Chesapeake, independent city in southeastern Virginia, on the Elizabeth River. Chesapeake is a suburban center for manufacturing, distribution, and customer service operations. Major employers include technical support centers and industries producing chemicals, industrial gears, and electronics. The Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, which is part of the Intracoastal Waterway, runs through the city and boasts a number of private port terminals for grains, cement, and agricultural products. The city also maintains a port. Chesapeake encompasses parts of Great Dismal Swamp, much of which is a national wildlife refuge.
The region, once occupied by Native Americans of the Chesapeake people, was settled by Europeans in the early 17th century. During the American Revolution, at the Battle of Great Bridge, the Virginia militia defeated forces of the British governor on December 9, 1775. The Dismal Swamp Canal, begun in 1793 and opened in 1805, is the oldest operating artificial waterway in the United States. Chesapeake incorporated in 1963, formed by the merger of the city of South Norfolk and the county of Norfolk. The city is named for the Chesapeake Bay, which in turn got its name from the original inhabitants of the area.
