BLACK MM @Newport News, VA

[shawn.criswell]

Saw a black MM in downtown Newport News near the courthouse. Probably paying a traffic ticket? :D Left a note on the windshield with phone #, but still haven't heard from them.

[ledzilla]

Could someone please explain why in the world the town is named "Newport News"? When I first heard it, I thought it was a joke, until I had to ship something there via UPS.

[Bluerauder]

Could someone please explain why in the world the town is named "Newport News"? When I first heard it, I thought it was a joke, until I had to ship something there via UPS.
It dates back to the early 1600's ... certainly before any of those "towns" in Illinois. :P

"The original area near the mouth of the James River was first referred to as "Newportes Newes" as early as 1621 and is purported to be the longest continuously named place in the United States.

The source of the name "Newport News" is not known with certainty. Several versions are recorded, and it is subject of popular speculation locally. Probably the best-known explanation holds that when an early group of Jamestown colonists left to return to England after the Starving Time during the winter of 1609-10 aboard a ship of Captain Christopher Newport, they encountered another fleet of supply ships under the new Governor Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr in the James River off Mulberry Island with reinforcements of men and supplies. The new governor ordered them to turn around, and return to Jamestown. Under this theory, the community was named for Newport's "good news." (It is probable that not all of those intending to depart thought returning to the harsh conditions of Jamestown was "good" news, however). Another possibility is that the community may have derived its name from an old English word "news" meaning "new town." At least one source claims that the "New" arose from the original settlement's being rebuilt after a fire.

According to a 1901 article in the College of William and Mary's Quarterly Magazine, the well-documented case is made that it is more probable that the original name was "New Port Newce", named for a person with the name Newce and the town's place as a new seaport. The namesake, Sir William Newce, was originally an English soldier and settler in Ireland where he had established Newcestown near Bandon in County Cork. Newce sailed to Virginia with Sir Francis Wyatt in October, 1621 and was granted 2,500 acres (10 km²) of land, but died two days after. His brother, Capt. Thomas Newce, was given "600 acres at Kequatan [sic], now called Elizabeth Cittie [sic]." A partner Daniel Gookin, completed the establishment of the settlement. In the General History of Virginia edited by Captain John Smith, occurs this reference: "Nov. 22, 1621, arrived Master Gookin out of Ireland, with fifty men of his own, and thirty passengers exceedingly well furnished with all sorts of provisions and cattle, and planted himself at Newports Newes." Records following the Indian Massacre of 1622 state "Daniel Gookin successfully defended his settlement at Neport [sic] News against all attacks. [3]

Regardless of the origin of the name, the fact it was formerly written as "Newport's News" is verified by numerous early documents and maps, and by local tradition. The change to Newport News apparently was brought about by usage, for by 1851 the Post Office Department sanctioned "New Port News" (three words) as the name of the first post office, and in 1866 it approved the name as "Newport News", the current form."

So there ya go. More than you ever wanted to know about Newport News. ;)

BTW --- I never heard of Du Page County, Illinois. But I never had to ship anything there either. :o

[ledzilla]

Dear lord, I had no idea. That is a little more than bargained for. ANd no doubt, I'll probably forget it before the weekend ends.

And there's no doubt that you've never had to ship something to sombody listing their address as Du Page County. I just don't feel like listing my town. I don't know if it still holds true, but at one point in time within the last ten years, Du Page County was listed in the top 5 wealthiest counties in the US. Have no idea if it's still up there, though. Probably mostly due to Oak Brook, Wheaton, and Hinsdale. Those towns require some mad cash just to pay for property taxes, let alone the cost of the homes. Downers Grove can be pretty steep, too (but Downers Grove hoards the cash and doesn't spend a damned thing on town maintenance unless it's direly needed - bloody cheapskates).

[Bluerauder]

I don't know if it still holds true, but at one point in time within the last ten years, Du Page County was listed in the top 5 wealthiest counties in the US.
Du Page County was 37th on the list as of the 2000 Census. They were not in the top 10 on the last listing ....

Median Household Income
1. Loudoun, Va. :$98,483
2. Fairfax, Va. :$94,610
3. Howard, Md. :$91,184
4. Sommerset, N.J. :$88,532
5. Morris, N.J. :$84,010
6. Montgomery, Md. :$82,187
7. Prince William, Va. :$81,904
8. Nassau, N.Y. :$80,293
9. Rockland, N.Y. :$78,649
10. Suffolk, N.Y. :$77,109

Below is the recent listing based on "Per Capita" income where family size and number of children come into play. DuPage is 42nd on this list. >>>>>>>>>> http://www.bizjournals.com/specials/pages/122.html