Portrait of a Town, Cape Charles 1940-1960 Book

Situated on Virginia's Eastern Shore, Cape Charles was once a vibrant railroad town, serving as a vital hub for troop movements between the northern and southern states during World War II.

Portrait of a Town takes the reader on a nostalgic, invigorating journey through Cape Charles with a child's-eye-view-from playing in a swamp to jumping the railroad's coal chute to fishing the barrier islands that line Virginia's oceanfront.

In this collection of vignettes, Patricia Parsons portrays life in Cape Charles during World War II and beyond. Using her childhood memories and her family's life as a powerful touchstone, she follows the town's period of prosperity into a period of decline that transformed it from a bustling commercial center to a forsaken backwater and back again. Recently, this historic town has experienced revitalization, rising from its ashes to become a family-style tourist destination. Today, Cape Charles beckons you to explore and see why it truly is a memorable town.