National Register of Historic Places

Fort Norfolk

Norfolk (Independent City), Norfolk County, Virginia
Listed
October 29, 1976
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
76002225

About this property

Fort Norfolk is a historic fort and national historic district located at Norfolk, Virginia. With the original buildings having been built between 1795 and 1809, the fort encloses 11 buildings: main gate, guardhouse, officers' quarters, powder magazine, and carpenter's shop. Fort Norfolk is the last remaining fortification of President George Washington's 18th century harbor defenses, later termed the first system of US fortifications. It has served as the district office for the U.S. Army Engineer District, Norfolk since 1923. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and became a Virginia Landmark in 2013. Now it is preserved as a historic fort and is open to the public during the summer.

Location

803 Front St.
Norfolk (Independent City), Norfolk County, Virginia
36.85694, -76.30627

Categories

MILITARY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Questions about this property

When was Fort Norfolk listed on the National Register?

Fort Norfolk was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Fort Norfolk?

Fort Norfolk is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Fort Norfolk?

The period of significance for Fort Norfolk is recorded as the early_republic era.

Can I research the history near Fort Norfolk?

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