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Timeline of Norfolk, Virginia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Norfolk, Virginia, is a city with a long and interesting past. This timeline will take you through its history, from its early days as a small town to the busy city it is today. You'll learn about important events, buildings, and how Norfolk grew over the centuries.

Early Years: Before the 1800s

  • 1682 – The area we know as Norfolk started as a small settlement called Norfolk Town.
  • 1728 – The Norfolk Academy, a school, was officially started.
  • 1736 – Norfolk Town became a "borough," which meant it had its own local government.
  • 1739 – Saint Paul's Episcopal Church was built.
  • 1760 (around this time) – Poplar Hall, a large historic house, was built.
  • 1767 – The Gosport Shipyard, a place where ships are built and repaired, was set up near Norfolk.
  • 1776 – January 1: A big fire, known as the Burning of Norfolk, destroyed much of the town during the American Revolutionary War.
  • 1790 – The population of Norfolk was 2,959 people.
  • 1795 – Fort Norfolk, a military fort, was built to protect the city.
  • 1799 – Another fire happened in the city.

The 1800s: Growth and Change

  • 1804 – The Female Orphan Society was founded to help orphaned girls.
  • 1812 – The War of 1812 began. It ended in 1815.
  • 1819 – The first U.S. Customs House was built on the waterfront. This is where taxes on goods coming into the country were collected.
  • 1840 – The population grew to 10,920 people.
  • 1845 – Norfolk officially became a city.
  • 1848 – The Norfolk Humane Association started working to help animals.
  • 1850
    • The Norfolk Courthouse was built.
    • Freemason Street Baptist Church was opened.
  • 1852 – A new, permanent U.S. Custom House opened on Main Street.
  • 1853 – A school for free African-American children and Elmwood Cemetery were established.
  • 1855 – A terrible yellow fever outbreak hit Norfolk, causing over 3,000 people to die.
    • The Hospital of St. Vincent de Paul was founded to help during the yellow fever epidemic. It was Norfolk's first public hospital.
  • 1858
    • The Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad was built, connecting Norfolk to other places by train.
    • Basilica of Saint Mary was built.
  • 1861 – (April) The Civil War began.
  • 1862 – May 10: Union forces took control of Norfolk.
  • 1865 – The Civil War ended.
  • 1870 – The Norfolk Library Association was founded.
  • 1873 – West Point Cemetery was established.
  • 1880 – The population reached 21,966 people.
  • 1885 – Hofheimer's, a shoe store, was founded in Norfolk.
  • 1887 – Brambleton became part of Norfolk.
  • 1888
  • 1890 – Atlantic City became part of Norfolk. The population was 34,871.
  • 1894 – The Norfolk Daily Pilot newspaper started publishing. It later became Virginian-Pilot.
  • 1896
    • Epworth United Methodist Church opened.
    • The Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad began operating.
  • 1898 – The first Monticello Hotel building opened.

The 1900s: A Century of Progress

Early 1900s

  • 1900
    • The population was 46,624.
    • The Norfolk Zoo opened.
    • The U.S. Post Office and Courts Building was built.
  • 1901 – The Norfolk Journal and Guide newspaper began publishing.
  • 1902 – Park Place became part of Norfolk.
  • 1903 – The original Sarah Leigh Hospital opened. It later became Sentara Leigh Hospital.
  • 1904 – The Freemason Street Library opened.
  • 1907
    • The Jamestown Exposition, a large fair, was held in Norfolk.
    • A Confederate monument was put up.
    • The Monticello Arcade was built.
    • Doumar's, a famous ice cream cone maker, opened in Norfolk.
    • The Virginian Railway started.

1910s: World War I Era

  • 1910 – The population was 67,452.
  • 1911
  • 1912 – The Norfolk Terminal Station, a train station, opened in Downtown Norfolk.
  • 1913 – The Wells Theatre opened, showing vaudeville acts and movies.
  • 1917
    • The U.S. Naval Station Norfolk, a large naval base, opened on Sewell's Point.
    • A local branch of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) was started.
  • 1918 – The Monticello Hotel was destroyed by fire but was rebuilt and reopened in 1919.
  • 1919 – The Attucks Theatre, a popular place for African-American audiences, opened. It was known as the "Apollo Theatre of the South."

