History · Norfolk

A history of Norfolk,
since 1682

Postcards, papers and photographs of Norfolk from public archives, woven together by decade. Neighbors fill in the gaps.

1682established
8old images & papers
67historic places
0recent photos

The story

from WikipediaRead it all ↗

When the South Hampton Roads portion of the shire was separated, Thoroughgood suggested the name of his birthplace for the newly formed New Norfolk County. One year later, it was divided into two counties, Upper Norfolk and Lower Norfolk (the latter now incorporated into the City of Norfolk), chiefly on Thoroughgood's recommendation. This area of Virginia became known as the place of entrepreneurs, including men of the Virginia Company of London.

Norfolk developed in the late-seventeenth century as a "Half Moone" fort was constructed and 50 acres (200,000 m2) were acquired from local natives of the Powhatan Confederacy in exchange for 10,000 pounds of tobacco. The House of Burgesses established the "Towne of Lower Norfolk County" in 1680.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

built from the dates on the items below
1682Established
1751George Washington Diary, 18 Oct 1751 sloop, Gla…Document
1770s2 items · Andrew Sprowle," Stolen from Gosport,…Document
1780s2 items · Katherine Hunter Sprowle's claim to t…Document
1795Josiah Fox to the Secretary of War, proposed Go…Document
1815Lydia Cypis, Hospital Nurse, Norfolk Station, e…Document
1821John Horsey sept 24 1821 yellow fever, AllegatorDocument
Help out

Finish Norfolk’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Famous people from Norfolk

See all 33 →
By decade

Norfolk, decade by decade

National Register of Historic Places

67 historic places in Norfolk

Norfolk has 67 listings on the National Register, and they protect 5,740 historic buildings, because Park Place Historic District (Boundary Increase) alone counts 1,525.

#3
Among Virginia’s most-listed townsby listings · the typical town has 1
67places listed38 buildings · 27 districts · 2 other
0National Historic LandmarksNone here yet
5,740historic buildings protectedcounting each building in a district
1969first listedNorfolk Academy · newest: Norfolk Cultural and Convention Center, 2026

Where they are

Tap a dot for a photo and link. Districts show at their center.
Norfolk AcademyMoses Myers HouseU.S. CustomhouseSt. Paul's ChurchAllmand-Archer HouseFreemason Street Baptist ChurchTaylor-Whittle HouseWilloughby-Baylor HouseNorfolk City HallWest Freemason Street Area Historic District (Additional Documentation)Boush-Tazewell HouseMonticello ArcadeFort NorfolkSt. Mary's ChurchChrist and St. Luke's ChurchWells TheatreOld Norfolk City HallAttucks TheatreFirst Baptist ChurchVirginia Bank and Trust BuildingUS Post Office and CourthouseSt. John's African Methodist Episcopal ChurchDowntown Norfolk Historic DistrictFirst Calvary Baptist ChurchKenmureEpworth United Methodist ChurchPoplar HallLafayette Residence ParkRiverviewJames Blair Junior High SchoolDowntown Norfolk Historic District (Boundary Increase)WinonaNorth GhentSaint Mary's Catholic CemeteryColonial PlaceBallentine Place Historic DistrictChesterfield Heights Historic DistrictNorfolk Azalea GardenLambert's Point Knitting Mill (122-0934)Queen Street Baptist ChurchZion Methodist ChurchWest Point CemeterySouthern Bagging CompanyAmerican Cigar CompanyVirginia Ice & Freezing Corporation Cold Storage WarehouseSt. Peter's Episcopal ChurchUSS WISCONSIN (BB-64) battleshipSeaboard Air Line Railway BuildingElmwood CemeteryWilliamston-Woodland Historic DistrictSecurity Storage and Safe Deposit Company WarehouseNorfolk and Western Railroad Historic DistrictTalbot HallVirginia National Bank Headquarters Historic DistrictPark Place Historic District (Boundary Increase)Norfolk Auto Row Historic DistrictNorfolk Fire Department Station No. 12Berkley North Historic District (Boundary Decrease)Jamestown Exposition Site BuildingsGhent Historic DistrictLafayette Grammar and High SchoolJ. Eugene Diggs HouseCruser Place Historic DistrictDowntown Norfolk Financial Historic DistrictGranby Street Suburban Institutional CorridorTalbot Park ApartmentsNorfolk Cultural and Convention Center
BuildingsDistrictsSitesStructures

