>Tom Apple said July 07, 2003:
>..... I'd love to find another period map of the area showing PH.

Tom, click on the following link:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/trnsmapPlaces02.html
(Transportation maps at Library of Congress)

Then click on 'United States--Virginia'

From opening maps #16 & #17 and zooming-in to the Lynhaven-Little Creek area
you will find PH to be shown on both maps as being south of what appears to
be Pleasure House Creek, or for map 17 it seems to be identified as
"Pleasure Har"(bor?) rather than "House" for the 'H,' a likely error it
seems to me.  You will see map 16 is an "Official Map of the State of
Virginia" that was finished in 1861 from earlier maps of 1829 and 1859,
while map 17 was made separately for a railroad company in 1869 (not from
the 1861 map.)  However, the small scale and lack of detail for both of
these maps leads me to question their accuracy as to the PH location.  I
still feel the map made for Benedict Arnold in 1781 most accurately portrays
the location of  the *original* Pleasure House tavern-gambling-house
structure, that being near the Rt. 13 entrance of present-day Chesapeake
Bridge/Tunnel at Chesapeake Beach -- although I agree it must have been
located on higher ground near the beach, not far inland, in order for
written accounts about ships being observed from this location, and other
such historical writings that indicate a near-beach location, to hold true.
Present-day maps indicate a road from the south to this location would have
been on somewhat higher ground, with the nearby origin and headwaters of
Pleasure House Creek being 'the fingers' of present-day Lake Joyce, the
creek flowing about 1-1/2 miles eastward into Lynnhaven River-Bay.  It
likely served as a 'back-door' inland waterway access to PH.

This location would have been where a regiment of local militia gathered in
1813 after British ships entered the Chesapeake, and where a 'guardhouse' of
significance was constructed, which was burned down in late 1813 (after Aug.
22) from a British surprise attack, when the tavern building was at least
damaged if not burned as well -- although the number of militia was reduced
to a dozen or so men before this surprise attack occurred (to summarize your
prior accountings from "Gateway to the New World, A History of Princess Anne
County, Virginia, 1607-1824" by Florence Kimberly Turner.)

Two additional thoughts:  (1) Was there possibly a second and maybe third
'Pleasure House,' in different location(s) to account for the varying PH
locations shown on the later maps?  (2) The 1861 & 1869 maps show a small
circle to identify where PH was located, with this circle being of identical
size to those used to identify small towns in the area -- which makes me
wonder whether a community or town developed south of Pleasure House Creek
which was called Pleasure House (or Pleasure Harbor) -- or possibly a large
and prominently known pleasure resort was developed at this location during
the 1800's?  Now this may be 'a stretch' but why would only one ancient (or
even current) tavern-gambling house-(bordello?) otherwise be so prominently
shown on the 1861 and 1869 maps....??  Conversely, I should think that
development of such a town or resort would be well documented in the history
of Virginia Beach or Princess Anne County....??  A brief history at the
following link only makes reference to "Pleasure House Beach" being occupied
by Federal troops during the Civil War:
http://www.virginiabeachon-line.com/history/history_early.html

So...the 1861 and 1869 cartographers probably had no clue they were simply
portraying the location of an old 'house of pleasure'....probably in the
wrong place....or maybe this was the annual meeting place for their
cartology school reunion....?  (No disrespect intended, only my ugly
frustration.)

Tom, I detest leaving a puzzle unsolved but believe this is 'about it'
unless you can learn more from a local source.  It's been fun.

Regards,
Neil McDonald

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