Cradock
Virginia’s First Planned Community

Afton Square
America’s First Planned Shopping Center

Cradock is one of the nation’s first government-built planned development communities. Conceived as a model community, it incorporated many of the most advanced planning techniques of its day. The community came into existence when World War I caused a rapid influx of workers at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The construction was funded through an act of Congress in 1918, which allowed the Federal Government to build housing projects related to the wartime effort.

The site chosen was a 310-acre farm about three miles south of Portsmouth on Paradise Creek. Cradock was named in honor of British Rear Admiral Sir Christopher G.F.W. Cradock whose fleet was sunk by the German navy in 1914.

The community was developed according to a design of the distinguished New York architectural firm George B. Post and Sons. The United States Housing Corporation provided design assistance. Hill and Ferguson provided the engineering services for the project.

Most of the features of present-day planned comminutes including schools, recreational areas, churches, a commercial area (Afton Square) and a public transportation system were provided in Cradock. All of the facilities were within walking distance of one another. The town pioneered the use of concealed utility lines. The town had its own government built school, firehouse, sewerage, water system and electrical street lighting system.

Afton Square was built in 1918 as neighborhood shopping center to serve the residents of Cradock with all of its shopping needs. It was the first planned shopping center in America. The design of Afton Square laid the fundamental plan for many shopping centers to come throughout the 1900’s. The fundamental focus of Afton Square was to provide all of the shopping needs to the residents of Cradock from groceries to clothing and furniture. Afton Square however was more than a shopping center, it was a place for the community to come together and fellowship with one another, hold community events and meetings. Today Afton Square still serves as the focal point of Cradock and provides residents with its basic shopping needs.