Hope Village in Portsmouth, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
“Dry Docks Construction”
— Path of History Portsmouth, VA —
Dry Docks 6 and 7 were both opened on October 31, 1919. They were built by the Fleet Emergency Corporation, part of the U.S. Shipping Board which was chartered by President Woodrow Wilson in World War I. Dry Dock 8 opened in July 1942 with the keel-laying for the battleship Kentucky, which was never completed.
The greatest number of vessels to be placed simultaneously in any dry dock was 14 and included 10 submarines and 4 fleet targets in Dry Dock 4 in October 1920.
(captions)
(left) Dry Dock 2, in this 1905 scene, hosts the torpedo boat destroyers Truxton and Nicholson, the steel gunboat Sandoval, and the yacht Robert Centre and the crane
(center) The USS Merrimack was converted into the CSS Virginia in the shipyard’s Dry Dock 1.
(right) The record number of vessels dry docked by the shipyard at one time was set on October 6, 1920, when Dry Dock 4 accommodated 10 submarines and four fleet gunnery targets. The 175-foot coastal submarines were numbered R-I through R-10.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #28 Woodrow Wilson series list. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1964.
Location. 36° 49.672′ N, 76° 17.822′ W. Marker is in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is in Hope Village. Marker can be reached from Lincoln Street east of 3rd Street, on the left when traveling east. Located in Gosport Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Portsmouth VA 23704, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A different marker also named Norfolk Naval Shipyard (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Norfolk Naval Shipyard (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Norfolk Naval Shipyard (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Norfolk Naval Shipyard (within shouting distance of this marker); Sail portion of the USS Thomas Jefferson (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Norfolk Naval Shipyard (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Norfolk Naval Shipyard (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Norfolk Naval Shipyard (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portsmouth.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2014, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 559 times since then and 10 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on September 2, 2014, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.