Editing Poquoson, Virginia

{{short description|Independent city in Virginia, United States}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Poquoson, Virginia
|settlement_type          = [[Independent city (United States)|Independent city]]
|nickname                 = Bull Island
|motto                    = 
|image_skyline            = PoquosonWaterfront.jpg
|imagesize                = 200px
|image_caption            = Boats parked at the Poquoson Marina. Boating has been an important part of Poquoson's economy since its inception.
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = Poquoson Seal.jpg
|image_map                = {{maplink
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  | zoom               = 11
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|map_caption              = Interactive map of Poquoson
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        =  [[County]]
|subdivision_name         = {{Nowrap|{{US}}}}
|subdivision_name1        = {{Flag|Virginia|size=23px}}
|subdivision_name2        = None ([[Independent city (United States)|Independent city]])
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Gordon C. Helsel Jr.
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = 1631
|area_total_sq_mi         = 78.46
|area_land_sq_mi          = 15.36
|area_water_sq_mi         = 63.10
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_total         = 12460
|population_metro         = 1799674
|population_density_sq_mi = 811.20
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|EST]]
|utc_offset = &minus;5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
|utc_offset_DST = &minus;4
|coordinates              = {{coord|37|7|59|N|76|22|25|W|region:US-VA|display=inline}}
|elevation_ft             = 10
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 23662
|area_code                = [[Area codes 757 and 948|757, 948]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 51-63768<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1479363<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|footnotes                = 
|website                  = http://www.poquoson-va.gov
| pop_est_as_of          =
| pop_est_footnotes      = 
| population_est         = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_51.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2         = 203.20
| area_land_km2          = 39.77
| area_water_km2         = 163.43
| population_density_km2 = auto
}}

'''Poquoson''' ({{IPAc-en|p|ə|ˈ|k|oʊ|s|ən}}), informally known as '''Bull Island''', is an [[independent city (United States)|independent city]] in the [[Commonwealth (U.S. state)|Commonwealth]] of [[Virginia]], United States. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 12,460.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Poquoson city, Poquoson city, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5173595115|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 30, 2022}}</ref> The [[Bureau of Economic Analysis]] combines the city of Poquoson with surrounding [[York County, Virginia|York County]] for statistical purposes.

Poquoson is located on the [[Virginia Peninsula]], in the [[Hampton Roads]] metropolitan area.

Poquoson, which was formerly part of [[York County, Virginia|York County]], became an [[incorporated town]] in 1952 and an independent city in 1975. (In Virginia, municipalities incorporated as independent cities are not part of any county.) However, the ties remain close. Over 30 years after Poquoson became a politically independent entity, some constitutional services such as the courts, sheriff and jail continue to be shared with neighboring York County.

Poquoson is one of the oldest continuously named cities in [[Virginia]]. It is also one of the few to retain a name which derived from the Native Americans who inhabited the area before colonization by the [[Kingdom of England|English]] began in the 17th century.

==History==
The name of the city is a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] word which roughly translates to "great marsh." The term [[pocosin]], with its varied spellings, was a term used by the area's inhabitants to describe a low, marshy, woody place covered by water in the winter, but dry in the summer. These [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] were [[Algonquian peoples|Algonquians]], a tribal group affiliated through the [[Powhatan Confederacy]], and were defensive to the early colonizers. A petition to have the name of the parish and river changed was an attempt to rid the language of all vestiges of Indian terms.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} However, "poquoson" has survived through the centuries and has become a proper noun used to designate the present city.

