A small tight-knit Gloucester Point community nestled along the high banks of the York River celebrated its 90th birthday last weekend.

Gloucester Banks, a cluster of about 23 cottages secluded from the main road, is known for its July 4th celebrations and the families there have remained owners for generations of the quaint summer homes.

More than 150 people attended a birthday celebration for the community Saturday, which was founded in 1924, and holds a charm unmatched by few other small riverfront communities.

In a historical account written by the late Frances Bemiss Mason, Gloucester Banks is referred to as “Just a shelf of squatty cottages above a beach washed by Virginia’s loveliest river, the York. But to increasing generations of inhabitants, it is the man-made door sill of Heaven.”

Upon entering Gloucester Banks, one feels like they have taken a step back in time, with memories of the good old days when life was much simpler: Children riding bikes along...