The City of Virginia Beach and the Historic Preservation Commission have initiated National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nominations for two historically African American communities. These projects are underway for Seatack and L & J Gardens to recognize the important place they represent in our city’s, state’s, and nation’s history. The survey and National Register of Historic Places nominations for the historically African American Communities of Seatack and L & J Gardens project is being supported in part by an Underrepresented Communities grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior. Virginia Beach received one of eighteen 2019 grants that are intended to work toward diversifying the NRHP nominations. The grant award is in the amount of $47,187. Virginia Beach is providing additional project funding. The project will include survey and inventories of historic resources in each neighborhood and separate nominations to the NRHP. See the National Park Service press release for the 2019 grants here.

Seatack is one of the oldest historically African American communities in Virginia. It is located just west of the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Although its origins may go back 200 years, the Seatack historic district will primarily consist of a residential community whose architectural resources date from the 1920s to the 1960s. It will also include several churches and the original (segregated) Seatack Elementary School building. Seatack was found to be eligible for listing in the NRHP by the Virginia State Review Board in December 2019 (see the Seatack PIF link below). Commonwealth Preservation Group has been contracted to conduct the survey and prepare the nomination. They are a cultural resource management firm headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia.

Seatack NRHP Nomination

DHR Notification Letter

Seatack Historic District Map