The current city is a remnant of a larger area known from the first days of its settlement in the early 17th century by English colonists as the New Poquoson Parish of the [[Church of England]]. In the colonial times before [[separation of church and state]] and [[freedom of religion]] were established in Virginia and the United States, the church parish boundaries and governmental ones were often the same. In addition to the current city of Poquoson, New Poquoson Parish originally included the areas in York County known today as Poquoson, [[Tabb, Virginia|Tabb]], [[Grafton, Virginia|Grafton]], [[Dare, Virginia|Dare]] and [[Seaford, Virginia|Seaford]]. This land was opened for settlement in the year 1628 and was occupied by people from the English settlement of the [[Virginia Colony]] established at [[Kecoughtan, Virginia|Kecoughtan]] in 1610 by Sir [[Thomas Gates (governor)|Thomas Gates]] which eventually became part of the current [[Hampton, Virginia|City of Hampton]]. The first reference to Poquoson is believed to be in Colonial records of a land grant of {{convert|500|acres|abbr=on}} in New Poquoson to Christopher Calthorpe in 1631 by a court in what became the former [[Elizabeth City County, Virginia|Elizabeth City County]].<ref name="City History">{{cite web|url=http://www.poquoson-va.gov/general/history|title=History|access-date=2011-10-14|publisher=City of Poquoson|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225123917/http://www.poquoson-va.gov/general/history|archive-date=2012-02-25}}</ref> This area located just outside of the Poquoson city limits in York County is still known in the 21st century as Calthrop Neck.

In 1634, the eight original [[shires of Virginia]] were created. Poquoson was located in [[Charles River Shire]]. The name was changed to [[York County, Virginia|York County]] in 1642–43. The [[York River (Virginia)|York River]] was known earlier as the Charles River, and its name was also changed about the same time.

Poquoson grew as a close-knit rural community of York County for the next 300 years. During the [[American Revolutionary War]], independence was won at nearby Yorktown, a major tourist attraction of the [[Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia]].

One of the first land battles of the [[American Civil War]], the [[Battle of Big Bethel]] was fought nearby on June 10, 1861. In the spring of 1862, Union General [[George B. McClellan]] put together an ambitious plan known as the [[Peninsula Campaign]] to end the war by marching up the peninsula from Union held [[Fort Monroe]] and taking the Confederate capitol at [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]]. A copy of his battle plans was obtained by Confederate spy [[Thomas Nelson Conrad]] and in response Confederate forces under General [[John B. Magruder]] established three lines of defensive positions extending across the peninsula to stop McClellan's march towards Richmond. The first line of defense was anchored on the north by a redoubt on Ship Point near the mouth of the [[Poquoson River]]. After the Confederates abandoned the position in 1863 the Union Army established a supply depot and a hospital at Ship Point.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://yorkcountyhistory.blogspot.com/2007/10/ship-point-in-civil-war-by-frank-green.html|title = York-Poquoson History}}</ref> Several Poquoson residents fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War including Wesley Messick, who was a crewman on the [[CSS Virginia]] during the [[Battle of Hampton Roads]].<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oIsn_QWyGasC&q=wesley+messick+poquoson+css+virginia&pg=PA65 | title=Poquoson| isbn=9780738598352| author=Poquoson Museum (Poquoson, Va.)| year=2013| publisher=Arcadia}}</ref>

Poquoson became an [[incorporated town]] in 1952, as the citizens of the community wanted to keep their own high school open instead of having their children [[Desegregation busing|bused]] to [[York High School (Virginia)|York High School]] due to distance.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} When the town was incorporated, Poquoson's small predominantly [[African American]] community known as Cary's Chapel remained just outside the town limits in York County. The town became an independent city in 1975 in order to maintain this status. The change from incorporated town to independent city status also effectively protected Poquoson from potential annexation suits by the adjacent City of Hampton.

The changes to incorporated town and independent city were part of a wave of municipal changes in southeastern Virginia in the third quarter of the 20th century. Although Poquoson is one of the smaller of 8 independent cities extant in the Hampton Roads region in the 21st century, it is not unique in the area as a city having large areas of undeveloped land and protected wetlands.

Poquoson has long been informally known as "Bull Island" because for centuries farmers in the area let their cattle roam free in the salt marshes. Although only a few small farms remain and the herd of cattle that once grazed in the marshes are long gone, Poquoson residents still call themselves "Bull Islanders".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.virginialiving.com/travel/the-great-marsh/|title = The "Great Marsh": Poquoson|date = 22 July 2016}}</ref>

{{see also|Hampton Roads}}

==Government and law==
The Poquoson City Council is composed of seven members who are elected by the voters and serve four-year terms. Elections are held in even-numbered years on the first Tuesday in November. Any Poquoson resident who is at least 18 years of age, is a United States citizen and a resident of Virginia is eligible to be a candidate for election. In 2017, Poquoson residents elected a 19-year-old to the City Council.

