 Several Poquoson residents fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War including Wesley Messick, who was a crewman on the CSS Virginia during the Battle of Hampton Roads.Poquoson became an incorporated town in 1952, as the citizens of the community wanted to keep their own high school open instead of having their children bused to York High School due to distance.When the town was incorporated, Poquoson's small predominately African American community known as Cary's Chapel remained just outside the town limits in York County.