Ferguson Park Apartments Newport News, VA 23607 1,200 units, “Built by the U.S. Navy in 1940 to care for workers of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company during the expanded naval program. Later transferred to the Federal Public Housing Authority.” - Newport News During the Second World War - Courtesy of Norm Covert ('61) of MD - 05/09/08 Thanks, Norm!
Image of Sign courtesy of Mildred Linkous Spriggs, mother of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 04/11/03 Thanks, Dave!		Wednesday, May 21, 2008- Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 04/11/03 Thanks, Dave!

Eastern boundary:  Warwick Boulevard (then Virginia Avenue) Western boundary:  James River Northern boundary:  Wellll, let's say Hornet Circle.  The apartments were on both sides of Hornet Circle. To the north of the apartments was Huntington Park and the War Memorial Museum of Virginia. Southern Boundary:  75th Street Most of the defining streets are now gone.  They were named for aircraft carriers built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., e.g. Hornet. Kearsarge, Enterprise, Ranger, Yorktown, Boxer, etc. I lived there twice:  1948-49 and 1952-1954. It was a short walk over to Red's Pier to go fishing or swimming. (The James River was relatively clean and clear back then.) Red's Pier was owned by Red Crossley. He would show up each year at the NNHS/HHS Turkey Day football game carrying a pig. It was some sort of tradition. Both Red AND the Pier (and I suppose the Pig) are long gone.
- Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 04/09/03  Thanks, Dave!
THEN:
1948 - The site was Hornet Circle in Ferguson Park looking across Huntington Park toward the James River.  Of course, they have all been razed. This site is now public tennis courts.		Saturday, May 11, 1963 Kay Eggleston ('66)
Courtesy of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 04/09/03 Thanks, Dave!		Carol Buckley Harty ('65) of NC - 06/06/02

WAY BACK THEN:
	Carol, I was doing some file housekeeping of attachments to old e-mails, and I came across this image. Lord only knows from whom I received it, and I had forgotten all about it. I have never seen a better image of the entire expanse of Ferguson Park, despite its age. I believe that it came to me as part of a discussion of the location of the old baseball park on Virginia Avenue. Notice that it predates Red's Pier and that Military Highway crosses the railroad tracks, but ends at Jefferson Avenue; there was no traffic circle, nor any need for one at that time. Everything east of Jefferson Avenue was woods. Anyway, it surely deserves a place on the FP page.
1940's
- Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 05/04/08  WOWZERONI-RINI - it surely does! Thanks, Dave!

Dave: What a great photo, I can see many familiar landmarks, including the two separate buildings I lived in on Hornet Circle.

I have inserted some remarks near Norm's comments:

Norm: ... Again Dave Spriggs (’64, VA) has sparked nostalgia with his photo of Ferguson Park;

Dave: The photo came to me from Bill Lee (Warwick HS - '54 - of NC) pursuant to our discussions about an old baseball park preceding War Memorial Stadium. You can see the park in the upper right of that photo.

also your memory of Stuart Gardens. Dave’s photo prompted me to dig out my volume, “Newport News During the Second World War.” I scanned the attached photo of a slightly different aerial angle of Ferguson Park. I was reminded that Ferguson Park straddled Military Highway (now Mercury Boulevard) to the James River Bridge. Huntington Park was on it northern edge and today I think the War Memorial Museum still sits on land once occupied by Ferguson Park units.

circa 1944	Friday, May 9, 2008
	Here is Norm's photo today.
- Norm Covert ('61) of MD - 05/09/08 Thanks, Norm!	- Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 05/09/08 Thanks, Dave!

Dave: When I lived there from 1953-1955, I ran all through those woods, around that lake, and hung out at the War Memorial Museum. It and all the FP units existed at the same time, so it was not erected on any former apartment site.

Norm: I have fond memories of Huntington Park, church picnics (Gospel Tabernacle, 600 block, 32^nd Street), fishing at Red’s Pier (not much luck) and playing baseball (couldn’t hit Dan Rouse’s curve ball), I was No. 7 for the Exchange Club Little League Team at the ball field there for Manager Donald Volhein.

