Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Warwick County and Newport News Organization Records, circa 1899-1941. Local government records collection, Newport News Organization Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer from Newport News.

Historical Information

City of Newport News was located in Warwick County, which is now extinct. The origin of the name is uncertain but the phrase "Newportes News" appeared in documents as early as 1619 and probably commemorated Christopher Newport, who made five voyages to Virginia between 1607 and 1619. Newport News was a small settlement until late in the nineteenth century, when it became the eastern terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. It was established as a town in 1880 and incorporated as a city by act of the General Assembly in 1896 without ever having been incorporated as a town. Newport News was enlarged by consolidation with the city of Warwick in 1958. Its area is 69.2 square miles.

Recognized as Warwick River County, one of the original shires, in 1634. The name was shortened to Warwick in 1643. County court records were destroyed at several times, with most destruction occurring during the Civil War. The clerk’s office was burned on December 15, 1864. County court minute books and loose records from 1787 to 1819 were destroyed by the fire. Additional records were burned on April 3, 1865, in Richmond, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War.

Scope and Content

Warwick County (Va.) and Newport News (Va.) Organization Records, circa 1899-1941, typically consist of appointments of trustees, minutes, and miscellaneous records of religious organizations, fraternal organizations, independent associations, and cooperatives.

Related Material

Additional Warwick County and Newport News records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm" found on the Library of Virginia's web site.

Warwick County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Warwick County Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Digital Collection .

For more information and a listing of lost records localities see Lost Records research note .

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Newport News (Va.) Circuit Court.
• Warwick County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Organization records--Virginia--Newport News.
• Organization records--Virginia--Warwick County.
• Public records--Virginia--Newport News.
• Public records--Virginia--Warwick County.

Geographical Names:

• Newport News (Va.)--History.
• Warwick County (Va.)--History.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Virginia--Newport News.
• Local government records--Virginia--Warwick County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data