1920s: The Roaring Twenties

  • 1920 – The population reached 115,777.
  • 1921 – Virginia Beach Boulevard opened, making it easier to get to the oceanfront.
  • 1922
    • The U.S. Marine Hospital was built.
    • NorVa Theatre opened, showing vaudeville and movies.
    • Norview High School opened.
  • 1923
    • Many areas like Algonquin Park, Ocean View, and Willoughby became part of the city.
    • WTAR radio began broadcasting.
  • 1926 – The Loews Theater opened as a movie palace. Today, it's the TCC Roper Center for the Performing Arts.
  • 1928 – The Nansemond Hotel opened in Ocean View, a popular tourist spot.

1930s: The Great Depression Era

1940s: World War II and After

  • 1940 – The Norfolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority was created.
  • 1943
    • The Norfolk Municipal Auditorium opened.
    • The Norfolk Center Theater opened.
  • 1947 – Ward's Corner Shopping Center opened, with many stores including a 24-hour pharmacy.

1950s: Post-War Expansion

  • 1950 – WTAR-TV (television) began broadcasting.
  • 1952
    • NATO's (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic headquarters was set up in Norfolk.
    • The Norfolk–Portsmouth Bridge–Tunnel opened, making travel easier.
  • 1957 – The Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel opened, connecting Norfolk with the Virginia Peninsula.
  • 1958 – Norfolk started a "sister city" program with Moji, Japan, to build friendly ties.
  • 1959
    • Many more areas like Azalea Gardens and Little Creek became part of the city.
    • February: School desegregation began in Norfolk, allowing students of all races to attend the same schools.
    • The JANAF shopping center opened.

1960s: Modern Norfolk Takes Shape

  • 1961 – Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters opened.
  • 1962 – The Midtown Tunnel began operating.
  • 1965 – The current Norfolk City Hall facilities opened.
  • 1966 – Virginia Wesleyan College opened.
  • 1967
    • The Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway opened, making it much easier to get to Virginia Beach.
    • The Virginia National Bank building was completed Downtown.
  • 1969 – Norfolk State College became independent.

1970s: New Landmarks and Events

  • 1970 – Military Circle Mall opened.
  • 1971 – Norfolk Scope, a large convention hall, opened.
  • 1972 – Chrysler Hall, a performing arts center, opened.
  • 1974 – The Virginia Opera was formed.
  • 1976
    • The The Monticello Hotel was taken down.
    • The Omni Hotel opened Downtown.
    • The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel was expanded to double its capacity.
    • The first Harborfest was held to celebrate America's 200th birthday. It became an annual event.
  • 1978 – The Ocean View Amusement Park closed permanently.

1980s: Downtown Revival

  • 1980 – The Virginia Stage Company opened in the renovated Wells Theater.
  • 1981 – Elizabeth Jordan Carr, the first baby in the United States conceived through in vitro fertilization, was born at Norfolk General Hospital.
  • 1983
    • Waterside festival marketplace opened Downtown.
    • Norfolk's World Trade Center building was completed.
  • 1987 – Dominion Tower was built.
  • 1989 – Norfolk Southern Tower was built.

1990s: More Growth

  • 1990 – The population was 261,229.
  • 1991 – The Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel opened Downtown.
  • 1993 – Harbor Park stadium opened.
  • 1994 – Paul Fraim became mayor.
    • Nauticus, The National Maritime Center museum opened Downtown.
  • 1998 – The Armed Forces Memorial was dedicated.
  • 1999 – MacArthur Center Shopping Mall opened in Downtown Norfolk.

The 2000s and Beyond

Early 2000s

  • 2000
    • Cinemark 18 movie theater opened at Military Circle Mall.
    • The NorVa reopened as a popular music and concert venue.
  • 2001 – The USS Wisconsin, a famous battleship, opened as a museum ship on the waterfront.
  • 2002 – 150 West Main Street, a 20-story office building, opened Downtown.
  • 2003 – NATO's Allied Command Transformation headquarters was set up in Norfolk.
  • 2006 – Sentara Heart Hospital opened, specializing in heart care.

2010s: New Developments

  • 2010 – The population was 242,803 in the city.
  • 2011 – The Tide Light Rail system began operating, providing public transportation.
  • 2017
    • The Bank of America Downtown Norfolk tower was renovated and reopened as Icon Norfolk luxury apartments.
    • Norfolk Premium Outlets mall opened.
    • The Hilton Norfolk the Main hotel opened.
  • 2018 – Norfolk Southern announced it would move its headquarters from Norfolk.
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