The city is divided into three precincts with each precinct having two council representatives. Voters cast their ballots for one candidate from each precinct. One representative is elected at large and serves as City Mayor. Persons elected to City Council take office on the first day of January following the election.

The City Council is the policy making body of the city. Its responsibilities include adoption of the City budget; approval of all tax levies; adoption of ordinances; approval of amendments, supplements or repeals to ordinances and the City Code; and appointment of the City Manager, City Clerk, City Attorney, and various local boards, commissions and committees.
<ref name="Poquoson Government">{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.poquoson-va.gov/government/home
 |title       = Government Information
 |access-date  = 2011-10-14
 |publisher   = City of Poquoson
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121102212741/http://poquoson-va.gov/government/home
 |archive-date = 2012-11-02
}}</ref>
The city's school board is appointed by the City Council.

Over 30 years after Poquoson became an independent city from York County, some constitutional services such as the courts, sheriff and jail continue to be shared with neighboring York County.<ref name="Poquoson Residents">{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.poquoson-va.gov/city_departments/shared_services
 |title       = Shared Services
 |access-date  = 2011-10-14
 |publisher   = City of Poquoson
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120407023756/http://www.poquoson-va.gov/city_departments/shared_services
 |archive-date = 2012-04-07
}}</ref>

== Politics ==
Historically, Poquoson voters have trended strongly towards [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] candidates at the national, state, and local levels and since the decline of the [[Byrd Organization]], [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]]. Poquoson is part of [[Virginia's 1st congressional district]], represented by Republican [[Rob Wittman]] but was temporarily redistricted into the [[Virginia's 2nd congressional district|2nd district]] in 2016. Rigell retired from the [[United States House of Representatives]] in 2016 and was succeeded by Republican [[Scott Taylor (politician)|Scott Taylor]]. Taylor was defeated in 2018 by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Elaine Luria]].

At the state level, Poquoson is represented by [[Tommy Norment]], a Republican and current Minority Leader of the [[Virginia State Senate]], as members of District 3 of the Virginia Senate and [[A.C. Cordoza]], a Republican, as part of the 91st District of the [[Virginia House of Delegates]].<ref name="Virginia State Senate Districts">{{cite web | url = http://apps.lis.virginia.gov/sfb1/Senate/Districts| title = Senate Districts | access-date = 2013-08-26 | publisher = Virginia State Senate}}</ref> The mayor and city council members are elected in nonpartisan elections; the current mayor, Gordon "Big G" Helsel., became mayor in 2016 after [[Gordon Helsel]] was elected to the House of Delegates.

{{PresHead|place=Poquoson, Virginia|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|5,800|2,119|146|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,605|2,054|198|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,092|1,601|484|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|5,312|1,679|115|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|5,229|1,748|88|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|5,004|1,424|42|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|4,271|1,448|142|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,422|1,409|445|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|3,354|1,086|997|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,840|877|34|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,667|647|14|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,338|877|184|Virginia}}
{{PresFoot|1976|Republican|1,461|1,140|39|Virginia}}

==Media==
Poquoson's daily newspaper is the ''[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]]''. Other papers include the ''[[New Journal and Guide]]'', ''[[The Virginian-Pilot]]'', and ''[[Inside Business (newspaper)|Inside Business]]''.

Poquoson has a weekly paper, The Yorktown Crier / The Poquoson Post.<ref name="Yorktown Crier">{{cite web
| url = http://www.yorktowncrier.com/
| title = The Yorktown Crier / The Poquoson Post
| access-date = 2013-05-21
| publisher = The Yorktown Crier
}}</ref> The Hampton Roads Magazine serves as a bi-monthly regional magazine for Poquoson and the [[Hampton Roads]] area.<ref name="Hampton Roads Magazine">{{cite web
| url = http://www.hrmag.com
| title = Hampton Roads Magazine
| access-date = 2013-05-21
| publisher = Hampton Roads Magazine
| archive-date = 2007-09-28
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928171054/http://www.hrmag.com/
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> ''Hampton Roads Times'' serves as an online magazine for all the [[Hampton Roads]] cities and counties.<ref name="Hampton Roads Times">{{cite web
| url = http://www.hamptonroadstimes.com
| title = Hampton Roads Times
| access-date = 2013-05-21
| publisher = Hampton Roads Times
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181013192547/http://hamptonroadstimes.com/
| archive-date = 2018-10-13
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

