Rip Raps Island in Hampton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Fort Wool
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, June 22, 2010
1. Fort Wool Marker
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
Erected by Hampton Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil.
Location. 36° 59.199′ N, 76° 18.093′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It is on Rip Raps Island. THIS HISTORICAL MARKER IS NO LONGER ACCESSIBLE. Boats are not allowed to dock on the island. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Norfolk VA 23503, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies. A different marker also named Fort Wool (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Monroe Concrete Seawall Eastern Terminus (approx. one mile away); Fort Monroe Seawall History (approx. one mile away); Fort Monroe History (approx. 1.1 miles away); Engineer Wharf (approx. 1.1 miles away); a different marker also named Fort Monroe Seawall History (approx. 1.1 miles away); First Africans in Virginia (approx. 1.1 miles away); Battery Irwin (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hampton.
More about this marker. Fort Wool is on an
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Fort Wool. This Hampton Parks page has some information on Fort Wool and states “The City of Hampton operated the historic fort as a park and historic attraction for years. However, it is now closed to tours and boaters.” (Submitted on May 16, 2023.)
2. Habitat Work at Fort Wool Completed. This link includes photographs of the conversion of Fort Wool to a bird habitat. Excerpts:
Over the last two months, DGIF and its contractors have converted Fort Wool on Rip Raps Island from a grassy, vegetated area to an open sandy nesting area for the seabird colony displaced from the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel South Island. DGIF collaborated with U.S. Department of Agriculture-Wildlife Services to effect mammalian predator control, and our contractors removed all vegetation in the target nesting area.
Barriers were set up at doorways and other openings to prevent chicks from entering into spaces that adult birds could not follow. Best practices defined by the Department of Historic Resources were followed; staff also created a steel plate box to protect an historic grave marker on the island.
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, June 22, 2010
2. Fort Wool Marker
Additional commentary.
1. Fort Wool is now closed.
Fort Wool closed to the public late in 2019 and was been converted to a bird sanctuary/bird colony to house gulls displaced by bridge construction.
Tour boats no longer go there, and private boats are not allowed to dock.
— Submitted May 12, 2023, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia.
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, June 22, 2010
3. Fort Wool Marker
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, June 22, 2010
4. Fort Wool Marker
Photographed By Brandon Fletcher, June 22, 2010
5. Fort Wool Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 23, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 537 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 23, 2015, by Brandon Fletcher of Chattanooga, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
