Mr Williamsburg, Revolutionary ideas on real estate!Hampton Roads Virginia

Queens Lake is a wonderful, established waterfront residential community located in the York County part of Williamsburg, Virginia . Bordered by Queens Creek to the North and West, and the Colonial Parkway to the South.  Its Eastern border is York Counties New Quarter Park, a 545-acre county park renovated in 2005. Most of the homes were built from the late 1950’s until the lates 1970’s. There are a few that have been built since 2000 on the few remaining lots left in Queens Lake in Williamsburg VA.

The Queens Lake Community offer a host of amenities to it’s volunteer members . They include  a  fresh water lake stretching for more than a mile, perfect for boating (electric motors only) and filled with large mouth bass, bream and other fish  A Marina on Queens Creek with  navigable access to the York River and the Chesapeake Bay. Two swimming pools   ( one boasts a six lane, zero degree entry facility equipped with diving board, jets and fountains. Another pool (for adults) and bathhouse complete the facility. The pool complex has a stunning view of the  community marina and Queen Creek. Three tennis courts.  A Playing field with softball diamond. Volleyball Court (sand-filled ) Playground,  Clubhouse (sized to accommodate large major social gatherings with a  large function room and a fully-appointed kitchen for preparing and warming foods. Coffee makers, freezers and refrigerators are provided as well.

Homes Sales Statistics for Queens Lake, Williamsburg, VA- April 2009:
There are 12 homes currently for sale in Queens Lake. The prices for currently listed homes in Queens Lake range from $299,900 to $980,000. Sold home prices in Queens Lake averaged $409,778 in the last 12 months and ranged from $265,000 to $625,000. There is 1 under contract at this time. The average days on market  time for the homes that sol din Queens Lake was an amazingly low 72 days.

Testimonials from Queens Lake Residents

When my husband and I moved to Williamsburg over nine years ago, we chose the Queens Lake community because of the beautiful neighborhood and the amazing Art Magnet Programs at Waller Mill Elementary, Queens Lake Middle, and Bruton HighOur daughter is only 8, but she has participated in every artistic endeavor while in preschool at Williamsburg Parents C0-OP, and kindergarten at Magruder Elementary. Now that she has entered the Art Magnet Program at Waller Mill, she is excelling like never before. She is reading at a seventh-grade level, and has just won second place in the Art Reflections contest for Visual Arts and can’t wait to submit three new projects next year for Visual Arts, Photography & Literature. She is over the moon about being part of the up com ing production of “Something Froggy Going On.” Robyn is counting down the days until she is old enough to try out for the school plays with Mrs. DiFiore, eager to create a new piece of artwork every time she steps into Mrs. Koob’s art class, and loves how Mrs. Barlow gets all the kids moving and dancing to the Wii game “Just Dance.” The Art Magnet Program at Waller Mill is the only thing that gets my daughter up in the morning, eager to get to school, excited about what she will create. 

The land bordering Queens Creek in York County Williamsburg VA is characterized by ravines; creeks; mature, mostly deciduous, woodland; and wetlands. It is easy to imagine the Powhatan Tribe hunting and fishing in this region and watching the European Colonists rowing their boats up and down the creek to Capitol Landing to access the new town of Williamsburg.  It has witnessed defining moments in American History, being close to the route that Washington took on his march to Yorktown in 1782, and being at the end of the defensive line that Confederate General Magruder constructed in 1862 to oppose Union General McClellan in the Civil War.  The remains of confederate trenches can still be seen in New Quarter Park and numerous artifacts (arrowheads, military buttons, and musket balls) have been found to bear witness to all of this history.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were a number of small holdings scattered throughout the region.  The foundations of a house can be seen close to Queens Creek in New Quarter Park, there was a farmhouse on the bluff that now overlooks the marina, old brick chimneys were found in the Montague Circle area, and there was a farm house on what is now Cambridge Lane.  The land is not well suited for farming, however, and it must have been difficult to eke out a living and also pay property taxes.  The Government took over much of the land along the south shore of the York River, including what is now Camp  Peary, New Quarter Park, Cheatham Annex and the Naval Weapons Station.  Between 1925 and 1929, the Chesapeake Corporation, a timbering and paper mill operation based at West Point, purchased three tracts of land south of Queens Creek, known as the Roberts tract, the Hubbard tract, and the Holcomb tract , totaling 814 acres.  In 1927-28 it built the dam across the stream emptying into Queens Creek.  This created a 58 acre lake, that it called Lake Chesapeake. It stocked the lake with bream, bass, and crappie and used the entire property as a hunting and fishing preserve for its executives.  The existing farm house near the dam served as a lodge and was maintained by a caretaker.  In the early 1930s, the Federal Park Service built the Colonial parkway as a reconstruction project after the great depression.  This cut off some of the property but provided  access to the road to the dam.

