Hampton, VA postcards
circa 1925

These images of Hampton from the 1920's have been blown up to poster size and are on display at the DMV office in Hampton. I wish I had the complete set. Of course many of these buildings have been torn down but many represent what I think of when I remember Hampton.

I have some other materials about Hampton on the Hampton Reunion Page.

If you are looking at these because you grew up in Hampton, I'd like to suggest a book you might read. Thulani Davis grew up there and wrote a book, "1959: A Novel" about a fictional community, Turner VA. It is clear that this is a thinly disguised picture of Hampton. I found it very interesting to see the familiar landscape of my home town through different eyes. I think that she is a little unfair to the white people of my/her generation, but then why should we expect her to have empathy with us when most of us barely realized her people existed at the time? Of course "Turner" is a reference to Nat Turner who also lived in the area. Wm Styron's "Confessions of Nat Turner" is another interesting read. -- Frank Deis

Hampton High when it was new. Later Thorpe Jr. High

St. John's Episcopal Church, where my family went.

The Boulevard -- we lived nearby. You can see the old trolley tracks in the grass. Of course I don't remember those.

Wythe -- one of the first shopping centers in the area.

The old Dixie Hospital when it was new -- near Hampton Institute. I was born here, and had my tonsils out here as well!

Hampton's main business district. Queen St Methodist Church on the left.

A view of Queen Street

The Langley Hotel

A building at Hampton Institute

Hampton Institute from the Yacht Club across the water

Phoenix High School

A downtown bank at night

The Syms Eaton School, one of the first public schools.

Before the Bridge Tunnel, you rode the Ferry to Norfolk...

the main street of Phoebus

Chamberlin Hotel, by day, the modern brick building

Chamberlin Hotel, by night -- an earlier structure!

Veterans Administration Hospital