| Kempsville | |
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| — Unincorporated area — | |
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Kempsville
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| Independent city | Virginia Beach |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 23464, 23462 |
| FIPS code | |
| GNIS feature ID | |
Kempsville was formerly an unincorporated town which was located in Princess Anne County, Virginia. In modern times, it is a community within the urbanized portion the independent city of Virginia Beach, the largest city in Virginia.
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The town was originally named Kemp's Landing and was a colonial port at the head of the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River. On November 14, 15, or 16th, 1775, it was the location where John Ackiss was killed by Royal Governor Lord Dunmore's militia during an incident later called the "Skirmish of Kempsville". Ackiss became the first Virginian casualty of the American Revolutionary War. The Daughters of the American Revolution later erected a plaque near the site.
The town of Kempsville, established in 1781, was the location of the county seat of Princess Anne County from 1778-1823. After that date, it was moved to the current location at Princess Anne, Virginia.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, was founded in 1843 to serve families living in Kempsville (then known as Kemp's Landing). In time, the town lost its economic importance and Emmanuel became a rural parish until 1963, when it grew along with the community as a part of the "new" city of Virginia Beach (when Virginia Beach and Princess Anne County merged).
Portions of the church's outer walls are original. The cemetery behind the church contains the graves of four veterans of the Confederate States' Army during the American Civil War in the early 1860s, as well as the more recent grave of Allen Gettel, a local boy who grew up to be a major league pitcher for the New York Yankees, the Cleveland Indians, and the Chicago White Sox over a 10 year career (1945–55). [1]
After the county consolidated by mutual agreement with the small resort city of Virginia Beach in 1963, and assumed the latter's name, explosive growth during the 1960s and 1970s transformed Kempsville into a sprawling suburban community of the largest independent city in Virginia.
Kempsville is one of seven residence districts in the City of Virginia Beach, and is thereby associated with one seat on City Council.
The community of Kempsville operates under the Virginia Beach City Public School System. Kempsville High School is located in the heart of Kempsville on Kempsville Road and Chief Trail, located behind Rock Church across from the Fairfield neighborhood. Kempsville Middle School is located off of Providence Road and Churchill Drive and serves students in grade 6-8. Kempsville is home to 7 elementary Schools: Arrowhead Elementary, Centerville Elementary, Fairfield Elementary, Kempsville Elementary, Kempsville Meadows Elementary, Point of View Elementary, Providence Elementary and Woodstock Elementary.
The 4th Precinct is based in Kempsville giving the community police protection by the Virginia Beach Police Department. Fire protection is provided by the Virginia Beach Fire Department through Fire Station 9 and Fire Station 10 in the VBFD system. The Kempsville Volunteer Rescue Squad provides ambulance transportation and EMS services as part of the Virginia Beach Department of EMS.
The two major shopping centers in the Kempsville community are located directly across the street from each other on the Southwest and Northwest Corners of the Kempsville Road and Providence Road intersection. They are Providence Square and Fairfield Shopping Centers, respectively. These areas are home to several restaurants including Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Moe's Southwest Grill, Frankies, Papa Johns, McDonalds, Wendys, YNot Pizza, and Subway. They also house the grocery stores Kroger and Food Lion as well as some businesses such as banks, dental offices, Madison Jewelers, and Kitchen King Cabinets. About .1 mi north from the Kempsville Road and Providence Road intersection is the 4th VBPD Police Precinct Station, which is located next to the Kempsville Public Library. Also, across Kempsville Road is the Kempsville Presbyterian Church.
Some notable Kempsville neighborhoods include Bellamy Manor, Fairfield and Point of View. The neighborhood of Point of View is situated on the banks of Kemps Lake that formed from the Construction of Interstate 264/Virginia Beach Express Way. Kemps Lake provides an ideal environment for watersports with its deepest point of 19 ft.
A large road construction project is in early stages involving Princess Anne, Kempsville Rd, and Witchduck Rd. This intersect is the busiest in Virginia Beach experiencing the heaviest volume of traffic by far in the city. The city has bought up all buildings involved including residential homes, offices, and the well-known Kempsville Pony baseball fields. As of summer 2009 these buildings are being demolished by East Coast Demolition Co. a local demolition contractor contraced out by the City of Virginia Beach. Kempsville Rd./Witchduck Rd. will be widened to 4 lanes in each direction (north and south) and a clover leaf loop in combination with an overpass will be used to gain access to Princess Anne Rd from Kempsville Road and Witchduck Rd. Thus eliminating the stoplight located at the Kempsville, Witchduck and Princess Anne intersection. The widened road will extend from the Interstate 264 overpass on Witchduck Rd. south bound to the Kempsville Rd and Indian River Intersection at the edge of the Kempsville Community. After this project is completed a Historic Kempsville Retail District will be built at this intersection featuring colonial architecture with retail shoppings.
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