Battleship Wisconsin: Berthed in Norfolk
the Homeport of Naval History
Redefining the skyline of downtown Norfolk, battleship Wisconsin stands stoically with dominating presence. After months of dredging and construction, Wisconsin majestically slipped into the seemingly tailored berth without a hitch on 7 December 2000—fifty-seven years after the warship was originally launched. Berthing the 45,000 ton, 887.3 foot long, and 108 foot wide battleship was a major feat of engineering. The waters of the Elizabeth River around Nauticus are extremely shallow for the 37 foot deep draft of Wisconsin. Varying tidal and weather conditions further complicated the berthing facility design. Working in conjunction 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. Chained securely for hurricane force winds, Wisconsin presently floats on the water at an average of two to four feet above the bottom. This marker made possible by a gift from Glenn & Sadler, a Division of Transystems Corporation.
Marker can be reached from the intersection of Waterside Drive and Boush Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
