Slaves who could navigate this generally isolated area would be able to secretly board ships sailing for the north, like the Augusta, which charged legal passengers some $7 dollars for passage to New York (meals included) in the mid-nineteenth century, departing Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 6:30 a.m. Now fisherman are about the only people who hang around there. Conspicuous yet unmarked pathways lead to these unkempt areas where once Higgins’ Wharf and Wright’s Wharf stood, leading to the Elizabeth River. These were areas where slaves strived to make it to freedom via some Virginia Underground Railroad sites of 150-plus years ago. But just behind the left field parking lot (southwest of the stadium), a more important game was played out. The light rail system’s Harbor Park Station leads right up to the Norfolk Tides’ baseball park, where minor leaguers strive to make it to the big leagues each season. Some of Virginia’s Underground Railroad Escape Routes Are Near a Baseball Park In the midst of a sunny, breezy day, I could feel the presence of those past centuries long gone. I walked around the buildings, which were surrounded by high grassy mounds, which offered me some great views of the Elizabeth River and dockyards. Brick buildings that have been painted white made me think I was wandering around Santorini. The Union Army made it a prison and then the fort served as a naval installation until 1878. Admission is free, though you many have to show your photo ID if someone is manning the gate.įort Norfolk was abandoned by the Rebels in 1862, but not before supplying the ammo used by the South’s CSS Merrimac against the North’s USS Monitor in the great ironclad battle. It’s just three blocks from the light rail system’s EVMC/Fort Norfolk Station and nestled inside the grounds of the US Army Corp of Engineers (next to a multi-story retirement home). I headed northwest of downtown in search of an out of the way former military installation called Fort Norfolk, where wartime activities had taken place there beginning with the American Revolution. Fort Norfolk Has the Feel of Centuries’ Past Because the downtown area is easily navigable by foot, I explored more historical gems related to America’s great conflict with my comfortable walking shoes. I found it very useful to help me get to some off-the-beaten-path sites that were involved in and/or are related to the years before, during, and after the Civil War. “ The Tide” is Norfolk’s 7.4 mile long light rail system, where a $3 online pass will buy you unlimited rides for a day.
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