Sandbridge, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Encyclopedia
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...
, is a coastal community of Virginia Beach, located along the coastline at the northern end of the Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
. The Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
is to the east, the Back Bay of the Currituck Sound
Currituck Sound
Currituck Sound is a protected inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in northeastern part of North Carolina. Thirty miles N-S and 3–8 miles wide, this shallow, island-filled sound is separated from the ocean by Bodie Island, part of the Outer Banks...
is to the west, and the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Virginia is located in the independent city of Virginia Beach. Established in 1938 in isolated portion of Princess Anne County, it is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service....
and False Cape State Park
False Cape State Park
False Cape State Park is a state park in the independent city of Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is a mile-wide barrier spit between Back Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The park adjoins the state border with North Carolina and lies shortly north of Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge...
lie to the south. To the north, Sandbridge borders the U.S. Navy's Dam Neck facility. The only public road entrance to the community is Sandbridge Road, which is near the northern end of Sandbridge and connects it to businesses and neighborhoods in the Princess Anne area of Virginia Beach. Located near the southern end of Sandbridge is Little Island Park, which is managed by the City of Virginia Beach. Sandbridge runs approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometres) from north to south along the oceanfront.
Sandbridge consists primarily of single family homes; there are also four condominium buildings. Many of the residential properties are available for rent on daily, weekly, or monthly basis. The ratio of year-round residents to renters is said to be about 1:5.
Sandbridge is known for its somewhat remote location and receives a smaller volume of visitors than the main Virginia Beach resort strip located a few miles to its north. Sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
replenishment efforts have been successful in restoring the beach.
Local residents used to have the privilege of driving through the adjacent Dam Neck Naval installation (with permit) to shorten their commute. A special guard was posted on the south entrance of the base to admit or deny travelers. However in the post-9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
atmosphere the "back-gate" has been closed down for security purposes.
At one time it was not uncommon to see a Banker horse
Banker Horse
The Banker horse is a breed of feral horse living on the islands of North Carolina's Outer Banks. It is small, hardy, and has a docile temperament...
which had roamed too far north on the Currituck Banks peninsula
Bodie Island
Bodie Island is a long, narrow barrier peninsula that forms the northernmost portion of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The land that is most commonly referred to as Bodie Island was at one time a true island, however the inlet separating it from the Currituck Banks peninsula in the north closed...
. The horses were known to cause problems eating vegetation from yards, and occasionally were struck by vehicles. More fences were built south of the Virginia/North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
border to help curb this problem in recent years.