View source for Colonial Heights, Virginia

{{short description|Independent city in Virginia, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | official_name            = Colonial Heights
 | settlement_type          = [[Independent city (United States)|Independent city]]
 | nickname                 = 
 | motto                    = 
 | image_skyline            = Colonial Heights VA.jpg
 | image_caption            = Boulevard, in Colonial Heights, Virginia
 | image_flag               = Colonial Heights, Virginia.png
 | image_seal               = Colonial Heights Virginia Seal.PNG
 | image_map                = ColonialHeights-Location.svg
 | mapsize                  = 250x200px
 | map_caption              = Location in the State of [[Virginia]]
 | subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
 | subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[County]]
 | subdivision_name         = United States
 | subdivision_name1        = [[Virginia]]
 | subdivision_name2        = None ([[Independent city (United States)|Independent city]])
 | government_type          = 
 | leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
 | leader_name              = Greg Kochuba
 | established_title1       = Incorporated (town)
 | established_date1        = 1926
 | established_title2       = Incorporated (city)
 | established_date2        = 1948
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 7.79
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 7.52
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 0.27
 | area_water_percent       = 3.7
 | population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
 | population_total         = 18170
 | population_metro         = 1314434
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|EST]]
 | utc_offset               = -5
 | timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
 | utc_offset_DST           = -4
 | coordinates              = {{coord|37|14|38|N|77|24|38|W|region:US-VA|display=inline,title}}
 | elevation_m              = 29
 | elevation_ft             = 95
 | postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
 | postal_code              = 23834
 | area_code                = 804
 | blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
 | blank_info               = 51-18448<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
 | blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
 | blank1_info              = 1496852<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
 | footnotes                = 
 | website                  = {{URL|http://www.colonialheightsva.gov|colonialheightsva.gov}}
 | pop_est_as_of            = 
 | pop_est_footnotes        = 
 | population_est           = 
 | unit_pref                = Imperial
 | area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_51.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
 | area_total_km2           = 20.19
 | area_land_km2            = 19.48
 | area_water_km2           = 0.71
 | population_density_km2   = auto
}}

'''Colonial Heights''' is an [[independent city (United States)|independent city]] in the [[Commonwealth (U.S. state)|Commonwealth]] of [[Virginia]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 18,170.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Colonial Heights city, Colonial Heights city, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5157090948|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 30, 2022}}</ref> The [[Bureau of Economic Analysis]] combines the City of Colonial Heights (along with the [[Petersburg, Virginia|City of Petersburg]]) with [[Dinwiddie County, Virginia|Dinwiddie County]] for statistical purposes.

Colonial Heights is located in the [[Tri-Cities, Virginia|Tri-Cities area]] of the [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] [[Greater Richmond Region|Metropolitan Statistical Area]] (MSA).

==History==

Like much of eastern Virginia, the site of Colonial Heights was located within the [[Algonquian languages|Algonquian]]-speaking confederation known as [[Tenakomakah]], ruled by [[Chief Powhatan]], when the English colonists arrived at [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]] on May 14, 1607. [[Captain John Smith]]'s early map of Virginia testifies that the present area of Colonial Heights included the principal town of the [[Appamattuck]] subtribe, led by their ''[[weroance]]'', Coquonasum, and his sister, [[Oppussoquionuske]]. In the aftermath of the Indian attacks of 1622 and 1644, the Appamattuck became tributary to England and relocated to nearby [[Ettrick, Virginia|Ettrick]], and its opposite bank, near [[Fort Henry (Virginia)|Fort Henry]] (within modern-day [[Petersburg, Virginia]]).

The area including present-day Colonial Heights was made a part of "[[Henrico City (Virginia Company)|Henrico Cittie]]", one of 4 huge "incorporations" formed in the [[Virginia Colony]] in 1619 by the [[London Company]]. English colonists first settled in the Colonial Heights area in 1620. A small group sailed up the Appomattox River looking for clear land, and finally settled in an area where [[Swift Creek (Virginia)|Swift Creek]] runs into the Appomattox River, which they named [[Conjurer's Neck]]. This confluence was formerly the residence of a Native American healer (known as a "conjurer") who was thought to have cast spells over the waters.