The Queens Lake Development Corporation

In 1950, the Chesapeake Corporation decided to sell off its preserve and it put t he sale in the hands of Richard C. Benschoten, a local “Land and Estate” Broker.  Mr. Benschoten, an avid fisherman himself, saw the potential of the land around the lake for home sites so he interested four other businessmen in going in with him on purchasing part of the Chesapeake property.  They incorporated the Queens Lake Development Company on March 14, 1952, purchased 636 acres, including the lake for a total of $75,000 and renamed the lake “Queens Lake.”  After cutting and selling pines and selected hardwoods to recoup half their investment, the Company platted some of the area that was suitable for development with the help of Vincent McManus, a surveyor and vice mayor of Williamsburg; provided for basic road access, electricity, and water; and set about selling the lots. Queens Lake was not developed all at one time, but rather in sections.  As lots were sold in one section, a new section would be opened.  The first section that was developed included the property fronting the west side of the lake. This was followed by the creek front lots near the dam.  Two Williamsburg families and the President of William and Mary, who wanted an “out of town” home, were the first property owners.  There are 19 sections (some being divided into subsections). By the time the Development Company dissolved in 1987, there were 547 lots. Potable water was a problem because the region lies on a thick layer of impervious clay so wells to tap into the water table had to be over 400 ft deep; thus, a contract was negotiated with the Sydnor Pump and Well Company of Richmond to drill two community wells, construct pump houses (adjacent to 210 West Queens Drive and 112 Montague Circle) and lay pipe to serve each lot. Since sewage was not available, each lot had to accommodate a septic field.

In 1961, Mr. Benschoten’s real estate and insurance business partner, Jim Carter, and two bankers bought out one of the owners’ interest in the Queens Lake Development Company.  Shortly afterwards the Company purchased property at the end of East Queens Drive, and what was to become Sherwood and Allendale. Recognizing the value of waterfront lots, it hired Henry Branscome to build the dam to form Princess Pond.

Map of Queens Lake, Williamsburg, VA

Naming some of the roads after characters and places in the Robin Hood legend was the idea of Stanley Abbott, Superintendent of the Colonial National Historical Park who had been hired to help plan the roads and lots in 1961.  At that time he also laid out a master plan for the recreation area. The National Park Service owned a road called the North Collector Road that paralleled the Parkway.  In 1963 Mr. Abbott, arranged for the Park Service to make the collection road open to all public traffic, pending assumption of maintenance by the Virginia Department of Highways.  That road was officially named Lakeshead Drive.

In the early part of the1960’s, over the objection of the Company and Queens Lake residents, Interstate Highway 64 was constructed through part of the property, leaving 33 acres cut off from the southwest corner.  In 1965, the company sold the 21 acres of this portion west of West Queens Drive to York County for the construction of Queens Lake Middle School.  As part of this deal, the County agreed to negotiate with the City of Williamsburg to provide water to the Queens Lake Development, connecting to the water pipes already installed by Sydnor. The wells were subsequently blocked off and the pump houses demolished.

When Dick Benschoten died in 1965, Jim Carter was hired by the Company to manage the development of Queens Lake.

Queens Lake Association
From the beginning, Mr. Benschoten had in mind a community with the lake and other recreational amenities being available to all residents and eventually to be managed by the residents.  Accordingly, the “Queens Lake Club” was incorporated on July 7, 1952 with the charter “To regulate and perpetuate the use of facilities provided by the Queens Lake Development Corporation ….”  This was apparently modeled on a similar arrangement at “Smoke Rise,” a residential community in New Jersey.  Mr. Benschoten became president and remained so until his death in 1965. The sales contract for purchase of a lot from the Company required that the new owner must be accepted as a member of the Queens Lake Club. Resident dues were set at $10 per annum.  Standing committees for membership, building, finance and lake were established.  At a special meeting of the Queens Lake Development Company on June 29, 1953, it agreed to deed the lake and surrounding land up to 2 feet above the high water mark to the Queens Lake Club, Inc.  Shares of stock were issued to the partners of the Company on the basis of available acreage, with a share being issued to each new property owner as it was subtracted from the holdings of the partners. In this way, ownership of the assets of the club gradually transferred to the residents. In 1960 the Company deeded 11 acres of land on the east side of the dam to the Club and contributed $60,000 for recreational purposes including the construction of a swimming pool, two tennis courts, dock, and bathhouse.  The first swimming pool was opened in 1961.  Fees for its use were set at $50 per family.

