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The Battle of Great Bridge in 1775 shaped the location, lives, and legends of this place. On the morning of December 9, 1775, British and Patriot forces faced each other across the Great Bridge, each determined to hold an important supply line from southeastern North Carolina to Norfolk and beyond, while on the south end of the causeway the colonial forces camped almost within gunshot of the British post and protected themselves by engineering a breastwork. The bridge's position over formidable marshland made it crucial to those who fought there. The Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, and the later Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal also defined the area's significance. Opened in 1859, the canal saved time, money, and lives, became a gateway to Hampton Roads and the Chesapeake Bay, and changed the face of commerce in Hampton Roads. Dug by steam dredges called Iron Titans, it was a technological and engineering marvel for its time, and thousands of commercial and pleasure craft pass through its unique lock system into the Chesapeake Bay watershed each year.

Chesapeake, Virginia · United States