Shortly thereafter, [[Charles Magnor]] registered the first land patent in the area for {{convert|650|acre|km2}}, which he later developed into a [[Plantations in the American South|plantation]] before selling it in 1634. That same year, by order of King [[Charles I of England]], the Virginia Colony was divided into the 8 original [[shires of Virginia]] by the [[House of Burgesses]], one of which was [[Henrico County, Virginia|Henrico County]], which included the future land of Colonial Heights.

In 1635, the English had a small town called ''Appamattucks'' near the "Old Towne" Creek,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.craterpdc.org/pdf/folar_newsletter_090906.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.craterpdc.org/pdf/folar_newsletter_090906.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Friends of Lower Appomattox River (FOLAR) Newsletter, 2006|access-date=August 1, 2020}}</ref> thought to be located near the intersection of Temple Avenue and Dimmock Parkway.<ref>[http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18335686&BRD=2271&PAG=461&dept_id=462946&rfi=6 Progress Index article, May 13, 2007]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Also in that year, Captain Henry Fleet and Francis Poythress built a small fort nearby, on "Fleet's Hill" just west of the current city, now occupied by the campus of [[Virginia State University]].

During the period from 1677 to 1685, one of the area's historic landmarks was constructed with the building of the Old Brick House. [[Richard Kennon]] came to Virginia prior to 1670 and became a merchant of [[Bermuda Hundred]]. He represented Henrico County in the [[House of Burgesses]]. His son, Richard Kennon, Jr., was also a member of the House of Burgesses and married the daughter of Col. Robert Bolling, the emigrant, and his second wife, the former [[Anne Stith]]. Richard's sister, [[Mary Kennon]], was married to Major [[John Bolling|John Fairfax Bolling]], half-brother of Richard's wife. Major Bolling was the son of Col. [[Robert Bolling]] and his first wife [[Jane Rolfe]], who was granddaughter of the early colonist [[John Rolfe]] and his Native American wife, [[Pocahontas]]. The Bollings lived at Cobb's, a [[plantations in the American South|plantation]] in eastern Chesterfield near Point-of-Rocks.

The [[Plantation house in the Southern United States|plantation house]] built by Richard Kennon (later known as the "Brick House") is now thought to be the oldest permanent structure in Colonial Heights. One wall of the house survived a fire in 1879, and the rest was rebuilt.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.colonial-heights.com/HistoryConjurers.htm#%20Brick%20House |title=City of Colonial Heights, Virginia |access-date=2007-03-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315193721/http://www.colonial-heights.com/HistoryConjurers.htm#%20Brick%20House |archive-date=2007-03-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1749, an area south of the James River was divided from Henrico County by the House of Burgesses and named [[Chesterfield County, Virginia|Chesterfield County]]. The area which became Colonial Heights was to remain in Chesterfield County for almost 200 more years, until 1948.

The name "Colonial Heights” comes from the [[American Revolutionary War]]. In May 1781, Continental Army troops under the General [[Marquis de Lafayette]] advanced south from Richmond and deployed artillery on the heights overlooking Petersburg from across the Appomattox River. Legend indicates that an English soldier stationed in Petersburg, upon seeing Lafayette’s troops across the river, exclaimed, “Look! There are the Colonials, up on the Heights!<ref>{{Cite web |title=About the City {{!}} Colonial Heights, VA - Official Website |url=https://www.colonialheightsva.gov/271/About-the-City |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=www.colonialheightsva.gov}}</ref>” The area thereafter came to be known as "Colonial Heights", and the name was given to a subdivision of the Oak Hill tract in 1906.

A historic site, Oak Hill, on Carroll Avenue, also called Archer's, Hector's, or Dunn's Hill, consisted of two one-story weatherboarded structures connected by a deep inside porch that extends from an uncovered section toward the street. From the lawn of this house, in May 1781, General Lafayette — with cannon behind a boxwood hedge that still fringes the hill — shelled Petersburg, then occupied by British troops under Major-General [[William Phillips (British Army officer)|William Phillips]] (who died of typhoid during this bombardment).

The area also became involved in operations during the [[American Civil War]]. General [[Robert E. Lee]] made his headquarters at [[Violet Bank]] from June through September during the [[Siege of Petersburg]] in 1864.

