VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach's Seatack community has received national recognition for its historical significance in the National Register of Historic Places, according to the city.
The federal recognition was made official on May 28 by the National Park Service. The community was recognized at the state level in December 2023.
Seatack is located along Birdneck Road (formerly Seatack Road) west of the Oceanfront. The community is historically Black and developed over the 19th century.
Also included in the historic district designation are three noncontiguous areas of Seatack to the north of Bells Road, and one area north of I-264.
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The community established its own school and fire department when none were provided for it, according to the city.
The former elementary school building was built in 1952, it is now used as the Virginia Beach Law Enforcement Training Academy.
The school was selected to be the first consolidated elementary school for Black students, the city said.
The community was selected as part of a Historic Preservation Fund that focuses on documenting the homes, lives, landscapes, and experiences of underrepresented people.
