Hampton, Virginia is an interesting town with a lot of history to share. Our first day here we took the dingy in to Fort Monroe to go exploring. It is always fun to set foot on land after days at sea, but you have to get your land legs back and I always find myself experiencing a bit of vertigo for the first couple of days!
Fort Monroe is the largest stone fort ever built in the United States. Construction started in 1819 and was completed in 1836. It was in continuous operation until after World War II. Wandering around the fort, you can see the old barracks, officer’s homes, and old fortifications. The entire fort is surrounded by a moat in the center of the peninsula. During the Civil War, escaped slaves who arrived at the fort were emancipated, leading to the Emancipation Proclamation and providing the fort with the nickname “Freedom Fortress.”
There is a beach and fishing pier at Old Point Comfort where you have an amazing view of the Hampton Roads intersection of the Chesapeake Bay. Across the bay is the Norfolk Naval Station with its huge warships at dock.
On the grounds of the fort is the Old Point Comfort Lighthouse. It has been in use since 1802 and is still in use today. We followed the beacon as we came in from the Atlantic the night before. The entire fort is now owned by the town and the homes and barracks are rented out to residents.
The following day we ventured into downtown Hampton. The Hampton Public Pier has lots of dingy space and short stays (<4 hours) are free. After two nights at anchor, we brought the boat in here for a few days so I could get internet service to teach. The staff are fantastic and the marina building is clean and neat. They have tourist information right in the office, laundry and a book exchange. Usually visitors have access to the hotel next door as well and use of the pool, but that is all closed at the moment. We used the time to explore the town.
We walked through the Hampton University campus to start our exploration. There is a giant oak tree that stretches 100 feet in diameter. Known as the Emancipation Oak, freed slaves sat under the oak to hear the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. The tree was also the setting of the first formal education program for the freed slaves and their children.
Walking down Queen Street we passed St. John’s Episcopal Church, which has been in existence since 1610. Walking through the cemetery and grounds, you become surrounded with a longstanding history of the area. The buildings in the area are all very old and many have beautiful murals pained on the outside.
Back along the waterfront, we visited the Hampton Carousel. Closed of course due to COVID-19 (along with everything else these days!), you can still see all the beautifully carved horses and carriages inside. Built in the 1920’s, the carousel is still in use today and fully restored. Outside there is a statue commemorating the collaboration of the first settlers. Across the street is the Virginia Air and Space Center museum which shares the history of NASA’s Langley Research Center and Air Force Base.
We also had the pleasure of visiting the Stillwater Tavern. A small pub with great food and wonderful staff, we had the opportunity to surprise my best friend’s aunt with a visit!
Hampton has been a fabulous place to explore. Tomorrow we travel and see where our next adventure takes us!