Poquoson is served by a variety of radio stations on the AM and FM dials, with towers located around the [[Hampton Roads]] area.<ref name="Hampton Roads Radio Links">{{cite web
| url = http://www.ontheradio.net/metro/Norfolk_VA.aspx
| title = Hampton Roads Radio Links
| access-date = 2013-05-21
| publisher = ontheradio.net
}}</ref>

Poquoson is also served by several television stations. The Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News [[designated market area]] (DMA), of which Poquoson is included, is the 44th largest in the U.S. with 709,730 homes (0.62% of the total U.S.).<ref name="nielsen">"http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/08/31/nielsen-local-television-market-universe-estimates-for-2012-13/146976/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521052052/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/08/31/nielsen-local-television-market-universe-estimates-for-2012-13/146976/ |date=2013-05-21 }} Nielsen Local Television Market Universe Estimates For 2012-13]." ''[[Nielsen Media Research]].'' August 31, 2012. Retrieved on May 21, 2013.</ref> The major network television affiliates are [[WTKR-TV]] 3 ([[Columbia Broadcasting Service|CBS]]), [[WAVY]] 10 ([[NBC]]), [[WVEC-TV]] 13 ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]), [[WGNT]] 27 ([[The CW Television Network|CW]]), [[WTVZ]] 33 ([[MyNetworkTV]]), [[WVBT]] 43 ([[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]), and [[WPXV]] 49 ([[ION Television]]). The [[Public Broadcasting Service]] station is [[WHRO-TV]] 15. Newport News residents also can receive independent stations, such as [[WSKY-TV|WSKY]] broadcasting on channel 4 from the Outer Banks of North Carolina and [[WGBS-LD]] broadcasting on channel 11 from [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]]. Poquoson is served by [[Cox Cable]] which provides [[LNC 5]], a local 24-hour [[United States cable news|cable news]] television network. [[DirecTV]], [[Verizon FiOS]] and [[Dish Network]] are also popular as an alternative to [[cable television]] in Poquoson.

==Geography==
Poquoson is located at {{coord|37|7|59|N|76|22|25|W|type:city}} (37.133153, -76.373881).

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|78|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|15|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|63|sqmi|km2}} (80.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

The city is a [[peninsula]] containing twenty square miles and is located between the [[Poquoson River]] on the north, [[Back River (Virginia)|Back River]] and [[Wythe Creek]] (the Old Poquoson River) on the south, the [[Chesapeake Bay]] on the east, and York County on the west. The city also shares a border with the City of Hampton and a water boundary across Chesapeake Bay with [[Northampton County, Virginia|Northampton County]].

===Climate===
Poquoson's mild four season climate means outdoor activities can be enjoyed year round. The weather in Poquoson is temperate and seasonal. Summers are hot and humid with cool evenings. The mean annual temperature is {{convert|60|°F|°C|abbr=on}}, with an average annual snowfall of {{convert|6|in|cm}} and an average annual rainfall of {{convert|47|in|mm}}. No measurable [[snow]] fell in 1999. The wettest seasons are the spring and summer, although rainfall is fairly constant all year round. The highest recorded temperature was {{convert|105|F|C}} in 1980. The lowest recorded temperature was {{convert|-3|F|C}} on [[January 1985 Arctic outbreak|January 21, 1985]].<ref name = "NWS Wakefield, VA (AKQ)"/>

