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 Fort Norfolk Naval Magazine Plan

Fort Norfolk History - 1853

Commodore Joseph Smith wrote Captain Samuel L. Breese on March 16, 1853; “I transmit herewith, plans of the Magazine to be built at Fort Norfolk, and you will be pleased to have the work prosecuted with energy, under the special directions of the Civil Engineer of the Yard. The arrangement proposed by the Chief of the Bureau of Ordinance and Hydrography, may be postponed, to see if the funds appropriated will complete them, and if not sufficient, the means must be provided by that Bureau.”

 Fort Norfolk Naval Magazine Plan



In July 1853, Breese reported that the workmen were "rapidly carrying up the outside walls and setting the centering for the arches."  He planned to have the magazine finished by the first of December (BY&D, Letters Received, Box 158, Breese to Smith, July 30, 1853). 

Money and materials were short, and Breese soon learned that his predecessor was partially responsible.  In October, Breese consulted with one Mr. Latimer, the master mason at the Gosport Yard.  Latimer reported that on several occasions during S. H. Stringham's tenure, the commandant had ordered him to use bricks allotted for the magazine on other projects at the navy yard.  Already sensitive to criticism because of cost overruns, Breese requested that "$4,500 be credited to the Navy Magazine"   (BY&D, Letters Received, Box 158, Breese to Smith, October 31, 1853).

Breese had ample cause to try and recoup construction funds.  Three days before reporting Stringham's diversion, Breese had received word that half of the Pennsylvania slate to be used in the magazine's roof was "unfit for use."  The slate had been stored in the abandoned fort buildings.  The floor in one of the structures had collapsed under the weight, and the slate had cracked.  In late October, Breese still needed over 100,000 bricks, 490 casks of hydraulic cement, 1,200 bushels of sand, and a new shipment of 46 squares of 20-in. slate to complete the magazine.  He pushed the completion date back to April 1, 1854 (BY&D, Letters Received, Box 158, Brown to Breese, October 28, 1853).

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Source of Information

"Plan and Details of Powder Magazine at Fort Norfolk, 1852", 1852, National Archives, College Park, MD - Cartographic (RDSC), Record Group 71: Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, 1784 - 1963, Series: Bureau of Yards and Docks Plans of Navy Facilities, 1815 - 1966, 557-32-2.

Joseph Smith, "Joseph Smith to Samuel L. Breese ", March 16, 1853, National Archives, Record Group 71 Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, Records of the Office of the Chief of Bureau, 1820 - 1946, Letters Sent 1842 - 95, Vol. 08 of 104, PI-10, E. 1, 130.

"Powder Magazine at Fort Norfolk, 11/9/1852", 1852, National Archives, College Park, MD - Cartographic (RDSC), Record Group 71: Records of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, 1784 - 1963, Series: Bureau of Yards and Docks Plans of Navy Facilities, 1815 - 1966, 557-32-1.

College Of WILLIAM & MARY, "A CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN OF FORT NORFOLK, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA", November 1995, prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District under Contract No. DACW65-94-Q-0075, 27.