New Book Captures Hampton's History

September 8, 2008

For Hampton residents who are seeking a fascinating visual history of our city with an emphasis on the Downtown area, the new book Images of America: Hampton (Arcadia Publishing) provides insights into the events and lifestyles of those who lived here previously.

Written on behalf of the Hampton History Museum by Museum Curator J. Michael Cobb and longtime Hampton resident Wythe Holt, the book is based on a collection of drawings and photos, with a focus on the 1880s to the present. Captions tell the story and background of each image.

"Many of these photos have not been published before," said Cobb. "Our goal has been to include the 'story behind the story' for many of the photos. So we spoke to residents who were able to provide those kinds of insights."

The examples are far-ranging:

• In a 1923 photograph of the Hampton Lunch Room on north King Street, a sign in the window says "Tables For Ladies" - an indication that, in those days, it was still difficult for women to eat in public unescorted.
• In 1938, 100,000 barrels of crabs, 50,000 gallons of oysters, and 30,000 bushels of un-shucked oysters were shipped from Hampton. In one photo, teeming mountains of oyster shells rest waterside at James Sands Darling's downtown plant.
• An 1899 photograph shows the tallest steeple in town, which was one hallmark of the Hampton Baptist Church. The steeple was blown over in a freak storm in 1999 and has since been replaced.

Co-author Wythe Holt's family has been a part of Hampton's history for close to two centuries.

"In this book, we also felt it was important to capture Hampton's early history, including a conceptual painting of the first English landing," he said.

"There is information on the tobacco trade, shipbuilding, and the Hygeia Hotel built on Old Point Comfort in 1822. Readers will see renderings of Hampton Academy, built in 1852 and a detailed drawing of the King Street Wharf in the early 1850s."

He noted that the book also contains a drawing of the "first emancipation" in 1861, when Union General Benjamin Butler provided sanctuary at Fort Monroe to former slaves that he declared were "contrabands of war."

There are also several heart-rendering depictions, he said, that show the burning of Hampton early in the Civil War, including a rooftop drawing with the flames reaching skyward at the water's edge.

For longtime residents of Hampton, the book can bring back many memories. For instance, it's a chance for people to see a photo of the Sidney Lust Drive-in Theater that opened on Pembroke Avenue in 1948. That was a unique idea at that time, and people were very excited over being able to watch a movie while sitting in their car.

"Today, of course, that form of entertainment is a thing of the past," said Cobb.

Another example?

"A lot of people remember that Bill's Barbecue was Hampton's first 'fast food' place," he said. "But then in the 1960s, along came franchises - including a McDonald's on Mercury Boulevard with its two golden arches, big cars in the lot, and hamburgers for fifteen cents.

"That building's gone now - but there's a photo of it in the book!"

Images of America: Hampton is available for purchase at the Hampton History Museum and can also be found in Hampton's Public Libraries.