Seashore State Park Historic District
Also known as: Seashore State Park; First Landing State Park; 134-0099
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Why it's listed
Seashore State Park occupies 2,889 acres on the Chesapeake Bay at Cape Henry in Virginia Beach. Planned in 1929 as a seaside companion to Shenandoah National Park, it was developed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps with guidance from the National Park Service and the Virginia Commission on Conservation and Development. The park is split by State Road 60. North of the road are campgrounds, a beach, and the half-timbered Big "H" Complex, built in 1933-1934 as a restaurant and bath house. South of the road lie swampland with cypress and live oak, nine trails following old logging roads, a picnic area, maintenance and staff areas, and a group of board-and-batten cabins with brick chimneys and screened porches. The district was recognized for its link to the Civilian Conservation Corps and Virginia's state park system, and for a park plan that kept roads, camping, and cabins fitted to the natural terrain. Later campgrounds and cabins are counted as noncontributing.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant under Criteria A and C for its association with the Civilian Conservation Corps and with state park development in Virginia. It also reflects the integrity of its park plan and buildings, which were designed with National Park Service consultation to emphasize natural features, circulation, and separated functional areas.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 05001267, listed November 16, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2500 Shore Dr., Virginia Beach (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Virginia Beach |
| Listed | November 16, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001267 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1933-1942 |
| Architect / builder | CEGG Associates LC; National Park Service; Virginia Commission on Conservation and Development; A. C. Barlow; Mattern and Mattern (other architects listed on continuation sheet) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements; Modern Movement |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a state park, with the Big "H" Complex serving as offices, store, and storage, and cabins and campgrounds in use. |
| Acreage | 2889 |
| Coordinates | 36.90131, -76.01384 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 05001267.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5453179
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.