Serio Boat Yard
Vincent Joseph Serio, Sr.
— Explore Hampton 2010: From the Sea to the Stars —
Vincent Joseph Serio, Sr. was born October 7, 1896, the thirteenth and youngest child of Filippo, a merchant seaman, and Bartola Serio. The family emigrated from Cefalu, Sicily, through Ellis Island to the United States in 1901, settling in Newport News. Vincent Serio's first boat-building workshop was a modest land-locked lean-to at his home in Newport News. By 1929, he had moved his business to the Small Boat Harbor in Newport News. He remained at this location, Hampton Roads Boat Works, until after World War II.
Serio purchased an existing marine railway at 16 House Street on Pee Dee Point, about 700 feet northeast of here, from Edward Haldeman in 1949. That same year, his new business, Serio Boat Yard, began operations there. Serio built, repaired, and maintained countless boats, among them approximately 500 Hampton One-Design sailboats.
Demand for the Hampton One-Design boats climbed during the era of post-war prosperity. As many as seventy Hampton One-Design boats competed in the National Championship Regatta while hundreds more populated fleets along the Chesapeake Bay. Early in the 1960s, fiberglass boats were approved for racing. Being cheaper and more easily maintained, they began to overtake the elegant, finely crafted wooden boats in popularity. Vincent Joseph Serio, Sr., retired and closed the yard in 1969,
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A condominium complex stands on the site of Serio Boat Yard today, a simple stone marker remembering the man and his works of art that once were made here.
Erected 2010 by Hampton Convention & Visitor Bureau.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is October 7, 1896.
Location. 37° 1.584′ N, 76° 20.494′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It is in Downtown. Marker is on Eaton Street just north of East Queen Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Miles Cary Mews, Hampton VA 23669, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Syms-Eaton Academy (a few steps from this marker); The Historic Post Office (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); First United Methodist Church, Hampton (about 400 feet away); The Masonic Temple (about 600 feet away); The Sclater Building (about 700 feet away); The Southeast Corner (about 700 feet away); The Northeast Corner (about 800 feet away); King and Queen Streets (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hampton.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 7, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 225 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 7, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