Additionally, the geographic location of the city, with respect to the principal storm tracks, is generally favorable, as it is south of the usual path of storms originating in the higher latitudes, and north of the usual tracks of hurricanes and other major tropical storms.<ref name="Virginia Hurricane Climatology">Information from [http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/vaclimohur.htm NOAA].</ref>  However, when in the path of a storm the City of Poquoson is subject to severe flooding due to its very low elevation above sea level. Poquoson was significantly impacted by the most destructive storm of 2003, [[Hurricane Isabel]], which caused the worst flooding the Hampton Roads area had seen since the [[1933 Chesapeake–Potomac hurricane]] 70 years earlier. During Hurricane Isabel, most of the city was under several feet of water due to the [[storm surge]]. Six years later the [[November 2009 Mid-Atlantic nor'easter]] again flooded much of the city. A mandatory evacuation order was issued during [[Hurricane Irene]] in 2011 which also caused significant flooding in Poquoson. As a result of these floods, many homes in Poquoson have been elevated on raised foundations.

{{Norfolk, Virginia weatherbox}}

{{Weather box/concise F
| location=Poquoson, Virginia (1980–2010)
| source=USA.com<ref name="USA">
  "Climatological Information for Poquoson, Virginia",
  USA.com, 2003. Web: [http://www.usa.com/poquoson-va-weather.htm#HistoricalTemperature].</ref>
| 47.7| 51.1| 59.0| 68.8| 76.5| 84.6| 88.6| 86.3| 80.7| 70.8| 61.2| 51.5 <!--highs-->
| 28.9| 31.1| 37.0| 45.8| 55.0| 64.5| 69.1| 67.5| 61.1| 49.8| 41.0| 32.5 <!--lows-->
|3.6|3.4|4.4|3.3|3.9|3.5|4.6|4.7|4.2|3.4|3.3|3.4 <!--precipitation-->
}}

===National protected area===
*[[Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge]]

==Infrastructure==
Poquoson is served by two airports. [[Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport]], located in Newport News, and [[Norfolk International Airport]], in Norfolk, both cater to passengers from Hampton Roads. The primary airport for the Virginia Peninsula is the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport.

[[Norfolk International Airport]] {{Airport codes|ORF|KORF|ORF}}, serves the region. The airport is located near Chesapeake Bay, along the city limits of [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] and [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]].<ref name="ORF History">{{cite web
 |url=http://www.norfolkairport.com/airportinfo/missionhistory.htm 
 |title=Norfolk International Airport Mission and History 
 |access-date=2007-10-02 
 |publisher=Norfolk International Airport 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928203630/http://www.norfolkairport.com/airportinfo/missionhistory.htm 
 |archive-date=2007-09-28 
}}</ref> Seven airlines provide nonstop services to twenty five destinations. ORF had 3,703,664 passengers take off or land at its facility and 68,778,934 pounds of cargo were processed through its facilities.<ref name="ORF Statistics">{{cite web
 |url=http://www.norfolkairport.com/airportinfo/orfstats.pdf 
 |title=Norfolk International Airport Statistics 
 |access-date=2007-10-02 
 |publisher=Norfolk International Airport 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025202830/http://www.norfolkairport.com/airportinfo/orfstats.pdf 
 |archive-date=2007-10-25 
}}</ref> The Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport provides general aviation services and is located in Williamsburg.<ref name="Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport">{{cite web|url=http://www.airnav.com/airport/KJGG|title=Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport|access-date=2008-01-12}}</ref>

[[Amtrak]] serves nearby [[Newport News, Virginia]] and [[Williamsburg, Virginia]] with three trains a day. The line runs west along the [[Virginia Peninsula]] to [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] and points beyond. Connecting buses are available to Norfolk and Virginia Beach. A high-speed rail connection at Richmond to both the [[Northeast Corridor]] and the [[Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor]] are also under study.<ref name="SEHSR">{{cite web
| url = http://www.sehsr.org/
| title = Southeast High Speed Rail
| access-date = 2007-10-15
| publisher = Southeast High Speed Rail
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130515181215/http://www.sehsr.org/
| archive-date = 2013-05-15
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
Poquoson is served by two state highways:

