the resort was dependent upon railroad and electric trolley service at first. the concrete virginia beach boulevard from norfolk to the oceanfront was completed in 1922. it let people get to the oceanfront in automobiles, buses, and trucks. the resort of virginia beach became an incorporated town in 1906. over the next 45 years, virginia beach became more popular as a summer vacation spot. virginia beach became a small independent city in 1952. it was politically independent from princess anne county. in 1963, virginia beach and princess anne county merged into a new, much larger independent city keeping the name of the virginia beach resort.