In 1926, Colonial Heights became an [[incorporated town]] in Chesterfield County. Originally seeking to be annexed by the City of Petersburg, in the face of overwhelming public support, a judge's ruling instead saw Colonial Heights designated an incorporated town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.progress-index.com/news/20160714/how-colonial-heights-came-to-be|title=How Colonial Heights came to be|website=progress-index.com|access-date=2016-07-21|archive-date=July 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715152024/http://www.progress-index.com/news/20160714/how-colonial-heights-came-to-be|url-status=dead}}</ref>

It was incorporated as a city in 1948; under Virginia law, it separated from Chesterfield County and became an [[independent city (United States)|independent city]]. Its current charter was granted in 1960. From 1960 to 1970, Colonial Heights experienced a period of rapid growth as the population jumped from 9,587 to 15,097.

In the mid-1980s, completion of the [[Route 144 (Virginia)|State Route 144]] (Temple Avenue Connector) and a new bridge across the Appomattox River provided access to [[Route 36 (Virginia)|State Route 36]] near [[Fort Lee (military base)|Fort Lee]]. The new road and bridge effectively opened a large previously isolated tract of land along the southeastern edge of the city for commercial development. There, the regional [[Southpark Mall (Colonial Heights, Virginia)|Southpark Mall]] and many other retail businesses and offices were built.

On August 6, 1993, [[1993 Virginia tornado outbreak|an F4 tornado]]  (max. wind speeds 207-260&nbsp;mph) passed through Colonial Heights. It caused extensive damage to the [[Southpark Mall (Colonial Heights, Virginia)|Southpark Mall]] and collapsed the roof of an old [[Wal-Mart]] (now [[Sam's Club]]) store. It also did extensive damage in Petersburg and Hopewell. In the [[Tri-Cities, Virginia|Tri-Cities area]], the [[tornado]] killed four people (three in Wal-Mart and one in Prince George), injured 246, and caused an estimated $50 million in property damage.

On April 28, 2008, [[Enhanced Fujita Scale|an EF1 tornado]] (max. wind speeds 86-110&nbsp;mph) produced a near {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} long, though discontinuous, path through Colonial Heights. The tornado first touched down near the Colonial Heights Middle School football field, damaging the field clubhouse roof, then causing roof damage and spill onto I-95 from Medallion Pool business. The tornado then jumped I-95 and touched down again in the Dimmock Square Shopping Center. Several cars were flipped and piled in the parking lot of a strip mall (which had extensive roof damage) that is less than a tenth of a mile from the site of the old Walmart which was destroyed by an F4 tornado on [[1993 Virginia tornado outbreak|August 6, 1993]]. The tornado then continued across Temple Avenue, causing tree and roof damage in the neighborhood near Fine Drive and Puddledock Road (in [[Prince George County, Virginia|Prince George County]]) before lifting for good. The tornado injured 21 and caused an estimated $10 million in property damage.

==Historical attractions==
{{Main|National Register of Historic Places listings in Colonial Heights, Virginia}}

Three area attractions with historic roots are [[Violet Bank]] and Swift Creek Mill.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mordoh |first1=Madison |title=These Fast Food Locations Are So Big, You Could Get Lost In Them |url=https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/the-largest-fast-food-locations-around-the-world |website=spoonuniversity.com/ |date=August 12, 2016 |access-date=November 16, 2021}}</ref> There are also several parks in the area, including [[Fort Clifton Archeological Site|Fort Clifton Park]], Dimmock Boat landing, and White Bank Park.

==Geography==
According to ''The Comparative Guide to American Suburbs,'' Colonial Heights's elevation is 95 feet.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Garoogian|first=David|title=Comparative Guide to American Suburbs|publisher=Grey House Publishing|year=2013|pages=1190}}</ref>

Colonial Heights is located at {{coord|37|15|44|N|77|24|9|W|type:city}} (37.262257, -77.402728).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|7.8|sqmi|1}}, of which {{convert|7.5|sqmi|1}} is land and {{convert|0.3|sqmi|1}} of it (3.7%) is water.<ref name="GR1" />

Colonial Heights is located on the [[Appomattox River]] and north of the modern-day [[Petersburg, Virginia|City of Petersburg]] at the river's [[Atlantic Seaboard fall line|fall line]]. It is located south of Chesterfield County (practically surrounded by it except for a south border with [[Petersburg, Virginia|Petersburg]]); in some areas, Swift Creek divides the city from the county.

