By Sara Kidd, Senior Regional Planner
Hampton Roads is home to numerous historic sites, many of which are recognized on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or designated as National Historic Landmarks (NHL). These programs, administered by the National Park Service, play a crucial role in preserving architectural, cultural, and archaeological heritage. This month’s map features the locations of the NRHP sites in Hampton Roads.
The NRHP is a comprehensive listing of 96,000 historic places in the United States, recognizing properties of local, state, or national significance. There are 326 NRHP sites in Hampton Roads. The NHL designation is reserved for sites with exceptional national importance. NHL sites often include locations that have played a pivotal role in shaping American history, such as battlefields or homes of influential figures. These properties are subject to a higher level of scrutiny and preservation efforts. There are 29 NHL sites in Hampton Roads with locations including Fort Monroe, Cape Henry Lighthouse, and St. Luke’s Church (Smithfield).
The table below shows the number of NRHP sites by locality. Norfolk has the highest number of listed sites, but Hampton and Williamsburg have the most NHL sites.
Beyond the NRHP and NHL programs, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources also maintains the Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR), which recognizes significant properties at the state level that are not NRHP sites. The database can be searched online.
Click on the historic resources on the map below to identify a property and obtain a link to the nomination form at the National Archives. The nomination forms contain a wealth of historic information about each site as well as photos and maps.
Link to Map