Whether you’re a long-time resident of Chesapeake, Virginia, or just visiting, the city has a ton of quirky facts you may not know. Not only do these facts provide insight into some of the history of the town, but they also provide trivial knowledge that’s possibly useful at your next quiz night. Here are just a few interesting tidbits about this southern Virginia city.
1. The Third Most Populous City
According to census estimates as of 2015, Chesapeake has a population of 235,429 people, making it the third most populous city in the state. It trails only Virginia Beach and Norfolk in terms of population. Surprisingly, it’s actually larger than Virginia’s capital and most iconic city: Richmond.
2. Animal Burials
Perhaps one of the more bizarre facts about Chesapeake is that it’s actually the burial place of dead animals from the Virginia Zoo in neighboring Norfolk. The burial ground is on the grounds of a tree farm within in the city, although the exact location is under wraps to prevent the theft of skulls and other precious animal parts like ivory.
3. The Crater
In 1983, scientists discovered a mammoth 53-mile wide crater in Chesapeake Bay, within miles of the city limits. Estimates pinpoint the crater’s age to 35 million years, and the impact, if it occurred today, would cause mass extinction including plant and animal life. Scientists also claim that the initial collision would have killed everything living thing within a 100-mile radius.
4. The Sister City
To promote cultural and commercial ties, many cities around the world have a sister city. Chesapeake’s is Joinville, Brazil. Located in southern Brazil in the Santa Catarina State, Joinville is a rare sight in the South American country because of its distinct German heritage. It’s also regarded as one of the richest cities on the continent.
5. Bigger Than You Think
Although Chesapeake is by no means one of the largest cities in the country per population, it’s actually the 11th biggest in area. The city encompasses 353 square miles with over 100,000 people, making it one of the least densely populated cities in the country.
6. Don’t Use Foul Language
While profanity isn’t acceptable in any public setting, it will actually get you into legal trouble in Chesapeake. As late as 2012, people have been charged with using profane, threatening, or indecent language over public airwaves. If you ever get heated about a political debate on talk radio, make sure you don’t have a slip of the tongue if you decide to call in.
7. Super Safe and Great to Live
Based on statistics of violent crime compiled by the FBI, Chesapeake is the fifth safest city in the country, meaning you won’t have to worry about forgetting to lock the door to run a quick errand. On top of that, Money Magazine ranked Chesapeake as the sixth-most livable city in the United States.
These are just a few of the facts you never knew about Chesapeake. Hopefully, you learned just a bit more about one of the coolest and most interesting cities in Virginia.
Photo by DeveionPhotography | Licensed under cc BY-ND 2.0
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