[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE CENTENNIAL OF THE TRUXTUN COMMUNITY IN PORTSMOUTH, 
                                VIRGINIA

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2019

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a 
historic neighborhood in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. The 
Historic Truxtun Community in Portsmouth, Virginia will celebrate its 
centennial on May 18, 2019. To mark the occasion, I would like to take 
a moment to highlight the history of this neighborhood and recognize 
its contributions to our community.
  The community of Truxtun was named after Thomas Truxtun, a 
Revolutionary War sailor who was known for successfully capturing 
British ships during the Revolutionary War. He went on to captain the 
USS Constellation and the USS President. There have been six United 
States Navy ships named in his honor.
  The Truxtun community sits on 43 acres of land within walking 
distance of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia. It was 
constructed in 1918 as a project of the U.S. Housing Corporation to 
address the housing shortage for shipbuilders employed at the Norfolk 
Naval Shipyard. At the time, the United States had just entered World 
War I and the newly developed Naval Operating Base was gearing up to 
assist with the war effort.
  Truxtun stands out in United States history as the first government 
housing project developed for African-Americans. The neighborhood had 
250 lots consisting of duplexes and five-bedroom single family homes. 
The homes in Truxtun had a distinguished style--exposed rafter ends, 
jerkinhead roofs, and central chimneys. Truxtun homes also offered 
indoor plumbing and electricity at a time where many people, especially 
African Americans, did not have access to such amenities. Despite the 
modern architecture and amenities in Truxtun, it was still a segregated 
community. Because of the Supreme Court's 1896 decision in Plessy v. 
Ferguson, Jim Crow segregation laws forced blacks to reside in Truxtun 
while whites lived in their own nearby government housing project 
called Cradock.
  Those who relocated to Truxtun considered the community tightknit and 
vibrant. Rents were affordable and started at $17.50 per month. 
Southern black workers were happy to abandon their agricultural lives 
and start fresh with higher wages and improved working conditions. 
Truxtun helped transformed the Hampton Roads region and the region 
benefitted economically, socially and culturally.
  The Truxtun community was developed with a ``new urbanism'' style and 
had everything a town needed to thrive. From its own convenience store, 
school and church to civic leagues and sporting events, this town 
provided residents a place to live, play and shop within an easy 
commute to the shipyard. The neighborhood had four policemen, a town 
manager and even a townhouse to do official work. Since Truxtun was 
formed as an independent township within what was then Norfolk county, 
its locally elected town manager could levy taxes and provide public 
services. That is, until Portsmouth acquired the community in 1923.
  100 years after its founding, Truxtun is experiencing a revival that 
places it as one of Portsmouth's most prized cultural centers. In 1982, 
Truxtun was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was 
one of the first out of about 100 federally financed housing projects 
during World War I, and it remains a national model for communities 
that are looking to plan and build inclusive, pedestrian-friendly 
neighborhoods.
  Madam Speaker, I congratulate the residents of Truxtun on their 
centennial celebration and for helping to make Portsmouth a great place 
to live and raise a family.

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