The rails have been removed and the railcars are gone but it is immediately evident that Cape Charles was founded as a railroad town. In 1884 the rail line connected the Eastern Shore of Virginia to Norfolk, VA, with ferries for passengers and railcars. In 1885 construction began on a planned community on a gridwork of streets laid out on a parcel of 136 acres. Most of the original structures still stand.  Attracted by the restored homes, small-town ambiance and largely unspoiled landscape of bay and beach, retirees are happily settling here in the immaculately restored houses of the Historic District, all within easy walking distance to the beach and the amenities of Mason Ave.  

The 1-mile-long town beach at the end of Mason St. boasts a white, sandy beach (that is very wide when the tide is out), a fishing pier (no license necessary) and a covered pavilion. Weekly (seasonal) concerts and events at the old-style bandstand on the town square round out the offerings of this charming location.