Architectural styles

From each listing’s National Archives record · 27 of 67 name a style
Queen Anne6
Colonial Revival5
Bungalow/Craftsman5
Greek Revival4
Italianate4
Federal3

When they were listed

The Register began in 1966. Norfolk’s busiest decade was the 2000s.
Norfolk AcademyListed 1969Norfolk AcademyGreek Revival · Built 1728ArchitectureMoses Myers HouseListed 1970Moses Myers HouseFederalArchitectureSocial historyU.S. CustomhouseListed 1970U.S. CustomhouseBuildingCommerceArchitectureSt. Paul's ChurchListed 1971St. Paul's ChurchColonialArchitectureReligionAllmand-Archer HouseListed 1971Allmand-Archer HouseClassical RevivalArchitectureFreemason Street Baptist ChurchListed 1971Freemason Street Baptist ChurchPerpendicular GothicArchitectureReligionTaylor-Whittle HouseListed 1971Taylor-Whittle HouseFederalArchitectureWilloughby-Baylor HouseListed 1971Willoughby-Baylor HouseGreek RevivalArchitectureNorfolk City HallListed 1972Norfolk City HallBuildingMilitaryPoliticsArchitectureWest Freemason Street Area Historic District (Additional Documentation)Listed 1972West Freemason Street Area Historic District (Additional Documentation)FederalTown planningMilitaryArchitectureBoush-Tazewell HouseListed 1974Boush-Tazewell HouseBuildingPoliticsArchitectureMonticello ArcadeListed 1975Monticello ArcadeBuildingCommerceArchitectureFort NorfolkListed 1976Fort NorfolkBuilt 1775MilitarySt. Mary's ChurchListed 1979St. Mary's ChurchBuildingArchitectureReligionBlack historyChrist and St. Luke's ChurchListed 1979Christ and St. Luke's ChurchBuildingArchitectureReligionWells TheatreListed 1980Wells TheatreBuildingArchitecturePerforming artsOld Norfolk City HallListed 1981Old Norfolk City HallBuildingPoliticsArchitectureAttucks TheatreListed 1982Attucks TheatreBuilt 1919Black historyArchitecturePerforming artsFirst Baptist ChurchListed 1983First Baptist ChurchBuildingBlack historyArchitectureReligionVirginia Bank and Trust BuildingListed 1984Virginia Bank and Trust BuildingBuildingCommerceArchitectureUS Post Office and CourthouseListed 1984US Post Office and CourthouseBuildingPoliticsArchitectureSt. John's African Methodist Episcopal ChurchListed 1986St. John's African Methodist Episcopal ChurchBuildingArchitectureReligionDowntown Norfolk Historic DistrictListed 1987Downtown Norfolk Historic DistrictDistrictCommerceTransportationArchitectureFirst Calvary Baptist ChurchListed 1987First Calvary Baptist ChurchBuildingBlack historyArchitectureKenmureListed 1988KenmureBuildingCommercePoliticsArchitectureEpworth United Methodist ChurchListed 1997Epworth United Methodist ChurchBuildingArchitecturePoplar HallListed 1997Poplar HallBuildingArchitectureLafayette Residence ParkListed 1999Lafayette Residence ParkDistrictArchitectureTown planningRiverviewListed 1999RiverviewDistrictArchitectureTown planningJames Blair Junior High SchoolListed 2000James Blair Junior High SchoolBeaux ArtsArchitectureEducationDowntown Norfolk Historic District (Boundary Increase)Listed 2001Downtown Norfolk Historic District (Boundary Increase)Beaux ArtsTown planningArchitectureWinonaListed 2001WinonaQueen AnneArchitectureTown planningNorth GhentListed 2001North GhentGreek RevivalArchitectureTown planningSaint Mary's Catholic CemeteryListed 2001Saint Mary's Catholic CemeteryMid 19th CenturyLandscape designColonial PlaceListed 2002Colonial PlaceQueen AnneArchitectureTown planningBallentine Place Historic DistrictListed 2003Ballentine Place Historic DistrictQueen AnneArchitectureTown planningLandscape designChesterfield Heights Historic DistrictListed 2003Chesterfield Heights Historic DistrictQueen AnneArchitectureTown planningNorfolk Azalea