The Seatack Historic District [†] is a residential and commercial neighborhood in northern Virginia Beach, Virginia located approximately 1.3 miles west of the Atlantic Ocean and approximately a halfmile northeast of the Oceana Naval Air Station. The district covers approximately 144 acres, is roughly 1.6 miles north to south, and roughly 0.5 miles east to west. This is a discontiguous district due to the construction of the Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway (Interstate 264) which opened in 1967 at the northern end of the district and multiple areas of new residential and commercial development in the southern part of the district that have divided remaining contributing residential resources at the southern end of the district. The majority of the district is located south of I-264, while a portion is located on the north side of the expressway and includes four contributing residential buildings and one contributing cemetery. The district is largely defined by the north-south main arterial Birdneck Road, with local roads extending out on both east and west sides. The district is bound largely by modern development and infill that has encroached on the historic neighborhood. The boundary of the district specifically excludes the surrounding non-contributing buildings as much as possible. The main northern boundary is also bound by marsh land to the west, Old VirAckisginia Beach Road to the north, and ends at Beautiful Street and Hughes Avenue to the south with a few contributing resources situated beyond along South Birdneck Road. The southern discontiguous boundaries are bound by modern development on all sides as well was South Birdneck Road to the west, and marshland and forest to the north and east.
Most of the residential buildings constructed are modest vernacular or dwellings of no discernable style, with other popular residential styles including Minimal Traditional, Craftsman, Ranch, and Colonial Revival. There are also singular examples of Tudor Revival and a religious building in the Colonial Revival style. Only one contributing Commercial style building remains along Birdneck Road, which is associated with automobile architecture. The district has a period of significance beginning in 1915 to 1969, although resources in the district have construction dates into the first quarter of the twenty-first century. Overall, the district consists of 138 contributing resources and of these, 19 are secondary resources like historic garages and permanent sheds. The district consists of 197 non-contributing resources of which 93 are secondary resources. The resources retain a satisfactory degree of architectural integrity associated with the district’s period and areas of significance.
Most of the residential buildings constructed are modest vernacular or dwellings of no discernable style, with other popular residential styles including Minimal Traditional, Craftsman, Ranch, and Colonial Revival. There are also singular examples of Tudor Revival and a religious building in the Colonial Revival style. Only one contributing Commercial style building remains along Birdneck Road, which is associated with automobile architecture. The district has a period of significance beginning in 1915 to 1969, although resources in the district have construction dates into the first quarter of the twenty-first century. Overall, the district consists of 138 contributing resources and of these, 19 are secondary resources like historic garages and permanent sheds. The district consists of 197 non-contributing resources of which 93 are secondary resources. The resources retain a satisfactory degree of architectural integrity associated with the district’s period and areas of significance.
^dagger; Adapted from: Jess Archer and Marcus Pollard, Project Managers, Commonwealth Preservation Group, Seatack Historic District, nomination document, 2023, National Register of Historic Places, Washington, D.C.
