York County and Poquoson History-Decade by Decade

By

Frank Green

It’s been a while since I have written one of these articles. I have had a lot of people say that they enjoy reading them. They are fun and interesting to put together. So, here goes:
In March of 1905, candidate for Governor Claude Swanson and candidate for Senator A.J. Montague held a rally in Yorktown during the opening term of the Circuit Court in York County. The Hampton Telephone Company began a preliminary inspection in York County for the purpose of possibly beginning telephone service in the county. York County delivered on a pledge of $150. 00 towards a memorial at the Big Bethel battlefield.
In March of 1915, many friends and associates of Judge C.H. Teagle urged him to run for the House of Delegates. It had been many years since a York County native served in this body. Sheriff Thomas Phillips was in bad health and elderly and decided not run for re-election for sheriff. This began a heated contest for the nomination for the office.
In March of 1925, federal, state and local law-enforcement officers raided a still at the "Shady Bank farm’. They found a 100-gallon copper still, 300 gallons of mash and about five gallons of finished liquor. Officers conducting the raid were York County deputy sheriff J.H. Charles, federal agents O’Rourke, Magee and Burgess and state officers Sidney Smith and Paxton. The still was well hidden, but it was given away by a heavy "corn smell" The still tenders were charged with violation of prohibition and taken to the Warwick county jail.
In March of 1935, an agreement was signed by York County with the Eastern Construction Company of New York to rebuild the dock that was the destroyed in the August 1933 hurricane. The headquarters for the Colonial National Monument in Yorktown was moved the newly reconstructed Swan Tavern.
In March of 1945, the York County Red Cross began sending some of its workers to special classes to learn to deal with the needs of returning World War II veterans. York County servicemen were very pleased with the services that were provided them by the Red Cross. A large forest fire burned some 300 acres in the Seaford area. Fire fighters from the Naval Weapons station and Camp Peary were called to fight the fire.
In March of 1955, the M.W.Kellogg Co. of New York received a multi-million dollar contract to build the "core" of the new American Oil refinery. The entire facility was estimated to cost $35 million. Construction was due to begin on August 1, 1955. The State board of Education approved the separation of the York County and Poquoson School systems from that of Warwick County.
In March of 1965,the York County School Board filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to operate a FM radio station at York High School. The Poquoson Town Council rejected a call to abolish the town’s special school district. The final vote was 3-2. Had the motion passed it would have called for Poquoson schools to return to York County control. The York County post master announced that the Dare and Hornsbyville Post Offices were going to be closed. He said that Dare and Hornsbyville residents would be served by Rural Free Delivery.
In March of 1975, Poquoson City Council approved a resolution calling for the York County Circuit to declare the town a city. Bishop Sullivan of the Richmond Diocese dedicated the new parish center for St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church.
In March of 1985, final approval was made for tax-free revenue bonds that would have made the long planned 8.9 million-dollar Washington Square Shopping Shopping Center a reality by early 1986.
In March of 1995, Prentice Smiley was sworn in as Ninth Judicial Court Judge.