Fort Chiswell, Virginia

Fort Chiswell is a census-designated place (CDP) in Wythe County, Virginia, United States. The population was 939 at the 2010 census.

Fort Chiswell is located at the junction of Interstate 77 and Interstate 81. Going west from Fort Chiswell, drivers find themselves on a double wrong-way concurrency - one of few in the nation.

History

The community name comes from a frontier fort built in 1758 as an outpost during the French and Indian War. The fort was situated at the junction of the Great Trading Path and the Richmond Road, near the New River. The fort fell into disrepair in the 18th century as both the county seat and courthouse were moved from Fort Chiswell to the county seat of Wytheville, 12 miles to the west. The remaining foundations of the Fort and its surrounding buildings were completely covered over during the construction of I-77 in Wythe County during the 1970s. There is a pyramid shaped historical marker of sandstone situated approximately 200 yards west-northwest of the fort's original location next to the old chicken house.

Chiswell

Coordinates: 50°33′43″N 2°26′55″W / 50.5620°N 2.4487°W / 50.5620; -2.4487

Chiswell (once known as Chesilton) is a small fishing village at the southern end of Chesil Beach, in Underhill, on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, and is the oldest settlement on the island. The small bay at Chiswell is called Chesil Cove. The promenade and sea wall which forms Chiswell's coastal defences are a prominent feature. The village itself is almost indistinguishable from Fortuneswell, the largest village on the island, as the two settlements are very close. However this distinction can be made: Chiswell occupies flat land close to sea level, whereas Fortuneswell's streets wind up and down the steep hills. At the entrance to the village is the 19th-century development of Victoria Square.

As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, Chiswell has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. Underhill, including Chiswell and other settlements, became designated in 1976 with boundary extensions in 1997 and 2000. Today the village is maintained by the Chiswell Community Trust.

Chiswell (surname)

Chiswell is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

Villages of Portland

The Isle of Portland, Dorset, contains eight settlements, the largest being Fortuneswell in Underhill and Easton in Tophill. Castletown and Chiswell are the other villages in Underhill, and Weston, Southwell, Wakeham and the Grove occupy Tophill.

Villages

Southwell

Southwell (pronounced /ˈsaʊθˌwɛl/) 50°32′N 2°27′W / 50.533°N 2.450°W / 50.533; -2.450 is a small coastal village in Tophill on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, between Portland Bill and the village of Easton. Like many of the other villages on Portland, Southwell has commercial industry (Southwell Business Park). The village has one Primary School, Southwell County Primary School.

Easton

Easton 50°33′N 2°26′W / 50.550°N 2.433°W / 50.550; -2.433 is the second largest of eight villages on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. The village is situated on the top of the island or Tophill, in the English Channel, and was where the Easton Massacre took place. The village has a small square with many shops and shopping arcade, a Secondary school, four churches, a small park, and other amenities. Easton is also the location of Portland Young Offenders Institution. At the south end of Easton is Portland Museum.