Battleship Wisconsin came into its berth in downtown Norfolk on 7 December 2000, fifty-seven years after the warship was originally launched, following months of dredging and construction. Berthing the 45,000 ton battleship, measuring 887.3 feet long and 108 feet wide, required a major engineering effort because the waters of the Elizabeth River around Nauticus are extremely shallow for Wisconsin’s 37 foot deep draft, and varying tidal and weather conditions further complicated the facility’s design. Working with City of Norfolk and U.S. Navy planners, architects from the Norfolk-based firm Glenn & Sadler designed the channel and berthing facility next to Nauticus, where Wisconsin now floats securely chained for hurricane force winds at an average of two to four feet above the bottom.