===Adjacent county / Independent city===
* [[Chesterfield County, Virginia|Chesterfield County]] – west, north, southeast (Appomattox River islands)
* [[Petersburg, Virginia|Petersburg]] – south
* [[Prince George County, Virginia|Prince George County]] – east
* [[Hopewell, Virginia|Hopewell]] – north

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1930= 2331
|1940= 3194
|1950= 6077
|1960= 9587
|1970= 15097
|1980= 16509
|1990= 16064
|2000= 16897
|2010= 17411
|2020= 18170
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing from 1790|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 24, 2022}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 5, 2014|archive-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623053220/https://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/va190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 5, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Colonial Heights city, Virginia  Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Colonial Heights city, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US5118448&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Colonial Heights city, Virginia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US5118448&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|14,020
|style='background: #ffffe6; |12,409
|80.52%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |68.29%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|1,732
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,848
|9.95%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |15.67%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|63
|style='background: #ffffe6; |32
|0.36%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.18%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|570
|style='background: #ffffe6; |569
|3.27%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.13%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|8
|style='background: #ffffe6; |13
|0.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.07%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|14
|style='background: #ffffe6; |85
|0.08%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.47%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|330
|style='background: #ffffe6; |938
|1.90%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.16%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|674
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,276
|3.87%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.02%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''17,411'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''18,170'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2010 census===
According to ''The Comparative Guide to American Suburbs, in 2012'' 88.3% of people living in Colonial Heights above the age of 25 have a high school diploma of GED.

Out of the adults 25+ living in Colonial Heights that same year, 20.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher and 6.9% have a masters or higher.<ref name=":0" />

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2011-05-14 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 16,897 people, 7,027 households, and 4,722 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|2,260.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 7,340 housing units at an average density of {{convert|981.9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 80.66% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 13.81% [[African American (U.S. census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.19% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 3.24% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.08% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.64% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.02% from two or more races. 4.67% of the population were [[Hispanics in the United States|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 17,411 people living in the city of Colonial Heights. Of those 17,411 people, 76.2% of them were white, 16% were African American, 4.1% were Asian, and 5.9% were Hispanic. The population density of the city was recorded as 2315.3 people per square mile. There were 7,735 housing units measured during the years 2012-2016 within the city limits. There were 7,206 households residing in those housing units, of which the average family per household during the same years, 2012–2016, was 2.41.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/colonialheightscityvirginiacounty/PST045219|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Colonial Heights city, Virginia (County)|website=www.census.gov|access-date=Aug 1, 2020}}</ref>

There were 7,027 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,529, and the median income for a family was $66,381. Males had a median income of $39,900 versus $28,875 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $28,282. About 7.42% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Major highways==
* {{Jct|state=VA|I|95}}
* {{Jct|state=VA|US|1}}
* {{Jct|state=VA|US|301}}
* {{Jct|state=VA|SR|144}}
In 2017, Colonial Heights added a roundabout off the I-95 exit.<ref>{{Cite web|title=VDOT Open House: I95/Temple Ave Roundabout Demonstration|url=http://colonialheightsva.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=3988|access-date=2021-12-19|website=Colonial Heights, VA|language=en}}</ref>

== Economy ==
According to ''The Comparative Guide to American Suburbs,'' in 2013, Colonial Heights had an unemployment rate of 8.1%.<ref name=":0" />

==Education==

===Elementary and secondary===
[[Image:Colonial Hgts21.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Colonial Heights Middle School]]
The City of Colonial Heights is served by Colonial Heights Public Schools. There are three [[elementary school]]s, Lakeview Elementary School, North Elementary School, Tussing Elementary School; one [[middle school]], Colonial Heights Middle School; and one [[High school (North America)|high school]], [[Colonial Heights High School]]. All of the schools are accredited by the Virginia Board of Education and by the [[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools]].