Dave: During my first stint at FP (1947-1949) I seem to have an image memory of that ball field and seeing night league softball games being played there. It was a short walk from our apartment and free entertainment in the years before TV.

Norm: I should add my pal Buddy Helterbran (’61, PA) played for the Moose, if memory serves me well. I remember a commercial launching pier on the south side of the bridge that my dad (Rev. Harry M. Covert, Sr.) and I ventured forth for fishing a few Saturdays in a rubber craft designed for sea emergencies, not fishing in the James. We had to be careful with the hooks! The helmsman was dubbed, Quagmire, don't ask me why!

At risk of boring your readers, the historical volume recounts the following housing projects in Newport News: Stuart Gardens, (980 units, “Built by the Defense Homes Corporation with funds furnished by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. The 280 acres on which Stuart Gardens is located was annexed from Warwick County in December 1940, immediately following plans for development of the area.”); St. James Terrace (80; believe on West Avenue and 29^th Street); Seven Oaks (my neighborhood, 220 units, “Built privately with assistance of Federal Housing Administration Insured Mortgages.”); Marshall Courts (353). Listed as Negro housing were Orcutt Homes (148); Harbor Homes (250); Lassiter Courts (350) and Scott Dormitories (250 beds).

The Warwick County listing has: Ferguson Park (1,200 units, “Built by the U.S. Navy in 1940 to care for workers of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company during the expanded naval program. Later transferred to the Federal Public Housing Authority.”); Essex Dormitories (750 beds); Trailer Settlement (250, “Located at 58^th Street near Jefferson Avenue by the Federal Public Housing Authority. Removed with the passing of the emergency.”); Beaconsdale (229); Betsy Lee Gardens (186); Sussex Hilton (166); East Hilton (114); North Hilton (107); Hilton Park (144); Maury Place (100); White Oaks (30) and Huntington Courts (200). Copeland Park and Newsome Park (5,200 units) were listed in Warwick and Elizabeth City counties, the latter now the City of Hampton.

Dave: I have recently learned that the part of FP shown south (to the viewer's right) of Military Highway and near the river (lower center of the photo) stood on the site of a WW I Army camp, named Camp Hill. It served the same purpose as Camp Stuart and others in the area: a holding area for troops soon to be embarked on vessels headed for Europe.  I am currently researching my theory that 15 identical bungalows were floated from Camp Hill and placed in my neighborhood ca. 1924 - 1926. The timing is perfect (surplus housing at end of WW I); the geography is perfect (you can't float an intact structure too far across open water safely, but Hampton Roads would be a snap); the bungalows have a very military look about them. (see attached images)

Saturday, March 22, 2008, 5:47 PM	Saturday, March 22, 2008, 5:48 PM	Friday, May 9, 2008
Image by Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 03/22/08	Image by Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 03/22/08
- Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 05/09/08 Thanks, Dave!

The bungalows are mostly on Ethel and Lavalette in the aerial photo. You can see how they could easily have been moved from barges and onto their permanent foundations.  Of course, all those arguments apply equally well to Camp Stuart, so I am chasing that possibility, as well.

Norm: In some cases only memories remain of these old neighborhoods. You continue to assemble a unique collection of the history of “Our Town.” Thanks to you and your contributors.

- Norm Covert ('61) of MD and Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 05/04/08 
WOWZERONI!!! Gentlemen, you both continue to astound me. Thanks so much!

The exchange of messages recording memories of Ferguson Park is very interesting. When the interchange at Warwick Boulevard and U.S. Route 17 was built the last portion of the remaining structures of Ferguson Park on the North side of U.S. Route 17 were demolished. I do not recall when this construction took place, but I am sure someone can give us a time frame.

- Joe Madagan ('57) of FL - 05/14/08
I hope so! Thanks, Joe!

(This page was created on 04/09/03.)

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