Norfolk Naval Shipyard

Founded in November 1767 under the British flag by Andrew Sprowle, a Scottish-born merchant, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard is the U.S. Navy's oldest continuously operating shipyard and predates the United States Navy Department by nearly 30 years. Known for most of its first century as Gosport Navy Yard, after the Royal Navy dockyard at Portsmouth, England, its name changed by common usage in 1862 to Norfolk, taking the name of the county where it was located. During more than 235 years, it assisted the nation in winning nine major wars, outfitted Great White Fleet ships to sail around the world, and supported scientific exploration of the Pacific and the opening of Japan to American trade. Local tax rolls show that Andrew Sprowle was in Virginia by 1733. The hardworking Scot quickly became a leading merchant, was elected president of the Court of Virginia Merchants in 1739, and conducted trade while also building, selling, and repairing ships.

Portsmouth, Virginia · United States