===Higher education===
The area is served by three schools of higher education:
* [[Virginia State University]]
* [[Richard Bland College]]
* [[Brightpoint Community College]]

==Parks and recreation==
The city of Colonial Heights has nine parks composed of 75 acres that they must maintain. Those nine parks include White Bank Park, Floral Avenue Park, Edinborough Park, Flora Hill Park, Appamattuck Park, Fort Clifton Park, Lakeview Park, Roslyn Landing Park, and Wakefield Park. In addition to these nine parks, the city also maintains many other recreational facilities such as ballfields (including Shephard Stadium), a soccer complex, and tennis courts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.colonialheightsva.gov/259/Parks-Facilities|title=Parks & Facilities &#124; Colonial Heights, VA - Official Website|website=www.colonialheightsva.gov|access-date=Aug 1, 2020}}</ref>

'''White Bank park''' is located at 400 White Bank Rd, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. The park runs adjacent to Swift Creek and stretches over 22 acres. The park has two pavilions that citizens rent out for events.<ref>{{Cite web|title=White Bank Park|url=https://www.colonialheightsva.gov/facilities/facility/details/White-Bank-Park-38|access-date=2021-12-19|website=Colonial Heights, VA|language=en|archive-date=October 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030053802/https://www.colonialheightsva.gov/facilities/facility/details/White-Bank-Park-38|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''Floral Avenue Park''' consists of .3 acres. The park is home to basketball courts and playgrounds.

'''Edinborough Park''' is located at 800 Edinborough Dr, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. In this park, one can find basketball courts, picnic tables, and playground equipment.

'''Flora Hill Park''' is located at 300 Richmond Ave, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. This park is mainly just open grassy areas, trails, and playground equipment. 
[[File:Fort Clifton Park.jpg|thumb]]
'''Appamattuck Park''' is located at 151 Archer Ave, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. This park consists of land surrounding the Appomattox River and falls along the Petersburg border of Colonial Heights.

'''Fort Clifton Park''' is located at 100 Brockwell Ln, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. Fort Clifton also runs along the Appomattox River and consists of 24 acres. This park is historical and according to the Colonial Heights City website noted as where five Union ships sailed Confederate Troops on June 11, 1864. This may be Colonial Heights's most abundant park, filled with amenities such as an amphitheater, ballfields, basketball courts, drinking fountain, fishing pier, pavilions, picnic shelters, playgrounds, restrooms, and trails. The local public schools use Fort Clifton for sporting events and recesses. The playgrounds found in Fort Clifton Park are technically belonging to Tussing Elementary.

'''Lakeview Park''' is located at 503 Lake Ave, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. In addition to the playgrounds, trails, and picnic tables, Lakeview Park is home to a boating ramp where community members can go fishing during daylight.

'''Roslyn Landing Park''' is located at Appomattox River Trail, Colonial Heights, VA 23834. This park is mainly just trails for walking or biking.

==Climate==
The climate in and around the city of Colonial Heights is described as a humid subtropical climate where the summers are very hot and humid while the winters are moderately cold. The coldest weather is seen from December to February, January's daily average temperature is 37.9 degrees Fahrenheit. The hottest weather is seen from June through August, July's daily average temperature is 79.3 degrees Fahrenheit. The total annual precipitation normal for the city is approximately 43.6 inches. The month with the highest normal precipitation is August with 4.66 inches on average while February is the month with the least amount of precipitation on average with 2.76 inches.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=akq | title=Climate }}</ref>

==Economy==

===Top employers===
According to the City of Colonial Height's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,<ref>[http://www.colonialheightsva.gov/DocumentCenter/View/12395/ACFR-Colonial-Heights---June-2022--Final?bidId= City of Colonial Heights ACFR]</ref> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! # !! Employer !! # of Employees
|-
| 1 || [[Walmart]] || 500-999
|-
| 2 || [[Colonial Heights Public Schools]] || 500-999
|-
| 3 || City of Colonial Heights || 250-499
|-
| 4 || Care Advantage || 100-249
|-
| 5 || Publix Nc Employee Services, LLC || 100-249
|-
| 6 || Colonial Heights Rehab & Nursing|| 100-249
|-
| 7 || [[The Home Depot]] || 100-249
|-
| 8 || [[Red Lobster (restaurant)|Red Lobster]] & [[Olive Garden]] || 50-99
|-
| 9 || [[Chick-Fil-A]] at Southpark || 50-99
|-
| 10 || [[Texas Roadhouse]] || 50-99
|-
|}

==Media==
Colonial Heights has one weekly periodical, a free publication:
* '''''Colonial Heights Patriot''''', published by the Hopewell Publishing Company.

