"The Common Altar of Our Love and Loyalty"

Confederate Memorial At Arlington National Cemetery

120 years ago . . .

"Sectional lines no longer mar the map of the United States. Sectional feeling no longer holds back the love we bear each other. Fraternity is the national anthem, sung by a chorus of forty-five States and our Territories at home and beyond the seas. The Union is once more the common altar of our love and loyalty, our devotion and sacrifice... . The national cemeteries for those who fell in battle are proof that the dead as well as the living have our love. . . . Every soldier's grave made during our unfortunate Civil War is a tribute to American valor. And while, when those graves were made, we differed widely about the future of this government, those differences were long ago settled by the arbitrament of arms; and the time has now come, in the evolution of sentiment and feeling under the providence of God, when in the spirit of fraternity we should share with you in the care of the graves of the Confederate soldiers."

-"Speech before the Legislature in Joint Assembly at the State Capitol, Atlanta, Georgia, December 14, 1898," Speeches and Addresses of William McKinley, from March 1, 1897 to May 30, 1900

"With this demonstration of sectional goodwill in Atlanta, McKinley sparked a movement that would ultimately lead to legislation authorizing the federal government to locate and mark the graves of Confederates who died while in Union custody during the war."

- Michell A. Krowl, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 111, No. 2 (2003)

Do You Know Where You Live?

According  to New Kent County's New Kent County Comprehensive Plan (adopted October 2012), besides the more typically rural features as "Woodlands" and "Farm Clusters" there also exists in the county . . .

"Villages,""Hamlets," and "Rural Crossroads"

Villages 

Villages are characterized by a mix of structures and uses, including residential, commercial and institutional. They are typically compact in size and pedestrian oriented.

They have historically functioned as social centers.  

Hamlets 

Hamlets are characterized by a tight cluster of houses, often with small commercial establishments such as general stores, restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores, etc.They typically occur at rural crossroads and serve a local population.

Rural Crossroads 

Rural Crossroads are characterized by a tight cluster of small commercial establishments such as general stores, banks, restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores, etc. They typically occur at intersections and serve a local population.

. . .

Villages- Bottom's Bridge, Providence Forge, New Kent Courthouse, and  Eltham.

Hamlets- Lanexa, Barhamsville.

Rural Crossroads- Davis Crossroads, Quinton (or Crump's Corner[Crossroads]), Carp's Corner(Cary's Corner), Angelview, Jackass Flats(corresponding to the intersection of Rt. 60 and Rockahock Rd.)

You will notice the principle difference between the list of Hamlets and Rural Crossroads is the  (unmentioned in the plan) presence or lack of a post office.

The previous plan Comprehensive Plan 2020 (adopted April 2003)  had only two features in the  "built up" category, "Villages",and "Hamlets," defined as . . .

 ". . . villages at Providence Forge, Lanexa, Barhamsville, Eltham and New Kent Courthouse and scattered hamlets and crossroads."

From Wikipedia some further thoughts on "settlement hierarchy."

UPDATE: I have included a link to the map from the most recent comprehensive plan which color codes the labels of the existing "settlements." The map however does not list the names of the locations. I also added New Kent Courthouse to the village list, from where it had dropped during editing.

The Green Case- 50 Years On

New Kent History in the News

Green v. New Kent anniversary coverage from the Virginia Gazette(Williamsburg)