GardenListed 2005Norfolk Azalea GardenNaturalistic LandscapeLandscape designBlack historySocial historyLambert's Point Knitting Mill (122-0934)Listed 2006Lambert's Point Knitting Mill (122-0934)BuildingIndustryArchitectureQueen Street Baptist ChurchListed 2006Queen Street Baptist ChurchLate Gothic RevivalArchitectureBlack historyReligionZion Methodist ChurchListed 2007Zion Methodist ChurchRomanesque RevivalArchitectureWest Point CemeteryListed 2007West Point CemeteryCemeteryBlack historySocial historySouthern Bagging CompanyListed 2007Southern Bagging CompanyLate 19th and Early 20th Century American MovementsArchitectureIndustryAmerican Cigar CompanyListed 2009American Cigar CompanyCommercial StyleArchitectureIndustrySocial historyVirginia Ice & Freezing Corporation Cold Storage WarehouseListed 2009Virginia Ice & Freezing Corporation Cold Storage WarehouseEarly 20th Century Commercial MovementIndustryOtherArchitectureSt. Peter's Episcopal ChurchListed 2010St. Peter's Episcopal ChurchCarpenter Gothic RevivalArchitectureUSS WISCONSIN (BB-64) battleshipListed 2012USS WISCONSIN (BB-64) battleshipIowa-Class Battleship · Built 1943Maritime HistoryMilitaryEngineeringSeaboard Air Line Railway BuildingListed 2013Seaboard Air Line Railway BuildingLate Gothic RevivalArchitectureCommerceElmwood CemeteryListed 2013Elmwood CemeteryDistrictSocial historyArtArchitectureWilliamston-Woodland Historic DistrictListed 2014Williamston-Woodland Historic DistrictDistrictArchitectureCommerceEuropeanSecurity Storage and Safe Deposit Company WarehouseListed 2014Security Storage and Safe Deposit Company WarehouseBuildingArchitectureCommerceNorfolk and Western Railroad Historic DistrictListed 2015Norfolk and Western Railroad Historic DistrictDistrictArchitectureCommerceEuropeanTalbot HallListed 2016Talbot HallBuilt 1799ArchitectureVirginia National Bank Headquarters Historic DistrictListed 2016Virginia National Bank Headquarters Historic DistrictDistrictArchitectureCommercePark Place Historic District (Boundary Increase)Listed 2017Park Place Historic District (Boundary Increase)DistrictArchitectureTown planningNorfolk Auto Row Historic DistrictListed 2019Norfolk Auto Row Historic DistrictDistrictArchitectureCommerceTransportationNorfolk Fire Department Station No. 12Listed 2020Norfolk Fire Department Station No. 12BuildingTown planningBerkley North Historic District (Boundary Decrease)Listed 2025Berkley North Historic District (Boundary Decrease)Mid-Nineteenth CenturyArchitectureTown planningEthnic Heritage-BlackListed 1975Jamestown Exposition Site BuildingsDistrictArchitectureSocial historyListed 1980Ghent Historic DistrictDistrictTown planningLandscape designArtListed 1983Lafayette Grammar and High SchoolBuildingEducationArchitectureListed 2020J. Eugene Diggs HouseBuildingEthnic Heritage-BlackLawSocial historyListed 2021Cruser Place Historic DistrictDistrictArchitectureCommerceTown planningListed 2023Downtown Norfolk Financial Historic DistrictDistrictArchitectureCommerceTown planningListed 2024Granby Street Suburban Institutional CorridorDistrictArchitectureTown planningSocial historyListed 2025Talbot Park ApartmentsDistrictArchitectureTown planningListed 2026Norfolk Cultural and Convention CenterDistrictArchitectureTown planningRecreation
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · styles from the National Archives catalog · photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place

Then & now

When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.

Stories next door

nearby towns’ history

From Wikimedia Commons (8) and the National Register (3). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01