THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 11, 1995 TAG: 9510100108
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Coastal Journal
SOURCE: Mary Reid Barrow
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
Hortense Parkerson has owned a home in Chesapeake Beach for more than 50 years.
She has belonged to the Chesapeake Beach Civic League and the Woman's Club of Chesapeake Beach, which celebrated its 55th anniversary yesterday. Her neighborhood is served by the Chesapeake Beach Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad.
The neighborhood bordering on the Chesapeake Bay off Shore Drive, between Baylake Pines and Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base is identified as ``Chesapeake Beach'' on city maps, in the same way that Baylike Pines and other Virginia Beach neighborhoods are, Mrs. Parkerson noted.
And then along comes The Virginian-Pilot publishing various stories that refer to her neighborhood as ``Chick's Beach.'' Chesapeake Beach is not ``Chick's Beach,'' Mrs. Parkerson wants us to know.
The former elementary school principal, who now lives at Westminster-Canterbury, has even called her city councilman to make sure the council hasn't changed the name of the neighborhood. It hasn't. And she called the Planning Department, too, to verify the neighborhood's name. She was told her argument was with the newspaper. And she's been trying to straighten us out for several months now.
``It's driving me crazy,'' Parkerson said. ``I've been very polite and I did think I would get the courtesy of a correction to get the record straight.''
She didn't. Furthermore, we were wrong in another respect, Parkerson went on to say. Those who refer to the neighborhood as Chick's Beach don't even know enough about the history of Chesapeake Beach to know the origin of Chick's Beach.
``Chick's'' actually should be spelled ``Chic's.'' Chic's Beach was a little concession stand that stood at the end of Fentress Avenue where the restaurant Alexander's on the Bay is now.
Chic (without a ``k'') and Audrey Ledington owned the stand and served up hot dogs, hamburgers, homemade chili, chips and soft drinks throughout the summer. A juke box inside, picnic tables and raft rentals outside made Chic's Beach a teenage gathering place.
``The neighborhood children worked there,'' Parkerson explained, ``and they started the practice of saying, `I'll meet you at Chic's Beach,' but they all lived in Chesapeake Beach.''
One of those neighborhood children was Elizabeth Causey Ferrerira. She grew up and still lives on Lee Avenue, where Mrs. Parkerson also owns her home.
Ferrerira worked at Chic's Beach concession stand for six summers in the late 1950s and early '60s. Her two brothers and her sister also worked there as did many of her Chesapeake Beach friends. They worked for $25 a week plus all they wanted to eat.
``Chic's never had a `k' in it,'' Ferrerira said. ``And I've lived in Chesapeake Beach all my life.''
Mrs. Parkerson worries that the neighborhood's beautiful old name will be lost if the paper continues to call it ``Chick's Beach.'' Many other long-time residents, like Ferrerira, also agree, she said. She thinks only young people who haven't lived there for long and don't know about its history call it ``Chick's Beach.''
``It's always been Chesapeake Beach,'' she said. ``And its nonsense to believe that we don't know where we live!''
P.S. CELEBRATE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WEEK from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Events range from canoe trips to bird banding demonstrations, from nature hikes to a program on loggerhead sea turtles. The events are free but some require registration. Call 721-2412.
FOODWAYS: HARVESTING THE PAST is the topic of a special theme tour at 2 p.m. Saturdays Oct. 14, 21 and 28 at the Adam Thoroughgood House. Learn how early settlers prepared simple, hearty meals using foods they grew themselves. Admission is $2. Call 664-6283.
IN CELEBRATION OF THE GRAND OPENING of Baker Hall Visitor Center, admission to Norfolk Botanical Garden will be free Sunday. The dedication ceremony is at 2 p.m. and children's activities are planned from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. MEMO: What unusual nature have you seen this week? And what do you know about
Tidewater traditions and lore? Call me on INFOLINE, 640-5555. Enter
category 2290. Or, send a computer message to my Internet address:
mbarrow(AT)infi.net.
ILLUSTRATION: Photos by MARY REID BARROW
A sign atop the Chesapeake Beach Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad
properly identifies the neighborhood.
Hortense Parkerson, photographed with Lake Joyce in the background,
says those who refer to the neighborhood as Chick's Beach don't even
know that ``Chick's'' should actually be spelled ``Chic's'' for a
former concession stand known as Chic's Beach.
by CNB