North Virginia Beach , Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Matthew Fontaine Maury

1806 - 1873

— Spotsylvania —

Matthew Fontaine Maury Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 30, 2021

1. Matthew Fontaine Maury Marker

Inscription. Maury's system of recording the the oceanographic data of naval vessel and merchant marine ships was adopted worldwide when he published The Physical Geography of the Sea, "the first textbook of modern oceanography." His lifetime goal was to ensure that captains should have charts that would enable them to sail as quickly and as safely as possible around the world. Maury was the first superintendent of the U.S. Naval Observatory, the first to propose a world conference for developing a universal system of weather observations, and he made the opening remarks when it occurred.

Erected by City of Virginia Beach.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education • Science & Medicine • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Legends Walk series list.

Location. 36° 50.488′ N, 75° 58.43′ W. Marker is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is in North Virginia Beach. It can be reached from Atlantic Avenue just south of 14th Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map.

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Marker is at or near this postal address: 1304 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach VA 23451, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads,

specifically in Coastal Virginia,

and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: L. Douglas Wilder (here, next to this marker); Dr. Ralph Stanley (here, next to this marker); Secretariat (here, next to this marker); James P. Lannon (here, next to this marker); Claude V. Ricketts (here, next to this marker); Meriwether Lewis (here, next to this marker); Richard E. Byrd (here, next to this marker); Arthur Ashe (here, next to this marker).

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Touch for a list and map of all markers in Virginia Beach.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 31, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 201 times since then and 11 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on January 31, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.