Deltaville, Virginia

Fireworks at the Deltaville Ballpark on Heritage Day

Deltaville is a small unincorporated community on the eastern tip of Middlesex County in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Virginia. It is known for being a vacation spot for those looking for sailing, fishing, and other activities associated with the water. Approximately 500-800 full time residents call Deltaville home; however, the town's population swells to several thousand in the summer months. Deltaville is also home to numerous retirees. The Census Bureau defines Deltaville as a census-designated place (CDP) with a population of 1,119 as of 2010.^[1] The town developed around being a large boat building area, mostly for commercial bay watermen. However those days have passed and now the area is dotted with numerous marinas and farms.

Originally known as Union, the community was forced to find a new name in the early 1900s because there was already a Union post office elsewhere in the state. The name Delta was proposed, because of the shape of the town, as it is bordered by the Rappahannock River to the North, the Piankatank River to the south, and the Chesapeake Bay to the east. There was also a Delta, Virginia already in existence, so "ville" was tacked onto the end. The Deltaville zip code is 23043.

Deltaville has been home for over a half century to a semi-pro baseball team, the Deltas. The 1940s vintage Deltaville Ballpark is their home field. Other activities in the town include a town pool, tennis courts, basketball court, and playground, and a community center, all built and maintained by a community association.

The tip end of Deltaville is Stingray Point, which is commonly believed to be named from the early 17th century. According to legend, Captain John Smith was stung on by a stingray there while exploring the bay. Captain Smith is said to have given orders to his men for the disposal of his body, before a cure was given to them by local Native Americans, who lived along what is now called Antipoison Creek.

On the evening of Saturday April 16, 2011, the community was struck by a devastating tornado. Prior to reaching Deltaville the storm had torn a path from North Carolina to the Chesapeake Bay. With wind gust estimated 135 mph it only took minutes to cause 6.8 Million in damages. The tornado touched down near Porpoise Cove, on the south side of Deltaville, and ran a northeast path, destroying 32 homes along with Zoar Baptist Church, the DCA (community building) and the community pool. Amazingly, no one in Deltaville was killed by the tornado.

References

1. ^ Virginia Trend Report 2: State and Complete Places (Sub-state 2010 Census Data). Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed 2011-06-08.

Sources

National Historic Registry Sign in Hartfield, Virginia, "A Portrait of Deltaville 25th Anniversary Edition"

External links

• Deltaville Official Site - Also home of Maritime Museum & Nature Park
• Southside Sentinel Local Newspaper

Coordinates: 37°33′17″N 76°20′13″W / 37.55472°N 76.33694°W / 37.55472; -76.33694