*[[Virginia State Route 171|Route 171]], also known as Victory Boulevard entering Poquoson from York County before becoming Little Florida Road, then Poquoson Avenue, and finally Messick Road.<ref name="traffic counts Warwick">[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/AADT_094_Warwick_2005.pdf 2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Warwick Maintenance Area]</ref><ref name = "traffic counts York"/>
*[[Virginia State Route 172|Route 172]], also known as Wythe Creek Road entering Poquoson from Hampton before terminating at Yorktown Road and Hunt's Neck Road.<ref name="traffic counts York">[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/AADT_099_York_2005.pdf 2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - York County]</ref><ref name="traffic counts Elizabeth City">[http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/AADT_027_ElizabethCity_2005.pdf 2005 Virginia Department of Transportation Jurisdiction Report - Daily Traffic Volume Estimates - Elizabeth City Maintenance Area]</ref>

The Newport News Waterworks was begun as a project of [[Collis P. Huntington]] as part of the development of the lower peninsula with the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Railway]], the [[coal pier]]s on the harbor of [[Hampton Roads]], and massive [[Newport News Shipbuilding|shipyard]] which were the major sources of industrial growth which helped found Newport News as a new independent city in 1896. It includes reservoirs at [[Skiffe's Creek]] and another near [[Walker's Dam]] on the [[Chickahominy River]]. A regional water provider, in modern times it is owned and operated by the City of Newport News, and serves over 400,000 people in the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and portions of York County and James City County.<ref>[http://www.nngov.com/waterworks Waterworks — City of Newport News Waterworks]</ref>

The City provides wastewater services for residents and transports wastewater to the regional Hampton Roads Sanitation District treatment plants.<ref name="HRSD">{{cite web
| url = http://www.hrsd.state.va.us/
| title = Hampton Roads Sanitation District
| access-date = 2008-03-08
| publisher = Hampton Roads Sanitation District
}}</ref>

Poquoson has access to four area hospitals, served by Riverside Medical Center and Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News and the Sentara Careplex and the V.A. Medical Center in Hampton.<ref name="Hospital Listings">{{cite web
| url = http://www.theagapecenter.com/Hospitals/Virginia.htm
| title = Virginia Hospitals and Medical Centers
| access-date = 2007-08-06
| publisher = The Agape Center
}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1960= 4278
|1970= 5441
|1980= 8726
|1990= 11005
|2000= 11566
|2010= 12150
|2020= 12460
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 6, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/va190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 6, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 6, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Poquoson city, Virginia - Demographic Profile'''<br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')
!Race / Ethnicity
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Poquoson city, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US5163768&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Poquoson city, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US5163768&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|11,398
|10,937
|93.81%
|87.78%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|78
|107
|0.64%
|0.86%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|34
|33
|0.28%
|0.26%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|259
|253
|2.13%
|2.03%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|3
|2
|0.02%
|0.02%
|-
|Some Other Race alone (NH)
|6
|67
|0.05%
|0.54%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|151
|598
|1.24%
|4.80%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|221
|463
|1.82%
|3.72%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''12,150'''
|'''12,460'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|}
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

===2010 census===
[[File:USA Poquoson city, Virginia age pyramid.svg|thumb|Age distribution for Poquoson.]]

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-05-14|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2010, there were 12,150 people, 4,166 households, and 3,370 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|745.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 4,300 housing units at an average density of {{convert|277.1|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.6% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 2.1% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.0% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.3% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.8% of the population.

There were 4,166 households, out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.4% were [[marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.1% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $86,611, and the median income for a family was $96,419. Males had a median income of $71,025 versus
$43,864 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $37,988. About 2.9% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Culture==
[[File:Poquoson, Virginia Museum Marsh Path.JPG|thumb|View from the Poquoson Museum's marsh path.]]

Prior to [[World War II]] and [[Cold War]]-era expansions of nearby military bases and defense industries, and [[white flight]] from the nearby cities of Hampton and Newport News following the [[racial integration]] of schools that rapidly turned the area into a bedroom community, Poquoson was a sleepy rural area with many small [[family farms]], commercial wharves, seafood packing houses, and boat yards that built and repaired [[log canoe]]s, [[oyster buy-boat]]s, and [[Chesapeake Bay deadrise]] work boats used by the local waterman. The annual Poquoson Seafood Festival<ref name="Poquoson Seafood Festival">{{cite web
| url = http://www.poquosonseafoodfestival.com/
| title = Poquoson Seafood Festival
| access-date = 2013-05-21
| publisher = City of Poquoson
}}</ref> which celebrates Poquoson's heritage is the biggest event in Poquoson. Events at the Friday - Sunday festival include work boat races, singers/bands, vendors, food, crafts, children's entertainment, carnival rides, and sometimes even fireworks.

