Norfolk Naval Shipyard's 200th Anniversary
Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Virginia
Marker Inscription
Unveiled by Adm E.T. Holmes USN CINCLANT and Rear Adm J.A. Brown USN Commander, NNSY, 04 Nov 1967
The Story
Founded in 1767 on the Elizabeth River, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia, is one of the oldest and largest shipyards in the United States. Despite its name, the yard sits in Portsmouth, and over two centuries it built, repaired, and outfitted vessels through the American Revolution, the Civil War — when the ironclad CSS Virginia was rebuilt there from the burned USS Merrimack — and both World Wars. This marker was unveiled in 1967 to commemorate the yard's 200th anniversary, dedicated by senior Navy officers including the Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet.
Why it matters
The shipyard has been a cornerstone of American naval power for more than 250 years, anchoring the Hampton Roads region as a center of shipbuilding, industry, and maritime defense.
The story behind this marker
AI contextThe era
In 1767, when this shipyard first took shape on the banks of the Elizabeth River, Virginia was still a British colony and the American Revolution was nearly a decade away. The yard — first known as Gosport — grew up in a colonial port world where rivers were highways and a deep, sheltered anchorage was as valuable as gold. The Hampton Roads region, where several rivers meet before opening to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic, was tailor-made for building and mending ships.
That geography never stopped mattering. As the colonies became a nation, and the nation grew into a naval power, the same stretch of waterfront kept doing the same essential work. Few American industrial sites can claim such an unbroken thread, from the age of wooden sailing ships through the age of steel and steam.
By the time this monument was unveiled in 1967, the yard had lived through two full centuries and the entire arc of American history — colonial, revolutionary, Civil War, and the modern era of global naval power based right here in Hampton Roads.
People & events
This monument marks a specific moment: the 200th birthday of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, celebrated on November 4, 1967. The yard's founding in 1767 was the milestone being honored — two centuries of building, repairing, and outfitting the ships of a young and then a powerful nation.
The unveiling was handled by senior Navy leadership. Admiral E.T. Holmes, serving as Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANT), and Rear Admiral J.A. Brown, the Commander of the shipyard itself, did the honors. Their presence says something about the yard's standing: this was not a sleepy local anniversary but an occasion worthy of the man who led the entire Atlantic Fleet.
The shipyard's deeper story runs through the great chapters of American history. During the Civil War, it was here that the burned hull of the USS Merrimack was rebuilt into the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia — a vessel that helped usher in the era of armored warships. Through the Revolution and both World Wars, the same waterfront kept the fleet afloat and fighting.
Its place in the American story
There is a small irony built right into the name: the Norfolk Naval Shipyard isn't in Norfolk at all. It sits across the water in Portsmouth, Virginia — a quirk that surprises first-time visitors and locals alike. The "Norfolk" in its name nods to the wider harbor it has always served.
What the yard represents is bigger than any single ship. For more than 250 years it has been a cornerstone of American naval strength — one of the oldest and largest shipyards in the country, and a constant thread connecting colonial craftsmen to modern fleet engineers. Its rebuilding of the Merrimack into the CSS Virginia put it at the very center of the moment when navies worldwide turned from wood to iron.
The shipyard also helped make Hampton Roads what it is today: one of the great concentrations of naval power on Earth. The industry, the skilled labor, and the maritime tradition rooted along this riverbank shaped the entire region's identity. A 200th anniversary is a milestone almost no American institution reaches — and this one had earned every year of it.
If you visit
You'll find this monument in Portsmouth, along the Elizabeth River that has powered the shipyard's work since before the United States existed. Standing here, look out at the water and imagine the same view across the centuries: sailing ships, then ironclads, then the steel giants of the World Wars and beyond.
Remember the geography as you go — the famous "Norfolk" yard is on the Portsmouth side, and the two cities face each other across the harbor. It's a great reminder that names on a map don't always sit where you'd expect, and a fun fact to share with whoever you're traveling with.
This stop pairs naturally with a wider Hampton Roads maritime road trip. Portsmouth's historic waterfront, its naval heritage, and the broader story of one of the world's busiest harbors are all close at hand. Take a moment at the monument to picture the November day in 1967 when two admirals pulled back the cover and honored 200 years of work — then carry that long view with you to the rest of the region's maritime sights.
Written by AI to add context, grounded in the marker’s inscription and the historical record. The inscription above is the original, unaltered text.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Museums & culture
- Railroad Museum of Virginia0.4 mi away
- Children's Museum of Virginia0.6 mi away · 221 High Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum0.7 mi away · 2 High Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center0.7 mi away · 400 High Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Portsmouth Lightship Museum0.7 mi away · 421 Water Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Hill House Museum0.8 mi away · 221 North Street, Portsmouth, VA
Attractions
- Fresnel Lens from Hog Island Light0.6 mi away
- Archway0.8 mi away
- Spanish American War 1898-19020.8 mi away
- Anchor;USS Antietam Anchor1.4 mi away · 1 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, VA
- USS Norfolk Bell1.5 mi away · Norfolk, VA
- Pokey Smokey II4.2 mi away
Food & drink
- Guads0.6 mi away · 612 Court Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Sun's Sub and Pub0.6 mi away · 425 County Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Bangkok Garden Noodle House0.6 mi away · 301 High Street, Portsmouth, VA
- The Coffee Shoppe0.7 mi away · 300 High Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Jimmy John's0.7 mi away · 341 High Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Roger Brown's Restaurant and Sports Bar0.7 mi away · 316 High Street, Portsmouth, VA
Places to stay
- Renaissance Portsmouth-Norfolk Waterfront Hotel0.8 mi away · 425 Water Street, Portsmouth, VA
- National at Harbor Towers0.9 mi away · 1 Harbor Court, Portsmouth, VA
- Comfort Inn Olde Town1.0 mi away · 347 Effingham Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Super Value Inn Ports Mouth/Olde Town Area1.0 mi away · 925 London Boulevard, Portsmouth, VA
- Riverwalk Inn & Suites Portsmouth1.1 mi away · 333 Effingham Street, Portsmouth, VA
- Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel1.2 mi away · 777 Waterside Drive, Norfolk
Places data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hours and details change — call ahead.
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Related people
- · Adm. E.T. Holmes
- · Rear Adm. J.A. Brown
Related events
- · 200th Anniversary of Norfolk Naval Shipyard
- · Founding of Gosport/Norfolk Naval Shipyard (1767)
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