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Norfolk Stories That Have Shaped Our Lives
Peggy Haile McPhillips shares the city’s history and its lasting impact
University News | October 2, 2025
How does the past shape who we are and how we understand ourselves today? That question framed a thought-provoking lunchtime lecture by former Norfolk City Historian Peggy Haile McPhillips, hosted by the Robert Nusbaum Center at VWU on Thursday, October 2, in Brock Commons.
In her presentation, “Norfolk Stories That Have Shaped Our Lives,” McPhillips shared a series of vignettes from the city’s history—stories that reveal how Norfolk’s communities took shape and continue to influence life today.
“Stories build connections,” McPhillips reflected. “They give us a sense of place and help us understand our own place in the community and in the world. The stories that impact us most strongly are seldom national in scope. Rather, they come from our family, our environment, and our own reflections.”
Her talk wove together themes as varied as an incendiary Sunday, the city’s horse tracks, and the tale of an Irish orphan—underscoring the power of local history to illuminate the present.
One story traced the origins of Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood. “The War of 1812 ended with the Treaty of Ghent,” she explained. “It was signed in the Belgian city of Ghent, a name that later became associated with a farm on land purchased by The Norfolk Company in 1890.” That farm grew into a streetcar suburb, and by the early 20th century Ghent had become one of the city’s most fashionable areas.
McPhillips emphasized how advances in transportation transformed Norfolk’s development. With the founding of the Norfolk Railway Company in 1866, five horse-drawn cars provided residents with new mobility. By 1894, they were replaced with electric streetcars, fueling the growth of neighborhoods like Ghent.
“I believe transportation was one of the most significant forces that shaped the city,” she noted.
A lifelong resident of Norfolk, McPhillips was city historian for decades. She is the author of Remembering Norfolk and Historic Photos of Norfolk, and currently serves as president of the Norfolk Historical Society and vice president of the Friends of the Myers House at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Her leadership has also extended to the boards of the Norfolk Police Museum and the Great Bridge Battlefield & Historic Waterways Foundation.
The event was part of the Fall 2025 series presented by the Robert Nusbaum Center at VWU.