The Poquoson Museum,<ref name="Poquoson Museum">{{cite web
| url = http://www.poquosonmuseum.com/
| title = Poquoson Museum
| access-date = 2013-05-21
| publisher = City of Poquoson
}}</ref> founded in 2003, is located on a 16-acre parcel that contains a circa 1900 farm house, agricultural out buildings, frontage along the marshes of Topping Creek and a country store known as ‘Miss Becky’s Store’ that served local residents for many years. In April 2013 the museum completed work on a marsh walk that incorporates 750 feet of raised platforms with signs highlighting different native wildlife and plant life.<ref name="Poquoson Museum Marsh Walk">"[https://www.dailypress.com/2013/04/11/poquoson-museum-to-debut-new-marsh-walk-book/ Poquoson Museum to debut new marsh walk, book]." ''[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]].'' April 11, 2013. Retrieved on May 21, 2013.</ref>

==Education==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Poquoson logo.jpg|thumb|right|Poquoson Bull Islander logo]] -->
The city is served by Poquoson City Public Schools. There are 4 [[public school (government funded)|public schools]] in Poquoson. There is the Poquoson Primary School for Kindergarten, and 1st and 2nd grades. Poquoson Elementary School serves the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. Poquoson Middle School offers 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes. [[Poquoson High School]] has grades 9–12. Poquoson's mascot is the Bull Islander in reference to city folklore, which is often shortened to "[[bull]]" or "islander" for simplicity.<ref name="Poquoson Schools">{{cite web
| url = http://www.poquoson.org/
| title = Poquoson City Schools
| access-date = 2007-07-08
| publisher = City of Poquoson School Board
}}</ref>

There are no private schools or colleges in Poquoson and York County. However, there are institutions of each type close by on the [[Virginia Peninsula]]. Some of the private schools include [[Hampton Roads Academy]], Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School, Peninsula Catholic High School, and Denbigh Baptist Christian School, all in Newport News.

Higher education is available at [[Thomas Nelson Community College]], with campuses in Hampton and [[James City County, Virginia|James City County]], [[Old Dominion University]] and [[Norfolk State University]] in Norfolk, [[Christopher Newport University]] in Newport News, [[Hampton University]] in Hampton, and the [[College of William and Mary]] in [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]].<ref>[http://www.cnu.edu/ Christopher Newport University]</ref><ref>[http://www.wm.edu/ College of William and Mary]</ref><ref>[http://www.odu.edu/ Old Dominion University]</ref><ref>[http://www.nsu.edu/ Norfolk State University]</ref><ref>[http://www.hamptonu.edu/ Hampton University]</ref><ref>[http://www.tncc.edu Thomas Nelson Community College]</ref>

==Sister cities and schools==
Poquoson's sister city is:
*{{flagdeco|FRA}} [[Le Bar-sur-Loup]], [[Alpes-Maritimes]], France.<ref name="Le Bar Sur Loup">{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.cdj-lebarsurloup.com/barsurloup.html
 |title       = Le Bar Sur Loup
 |access-date  = 2007-07-08
 |publisher   = Association du Clue Des Jeunes du Bar Sur Loup
 |language    = fr
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070702141359/http://www.cdj-lebarsurloup.com/barsurloup.html
 |archive-date = 2007-07-02
}}</ref>

