Aircraft Carriers in the Elizabeth River

One of the more awe-inspiring sights is a modern aircraft carrier navigating the Elizabeth River as she travels between Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval Station Norfolk.

USS America (CV-66) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, 1982

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) shortly after leaving the Yard and heading upstream, 1989.

USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) passing Norfolk's Town Point Park, August 1, 1987

USS Enterprise (CVN-65) passing by battleship Wisconsin  (BB-64), Nauticus, and
the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, August 30, 2011

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) docking at Naval Station Norfolk, 1997.

Alfred Waud's Hampton Roads Civil War Sketches, Part 2

The Library of Congress is the caretaker of a large portion of Alfred Waud's drawings and has digitized several hundred sketches.

Waud visited Hampton Roads in late 1861 to cover the Hatteras Expedition. Here is part 2 of some of his sketches:

Sloop-of-War USS Cumberland in Hampton Roads



Steam frigate USS Wabash in Hampton Roads

Steam gunboat USS Louisana and paddle steam gunboat CSS Yorktown. 
The two ships exchanged shots in Hampton Roads, 1861.

Fort Hatteras after its capture in August 1861

USS Monticello exchanging shots with Confederate infantry, Cape Hatteras, 1861

Destruction of Norfolk Navy Yard, 1862



Alfred Waud's Hampton Roads Civil War Sketches, Part 1

One of the most accomplished battlefield artist of the American Civil War was Alfred Waud. Working under a contract to provide rough sketches for Harper's Weekly, (that were later turned into the paper's famous woodcut engravings), Waud was present for almost every major ground action in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The Library of Congress is the caretaker of a large portion of Waud's drawings and has digitized several hundred sketches. 

Waud visited Hampton Roads in late 1861 to cover the Hatteras Expedition.  Here are a few examples of what he saw:

Gunboat USS Whitehall

Various ships anchored next to Fort Monroe

Steam frigate USS Minnesota, Fort Monroe, and the Rip Raps

Sloop-of-war USS Cumberland

USS Cumberland, USS Savannah, and shore batteries exchanging shots with CSS Yorktown

The Band is Here! USS New York Musicians Heading Out to Sea

While coxswains hold their steam launches fast to the dock, U.S. Marine Corps musicians from the armored cruiser USS New York (ACR-2) carefully board them near the Chamberlain Hotel (on the northeastern shore of Hampton Roads, next to Fort Monroe), 1893 Notice that musicians are wearing a "Pickelhelm" style cover and grey coats. Also notice the script "NY" on the launches indicating that they belong to New York.

Sailor's Ditty Box

 

Ditty boxes were small, lockable containers carried aboard ship by sailors and used to store their most prized possessions. Items might include personal papers such as journals and letters, pocket watches, cigarettes, grooming and writing implements as well as small working and sewing tools. Early boxes came in different sizes and shapes designed to fit the owner’s needs. These were usually constructed from pine with dovetail joinery, and decorated with maritime images. Prior to WWI, the US Navy issued six by six by twelve inch white wooden boxes that contained holders for an ink bottle, pens and pencils. Sometime around WWII the box was exchanged for a small brown suitcase which is no longer issued.

This 19th century folk art sailor’s box is a new addition to the museum’s collection, and was recently examined for conservation needs as part of an award from the Virginia Association of Museums’ assessment grant program. The wooden box is decorated with brass tacks and plates marked “USS Wasp”, ”R”, “M” and “1809”.

The USS Wasp, a sloop of war commissioned in 1807, made her mark during the War of 1812. On October 16, 1812 she went to battle with the HBM Frolic, capturing the brig after a brief fight. However, the victory was short lived as the nearby British 74-gun ship-of-the-line Poictiers overwhelmed the Wasp forcing her commanding officer Master Commandant Jacob Jones to surrender. USS Wasp was briefly put into service as the Peacock with the Royal Navy, but went down off the capes of Virginia in 1813.

HRNM Interns Conduct Life at Sea Program

Yesterday, HRNM Summer Interns Jordan Hock and Samuel Nelson conducted the "Life at Sea" educational program to 30 children at the Crossroads Recreation Center in Norfolk, VA.  Jordan and Sam have done a fantastic job this summer (see LAST POST).  Here are a few images of Jordan and Sam doing an excellent job with the program.

HRNM Education Intern Samuel Nelson Interacts with the Crowd.

HRNM Education Intern Jordan Hock Explains Recreation in the Age of Sail.

Samuel Nelson

Jordan Hock

2011 HRNM Summer Interns

Over the past two and a half months, HRNM Educators have had the pleasure of having two exceptional interns working with the educational department: Jordan Hock and Samuel Nelson. Jordan is entering his senior year at Hampton Sydney and Sam recently finished his freshman year at George Washington University.

It has been an enriching experience for both HRNM staff and interns this summer. Watch this brief Youtube video to learn about what the interns have been up to this summer.

The Hunt for Dead October Halloween Event: Puppet Shows

A few months ago, we received a grant from the Tidewater Officers' Spouses' Association to create and conduct puppet shows for visitors and military families around Hampton Roads.  Thanks to their generosity, we have created a variety of fun and educational programs, including one for our signature Halloween event, The Hunt for Dead October.  The event will take place on October 21st, starting at 6pm.  Kids will be able to do everything from searching for skeleton parts in a scavenger hunt to playing inside a full size inflatable whale!

As an early treat for our readers, we have included a few movie inspired advertisements for our Halloween puppet play, "The Brig of Bartholomew."  We will be conducting the family friendly puppet show at 6:30, 7:00, and 7:30 that evening.  See if you can guess what film they came from.  Enjoy!

The Last Mission of USS Texas (BB-35)

Shown here is the battleship USS Texas (BB-35) being towed up the Elizabeth River and past Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1948, enroute to her new home in La Porte, Texas. She currently serves as a state memorial at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Park.
Newport News Shipbuilding launched the 27,000-ton warship in 1912. Homeported in Norfolk for much of her operational career, Texas served in many World War I and World War II campaigns, including Operation Torch, Operation Overlord ("D-Day"), Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. At the end of the war, she was decommissioned. She was spared the fate of many of her sister ships (towed out to the Pacific and sunk by an atomic bomb in the Binki Atoll tests), when the state of Texas put up the money to have the ship towed and permanently berthed.