It is also served by a daily newspaper of record for the area: http://mediakit.gatehousemedia.com/Petersburg_VA/:
* '''''The Progress-Index''''', published by Gatehouse Media.

==Notable people ==
* [[Gray Gaulding]] – [[NASCAR]] driver
* [[The Unipiper]] – Brian Kidd, [[Internet Celebrity]]
* [[Kirk Cox]] – former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
* [[Olavo de Carvalho]] – Brazilian astrologer and conspiracy theorist

==Politics==
Unlike most [[Independent city (United States)#Virginia|independent cities]] in the state of Virginia, Colonial Heights has consistently voted [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] in presidential elections since its date of incorporation. All GOP presidential candidates since [[1952 United States presidential election in Virginia|1952]] have carried the city, with the 13 most recent campaigns each garnering over 60% of the vote. In 1972, and again in 1980, Colonial Heights gave the GOP nominee the largest percentage of the vote of any county or incorporated city in Virginia.

Colonial Heights has seven council members; Mayor Gregory T. Kochuba, Vice-Mayor E. "Betsy" Gentry Luck, Councilman Michael A. Cherry, Councilman John E. Piotrowski, Councilwoman Dr. Laura F. Poe, Councilman R.W. "Bobby" Wade, and Councilman John T. Wood.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Council Members {{!}} Colonial Heights, VA - Official Website|url=https://www.colonialheightsva.gov/105/Council-Members|access-date=2021-12-19|website=www.colonialheightsva.gov}}</ref>

Colonial Heights has a city manager named Douglas E. Smith and a city lawyer named Hugh "Chip" P. Fisher, III.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Government Leadership {{!}} Colonial Heights, VA - Official Website|url=https://www.colonialheightsva.gov/685/Government-Leadership|access-date=2021-12-19|website=www.colonialheightsva.gov}}</ref>
{{PresHead|place=Colonial Heights, Virginia|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=December 9, 2020}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|896|835|1|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,037|956|179|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,372|1,198|11|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,420|1,198|2|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,650|650|2,113|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,304|541|183|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|4,291|2,409|234|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|5,012|1,692|359|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|6,387|1,218|25|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|6,001|1,581|56|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|5,298|1,721|1,381|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|4,632|1,782|539|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|5,519|2,100|163|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|6,129|2,061|41|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|6,161|2,562|126|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|5,941|2,544|139|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,681|2,367|409|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|6,007|2,972|167|Virginia}}
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|5,883|2,982|99|Virginia}}
{{PresFoot}}

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Colonial Heights, Virginia]]
* [[Tri-Cities, Virginia]]
*[[Virginia]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Hawkins, David W., ''History of Colonial Heights'' (August, 1947) Virginia Municipal Review.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Colonial Heights, Virginia}}
* [https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/va0319/ Violet Bank, U.S. Route 1 vicinity, Colonial Heights, Colonial Heights, VA]: 8 photos and 2 data pages at [[Historic American Buildings Survey]]
* [http://www.colonialheightsva.gov/ City of Colonial Heights]

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Colonial Heights, Virginia
|North     = [[Chesterfield County, Virginia|Chesterfield County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Prince George County, Virginia|Prince George County]]
|Southeast = [[Chesterfield County, Virginia|Chesterfield County]]
|South     = [[Petersburg, Virginia|City of Petersburg]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Chesterfield County, Virginia|Chesterfield County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Greater Richmond Region}}
{{Virginia}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in Virginia}}
{{Northeast Megalopolis}}
{{Virginia county seats and independent cities}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Colonial Heights, Virginia| ]]
[[Category:Greater Richmond Region]]
[[Category:1926 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Cities in Virginia]]