THE CHAMBERLIN HISTORY
The Chamberlin was built in 1927 not far from the site of earlier hotel, The Hygeia, which once invited the wealthy and well-heeled to soak in the stunning views and cool breezes of the Chesapeake Bay. Even poet Edgar Allen Poe paid a visit, reciting “The Raven” and “Annabel Lee” before delighted guests on the Hygeia’s porch in 1849. After serving briefly as a hospital during the Civil War, The Hygeia was torn down. A new hotel built in its place was destroyed by fire in 1920. The Chamberlin emerged nearby as a grand new hotel built in a style befitting the dynamic cultural and artistic change that marked the Roaring Twenties. By the 1990s, however, The Chamberlin had lost its luster as a vacation destination. Enter a visionary group of investors who purchased the old hotel and spent years renovating and restoring every magnificent inch. In 2008, The Chamberlin reopened its doors as a premier waterfront retirement community, enticing residents with the same panoramic Chesapeake Bay views and fresh sea breezes that have welcomed guests for nearly 200 years.

FORT MONROE HISTORY
Located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and named for the nation’s 5th President, James Monroe, Fort Monroe was originally fortified in 1609. It was further constructed following the War of 1812 to protect the Hampton Roads waterway from enemy attack. Built at a cost of nearly $2 million, the Fort covered 63 acres of land and took more than 15 years to complete. It remained a Union stronghold throughout the Civil War, with the epic Battle of the Ironclads taking place just offshore. After serving its final mission in 2011, Fort Monroe is today being re-purposed as a live, work and play community filled with panoramic bay views, nature trails, restaurants and beaches. The Fort is still home to 169 historic structures, including The Chamberlin.