Warwick River (Virginia) facts for kids

The Warwick River is a 14.4-mile-long (about 23 kilometers) tidal river. It flows into the James River. This happens near Hampton Roads, which is close to the big Chesapeake Bay. The river is in southeast Virginia, USA. It starts in York County, near Yorktown. Then it flows south across the Virginia Peninsula. Most of the river is inside the city of Newport News.

The Warwick River's Story

How the River Got Its Name

The Warwick River is named after Robert Rich. He was the second Earl of Warwick. He was an important person in the Virginia Company of London. This company helped start the Virginia colony. Robert Rich owned a large farm called Richneck Plantation. This farm was in Warwick River Shire. This shire was one of the first eight areas created in Virginia in 1634.

The shire later became Warwick County in 1643. In 1958, Warwick County joined with the city of Newport News. This made Newport News a larger city.

A River in the Civil War

Union troops cross the river in 1862

In 1862, the American Civil War was happening. A big battle plan called the Peninsula Campaign took place. During this time, the Confederate army used the Warwick River. They built a strong defense line along it. This was called the Warwick Line.

Confederate General John B. Magruder led the defense. He was also an actor. He used clever tricks to make his army look bigger. This fooled the Union forces. The Union army was much larger. Their general was George B. McClellan. Magruder's tricks gave the Confederates valuable time. This helped General Robert E. Lee defend Richmond. The defense ended with the Seven Days Battles.

The River Today

The Warwick River flows next to Fort Eustis. This is a U.S. Army base. The base is on the western side of the river. It also includes historic Mulberry Island.

In the 1900s, parts of the river were dammed. This created fresh water reservoirs. These reservoirs supply water to Newport News. They also provide water to several nearby towns.