It meant that smaller towns and counties merged to form bigger cities.

In 1972, Holland joined with Nansemond County. Another town called Whaleyville also merged at this time. Together, they formed a new independent city called Nansemond. An independent city is a city that is not part of a county.

Just two years later, in 1974, Nansemond merged again. This time, it joined with Suffolk. Suffolk used to be the main town where Nansemond County's government was located. This final merger created the large city of Suffolk that we know today.