Willoughby Spit in Norfolk, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Battle, Monitor and Merrimack

Battle, <i>Monitor</i> and <i>Merrimack</i> Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin W., July 21, 2010

1. Battle, Monitor and Merrimack Marker

Inscription. On March 9, 1862, the first battle between ironclad ships occurred in Hampton Roads when the U.S.S. Monitor and the C.S.S. Virginia (Merrimack) met in a naval engagement which opened the era of the armored warship.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Events • War, US Civil • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is March 1942.

Location. 36° 58.027′ N, 76° 17.352′ W. Marker is in Norfolk, Virginia. It is in Willoughby Spit. It is on West Ocean View Avenue (Virginia Route 168) just east of Richview Street, in the median. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Norfolk VA 23503, 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 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Birthplace of Naval Aviation (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Flight Ship to Shore (approx. 1.4 miles away); We remember turret two ... (approx. 1½ miles away); Naval Air Station Norfolk (approx. 1½ miles away); Fort Wool (approx. 1½ miles away); Virginia and Monitor (approx. 1½ miles away); a different marker also named Fort Wool (approx. 1½ miles away); USS Cole (DDG 67) Memorial (approx. 1.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Norfolk.

Also see . . . Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack.

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

(Submitted on September 23, 2007, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

Additional keywords. Battle, Monitor and Merrimack

Battle Monitor and Merrimack Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Laura Troy, September 21, 2007

2. Battle Monitor and Merrimack Marker

Photographed by Kevin W., July 21, 2010

3. Battle, Monitor and Merrimack Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 8, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 21, 2007, by Laura Troy of Burke, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,170 times since then and 35 times this year. Last updated on July 29, 2009, by Jeff Conner of Norfolk, Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on July 27, 2010, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. 2. submitted on September 21, 2007, by Laura Troy of Burke, Virginia. 3. submitted on July 27, 2010, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.