Appendix 8

Dates of Incorporation of Virginia Cities

 
City		 Incorporated
As a Town (a) 		Incorporated
As a City (a) 		City of
2nd Class 		City of
1st Class
Alexandria 1779 1852 - 1902
Bedford (Liberty) 1912 (1812) 1968 1968 -
Bristol 1856 1890 1902 1942
Buena Vista 1890 1892 1902 -
Charlottesville 1801 1888 1902 1916
Chesapeake - 1963 (b) - 1963 (b)
Colonial Heights 1926 1948 1948 1960
Covington 1833 1954 1954 -
Danville 1830 1890 - 1902
Emporia 1887 1967 1967 -
Fairfax 1874 1961 1961 -
Falls Church 1875 1948 1948 -
Franklin 1876 1961 1961 -
Fredericksburg 1782 1879 1902 1941
Galax 1906 1954 1954 -
Hampton 1849 1908 1908 1952 (c)
Harrisonburg 1849 1916 1916 -
Hopewell - 1916 (d) - 1916 (d)
Lexington 1874 1965 1965 -
Lynchburg 1805 1852 - 1902
Manassas 1873 1975 1975 -
Manassas Park 1957 1975 1975 -
Martinsville 1873 1928 1928 -
Newport News 1880 1896 - 1902
Norfolk 1736 (e) 1845 - 1902
Norton 1894 1954 1954 -
Petersburg 1784 1850 - 1902
Poquoson 1952 1975 1975 -
Portsmouth 1836 1858 - 1902
Radford 1887 1892 1902 1946
Richmond 1782 1842 - 1902
Roanoke 1874 1884 1902 -
Salem 1806 1968 - 1968
Staunton 1801 1871 1902 1906
Suffolk 1808 1910 1910 1944 (f)
Virginia Beach 1906 1952 1952 1963 (g)
Waynesboro 1834 1948 - 1948
Williamsburg - 1884 1902 -
Winchester 1779 1874 1902 1932


Notes:

(a) The year of incorporation, not of establishment.

(b) Created by the consolidation of the former City of South Norfolk and Norfolk County, effective January 1, 1963, Virginia Acts 1962, ch. 211, pp. 301-16; South Norfolk, first incorporated in 1919, became a city of the second class in 1921 and a city of the first class in 1952.

(c) So classified when the County of Elizabeth City, the City of Hampton and the Town of Phoebus consolidated as the City of Hampton, effective July 1, 1952, Virginia Acts 1950, Chapter 583.

(d) Incorporated as a city of the first class from unincorporated territory, effective July 1, 1916, Virginia Acts 1916, Chapter 65.

(e) Incorporated as the Borough of Norfolk.

(f) Merged with the former City of Nansemond, January 1, 1974.

(g) So classified when the County of Princess Anne and the City of Virginia Beach combined as the City of Virginia Beach, effective January 1, 1963, Virginia Acts 1962, Chapter 147.

Source:

Virginia Government in Brief, 2010 – 2014 (pp.84-85). Richmond, VA: Clerk’s Offices of the Senate of Virginia and the House of Delegates, Commonwealth of Virginia.