Deltaville, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
on the eastern tip of Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,932 people, 4,253 households, and 2,913 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 6,362 housing units at an average density of 49 per square mile...
in the eastern part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. 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
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) with a population of 1,119 as of 2010. 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
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
to the North, the Piankatank River
Piankatank River
The Piankatank River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. Located on the Middle Peninsula, between the Rappahannock and York rivers, it was the site of numerous actions during the American Civil War....
to the south, and the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
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
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team, the Deltas. The 1940s vintage Deltaville Ballpark
Deltaville Ballpark
Deltaville Ballpark was originally built in 1948, and is owned by the Deltaville Community Association. Located at the end of Ballpark Road in Deltaville, Virginia, it hosts baseball games from several different teams and organizations.-Field & Stadium:...
is their home field. Other activities in the town include a town pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
courts, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
court, and playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
, and a community center, all built and maintained by a community association.
The tip end of Deltaville is Stingray Point
Stingray Point
Stingray Point is a small community on the Chesapeake Bay near the village of Deltaville in Middlesex County, Virginia. It is located at the eastern terminus of State Route 33. It is populated by fewer than 250 full time residents; however, during summer months that population surges as tourists...
, which is commonly believed to be named from the early 17th century. According to legend, Captain John Smith
John Smith of Jamestown
Captain John Smith Admiral of New England was an English soldier, explorer, and author. He was knighted for his services to Sigismund Bathory, Prince of Transylvania and friend Mózes Székely...
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.