Poquoson has two current partner schools.
*{{flagdeco|PAN}} [[Balboa Academy]], Panama<ref name="Balboa Academy">{{cite web
 |url=http://www.aaie.org/download/calendar/INTERED%20V34%20N104%20SPRING%2007.pdf 
 |title=AAIE Spring Newsletter 2007 
 |access-date=2007-07-08 
 |publisher=Association for the Advancement of International Education 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809082424/http://www.aaie.org/download/calendar/INTERED%20V34%20N104%20SPRING%2007.pdf 
 |archive-date=2007-08-09 
 |url-status=dead 
}}</ref>
*{{flagdeco|URU}} [[Uruguayan American School]], Uruguay<ref name="Poquoson Sister Schools">{{cite web
| url = http://www.sbo.poquoson.k12.va.us/uas.html
| title = Uruguayan American School
| access-date = 2007-07-08
| publisher = City of Poquoson School Board
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070802155045/http://www.sbo.poquoson.k12.va.us/uas.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-08-02}}</ref>

==Notable people==

*[[Baiju Bhatt]], [[Robinhood (company)|Robinhood]] co-founder<ref name=bhatt>{{cite web|url=https://lifehacker.com/im-baiju-bhatt-robinhood-ceo-and-this-is-how-i-work-1797407595 |title=I'm Baiju Bhatt, Robinhood CEO, and This Is How I Work |publisher=lifehacker.com |date=August 2, 2017 |access-date=September 1, 2020}}</ref>
*[[Kyle Crockett]], [[Cleveland Indians]] baseball player<ref name=crockett>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailypress.com/2010/06/19/kyle-crockett-and-chad-pinder-led-poquoson-to-a-second-consecutive-baseball-state-title/ |title=Kyle Crockett and Chad Pinder led Poquoson to a second consecutive baseball state title - Daily Press |publisher=Articles.dailypress.com |date=June 19, 2010 |access-date=November 14, 2013}}</ref>
*[[Kitty O'Brien Joyner|Kitty Joyner]], [[NASA]]'s first female engineer
*[[Chad Pinder]], [[Oakland Athletics]] baseball player

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Poquoson Whitehouse Cove Dock Fall 2011.JPG|View from the old Whitehouse Cove public boat ramp
File:Whitehouse Cove Owens Marina Poquoson Fall 2011.JPG|Poquoson Marina near Owen's Marina and Whitehouse Cove leading out towards the [[Chesapeake Bay]]
File:Poquoson Entrance Wythe Creek Road.JPG|[[Virginia State Route 172|Wythe Creek Road]] approaching the city from [[Hampton, Virginia|Hampton]] across Brick Kiln Creek
File:Messick Point Boats Winter 2011.JPG|Boats docked during the winter at Messick Point
File:Messick Point View Towards Poquoson.JPG|Looking towards the city from Messick Point
FIle:Poquoson Hunts Neck Point PoquosonRiver.jpg|View of the [[Poquoson River]] facing towards [[York County, Virginia|York County]] from the end of Hunts Neck Road
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
{{refend}}
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Poquoson, Virginia}}
*[http://www.poquoson-va.gov City of Poquoson]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060424075227/http://www.sbo.poquoson.k12.va.us/ Poquoson City Public Schools]
*[http://www.poquoson.com Poquoson.com]
*[http://www.hreda.com Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance] - serving Poquoson

{{Coord|display=title|37.133153|-76.373881}}
{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Poquoson, Virginia
|North     = [[Poquoson River]]
|Northeast = [[Chesapeake Bay]]
|East      = [[Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge|Plum Tree Wildlife Refuge]]
|Southeast = [[Hampton, Virginia|City of Hampton]]
|South     = [[Back River (Nunavut)|Back River]] <br> [[Langley Research Center|NASA Langley]] • [[Langley Air Force Base|Langley AFB]]
|Southwest = [[Newport News, Virginia|City of Newport News]]
|West      = [[Tabb, Virginia|Tabb]], [[York County, Virginia|York County]]
|Northwest = [[Grafton, Virginia|Grafton]], [[York County, Virginia|York County]]
}}
{{Hampton Roads}}
{{Virginia}}
{{Northeast Megalopolis}}
{{Virginia county seats and independent cities}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Poquoson, Virginia| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Virginia]]
[[Category:Virginia counties on the Chesapeake Bay]]
[[Category:1631 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies]]
[[Category:Populated places in Hampton Roads]]