Portsmouth Naval Hospital

In 1826, Philadelphia architect John Haviland submitted construction plans for Portsmouth Naval Hospital. The granite and freestone building now known as Building 1, which houses offices, was designed in the classical Greek Revival style that was popular for public buildings at the time. Construction began on April 2, 1827, and workers removed more than 500,000 bricks from old Fort Nelson to reuse in the foundation and inner walls. In July 1830, Surgeon Thomas Williamson, stationed at the shipyard, was ordered to prepare the hospital to receive patients and became Medical Director of the nation’s first naval hospital. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Portsmouth, Virginia · United States