In 1966, membership dues were $12 per year. Swimming fees were $65 for resident and $75 for non-resident families. In 1968, 200 families lived in the community and 143 lots remained to be sold.  Jim Carter negotiated the purchase of the 54 acre Holloway tract (Bowstring, Shoreham, Cambridge, and Holloway) for $3,000 per acre. Because half the tract was still in open fields, Carter planted hundreds of pine seedlings to provide an eventual wooded cover in keeping with the rest of the neighborhood.  There was some resistance to including residents of this area in the Queens Lake Club, partly because of perceived overcrowding of the existing swimming pool.  The Development Company offered to provide 30% of the cost of constructing a second pool in return for admitting this tract into the community and the members of the Queens Lake Club agreed.

In February 1969, Major General Briard Johnson was elected the first president of the Club who was not a principal of the Development Corporation. He was a strong proponent of the philosophy that individual amenities of the club (Pool, tennis courts, marina) should “pay for themselves.”  The initiation fee was raised to $160 for new lot purchasers. Swimming fees were $75 for resident and $110 for non-resident families. The second pool opened on May 30, 1969.  The By-Laws were revised to provide for one share of stock for initiation fees paid. All previous stock was cancelled and a new issuance of stock certificates was made.

Over the years the Queens Lake Club maintained the two pools and bathhouse, expanded the original two tennis courts to four, enlarged the marina from a landing on the creek to the present configuration of outside and covered slips as well as a launching ramp, and in 1980 constructed a clubhouse. In 2001, the original pool overlooking the creek was demolished and a new six-lane pool was constructed.

One of the original standing committees was the “Building Committee” which was to ensure that construction and subsequent modification of houses conformed to certain standards.  As an example, minimum living space areas were established for single and multiple story houses.  Conformance to the standards was enforced under threat of loss of privileges.  Over time, new construction dwindled, and the Building Committee ceased to exist as a standing committee.  The By-Laws provide for the appointment of a Building Committee if an occasion demands it.

Jim Carter sold the last lot owned by the Queens Lake Development Company in 1985 and he vacated his seat on the Queens Lake Club Board of Directors in 1986. The Queens Lake Development Company was dissolved on September 1, 1987.

Since the early 1960’s, one Saturday each year has been set aside as “Queens Lake Day.” Since the bicentennial in 1976 it has been held close to the 4^th of July. Typically, there is breakfast in the clubhouse and the festivities are started by a parade along East Queens Drive to the recreation area led by the County Sheriff and followed by fire and ladder trucks, sirens blaring.  Most years there is a theme, and the marchers and bicyclists dress accordingly.  Scouts raise the flag and the QLCA President makes a welcoming speech. The rest of the day is devoted to sports events, friendly competitions, and children’s games.  In the evening there is a community picnic around the pool and dancing to a live combo.

A periodic newsletter providing updates on community activities and issues of concern to residents has been published since the early 1970’s. In addition, the club house has been used for hundreds of community functions, social events, and educational activities.

Drive thru Queens Lake in Google Street View

Search Homes for Sale in Queens Lake, Williamsburg VA

Location Map of Queens Lake:

psst … I’m a Realtor! Thanks for stopping by my website. I  would love to help you find your dream home and community in the Hampton Roads or Williamsburg area or to sell your existing home. This post was authored by local resident and REALTOR, John Womeldorf. John is known around town as Mr. Williamsburg, for both his extensive knowledge of Hampton Roads and the historic triangle, and his expertise in the local real estate market. His websites, WilliamsburgsRealEstate.com  and Mr Williamsburg.com were created as a resource for folks who are exploring a move to  Williamsburg, VA , Hampton Roads VA and the  surrounding areas of the Virginia Peninsula. On his website you can search homes for sale , foreclosures, 55+ active adult communities,   condos and town homes , land and commercial property for sale in Williamsburg, Yorktown, New Kent,  Poquoson, and Gloucester, VA as well as surrounding markets of Carrolton,  Chesapeake,Gloucester, Hampton, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth  Mathews, Newport News Norfolk, Poquoson, Smithfield, , Suffolk, Surry,  Va Beach, Yorktown  and York County Virginia

You can reach John by email John@MrWilliamsburg.com or phone @  757-254-8136

some content courtesy of www.Queenslake.net

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