Eggleston history

Johnny Crawford, who played Chuck Connors’ son on ‘The Rifleman,’ dead at 75Actor Johnny Crawford, known for playing Chuck Connors’ son in ABC series “The Rifleman” from 1958-63, has died.

By 1965, as the center celebrated its 10th anniversary, many changes had taken place.

Although the center was initially created to serve only individuals with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy, it was decided in March of 1968 that the center would begin accepting individuals with physical impairments as well.

During the 1970’s, Tidewater Vocational Center began a food service training program, a service station training program, and planted the first of the azaleas at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens.

During the remainder of the decade of the 1980’s, The Louise W. Eggleston Center continued to expand.

In 1990, the center was awarded two NISH (National Industries for the Severely Handicapped) federal contracts; the first at Langley Air Force Base providing commissary warehousing and shelf stocking and the second at Portsmouth Naval Hospital providing food service.

In 1992, two additional NISH contracts were awarded to Eggleston, the first at the Norfolk Naval Station Galley providing food service.

In January of 1998, Eggleston purchased and moved into a property on Tidewater Drive which for many years served as a business fulfillment center.

A joint horticultural program with the Virginia Zoological Park was opened in the spring of 1999.

In 2010 Eggleston purchased and renovated a large facility on Military Highway in Norfolk, and with the assistance of a $150,000 grant from the Hampton Roads Community Foundation.