Pungo, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Pungo is a rural community located in the southern portion of the independent city
of Virginia Beach
, Virginia
, USA and was one of the seven original boroughs when the City of Virginia Beach was created in 1963. The area derives its name from a local Indian
tribe, the Machipungo, a branch of the Chesapeake tribe. It was named for a local Indian chief, Machiopungo. Because the community is located in an independent city, there has been no individual census for the unincorporated town, which was originally part of Princess Anne County
until 1963, when the entire county became part of Virginia Beach. Like much of southern Virginia Beach, the area is surrounded by farmland.
Pungo is known for its Pungo Strawberry Festival
, which is held there every spring. Also well-known is the story of Grace Sherwood
, the so-called "Witch of Pungo". Notable features of the area include the historic downtown intersection, United States Coast Guard
communications master station, Verizon Communications
transmitter site adjacent to the Coast Guard site, cut-your-own Christmas tree
farms, pick-your-own fruit farms, roadside fruit and vegetable stands, and the Pleasant Ridge Bridge. It is also home to Nimmo United Methodist Church, which was built in 1791 and expanded in the early 1990s. Bishop Francis Asbury
preached there.
. The "heart" of the Pungo area is its only intersection with a stoplight at Princess Anne Road and Indian River Road.
(1660–late 1740) is a local legend in the old Princess Anne County and Pungo, Virginia. The Associated Press reports that she was an unconventional woman in a number of ways, which drew attention to her. She was first accused in 1698 of having bewitched a neighbor's crop of cotton
. Allegations against her grew over time, until the Princess Anne County government and her accusers decided she would be tested by ducking
, with Sherwood's consent. She was taken to what is now known as Witch Duck Point, tied crossbound—her right thumb to her left big toe and her left thumb to her right big toe—and tossed into the river, but she managed to untie herself and swim to the surface.
weekend. Attendance at the festival's inception in 1983 was 50,000, and now it regularly attracts over 120,000 visitors. Strawberries prepared over 50 different ways are featured. Activities include a pie eating contest, strawberry bake-off, continuous entertainment on three stages, a parade, one of the largest carnivals on the east coast, livestock show and sale, a multi-million dollar military display, pig races, youth art show, a 4-H
area, pony rides, bands, and arts and craft booths. The sponsoring organization is non-profit. All proceeds from the Festival are donated to non-profit community and service organizations. There are many food, youth, civic, and service organization booths. Each year, the festival has an honorary mayor, first lady, and witch of Pungo.
Independent city
An independent city is a city that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity. These type of cities should not be confused with city-states , which are fully sovereign cities that are not part of any other sovereign state.-Historical precursors:In the Holy Roman Empire,...
of Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, USA and was one of the seven original boroughs when the City of Virginia Beach was created in 1963. The area derives its name from a local Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
tribe, the Machipungo, a branch of the Chesapeake tribe. It was named for a local Indian chief, Machiopungo. Because the community is located in an independent city, there has been no individual census for the unincorporated town, which was originally part of Princess Anne County
Princess Anne County, Virginia
Princess Anne County is a former county which was created in the British Colony of Virginia and the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States in 1691. The county was merged into the city of Virginia Beach...
until 1963, when the entire county became part of Virginia Beach. Like much of southern Virginia Beach, the area is surrounded by farmland.
Pungo is known for its Pungo Strawberry Festival
Strawberry Festival
A Strawberry Festival is an event and celebration in many towns in North America. In most instances, areas around these towns are, or have been, deeply involved in the production and marketing of strawberries, and the festivals are usually held in late spring around the time of the strawberry...
, which is held there every spring. Also well-known is the story of Grace Sherwood
Grace Sherwood
Grace Sherwood was a woman tried and convicted of witchcraft in the Princess Anne County court of the U.S. state of Virginia in 1705–1706, in one of the most notable witch trials in the folklore of Virginia...
, the so-called "Witch of Pungo". Notable features of the area include the historic downtown intersection, United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
communications master station, Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
transmitter site adjacent to the Coast Guard site, cut-your-own Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
farms, pick-your-own fruit farms, roadside fruit and vegetable stands, and the Pleasant Ridge Bridge. It is also home to Nimmo United Methodist Church, which was built in 1791 and expanded in the early 1990s. Bishop Francis Asbury
Francis Asbury
Bishop Francis Asbury was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now The United Methodist Church in the United States...
preached there.
Location
Pungo is located about ten miles (16 km) south of the heart of Virginia Beach, and is about 15 miles (24.1 km) southeast of the Norfolk International AirportNorfolk International Airport
-Baggage Claims:Southwest Airlines #1,Delta Airlines #2,US Airways | American Airlines #3,Continental Airlines|United Express #5- Facilities and aircraft :...
. The "heart" of the Pungo area is its only intersection with a stoplight at Princess Anne Road and Indian River Road.
Witch of Pungo
Grace SherwoodGrace Sherwood
Grace Sherwood was a woman tried and convicted of witchcraft in the Princess Anne County court of the U.S. state of Virginia in 1705–1706, in one of the most notable witch trials in the folklore of Virginia...
(1660–late 1740) is a local legend in the old Princess Anne County and Pungo, Virginia. The Associated Press reports that she was an unconventional woman in a number of ways, which drew attention to her. She was first accused in 1698 of having bewitched a neighbor's crop of cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
. Allegations against her grew over time, until the Princess Anne County government and her accusers decided she would be tested by ducking
Cucking stool
Ducking-stools and cucking-stools are chairs formerly used for punishment of women in England and Scotland . The term cucking-stool derives from wyuen pine as referred in Langland's Piers Plowman.They were both instruments of social humiliation and censure, primarily for the offense of scolding...
, with Sherwood's consent. She was taken to what is now known as Witch Duck Point, tied crossbound—her right thumb to her left big toe and her left thumb to her right big toe—and tossed into the river, but she managed to untie herself and swim to the surface.
Strawberry Festival
The Pungo Strawberry Festival began in 1983 and is held every year for two days on Memorial DayMemorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend. Attendance at the festival's inception in 1983 was 50,000, and now it regularly attracts over 120,000 visitors. Strawberries prepared over 50 different ways are featured. Activities include a pie eating contest, strawberry bake-off, continuous entertainment on three stages, a parade, one of the largest carnivals on the east coast, livestock show and sale, a multi-million dollar military display, pig races, youth art show, a 4-H
4-H
4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the United States Department of Agriculture , with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." The name represents...
area, pony rides, bands, and arts and craft booths. The sponsoring organization is non-profit. All proceeds from the Festival are donated to non-profit community and service organizations. There are many food, youth, civic, and service organization booths. Each year, the festival has an honorary mayor, first lady, and witch of Pungo.