Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2017. Founded on a site at Sewell’s Point on Hampton Roads in 1917, the year America entered World War I, Naval Station Norfolk has since become a hub of U.S. naval power.
On June 28, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson budgeted $2.8 million for the purchase of land and the erection of storehouses and piers for what was to become Naval Station Norfolk. The base now occupies almost four miles of waterfront and seven miles of pier and wharf space, comprising more than 4,000 acres, and supports some 75 ships and 140 aircraft.
To mark this historic anniversary, a year-long series of celebrations will be held to commemorate the establishment of Naval Station Norfolk and its century at the center of American military, naval and aviation history. Already a committee has been formed, comprised of U.S. Navy leadership, state and local government, and community members, to drive forward a full agenda of special events in order to make sure this important moment does not go unnoticed. Commencing in December of 2016 and running through October 2017, the anniversary year will be filled with many types of activities and events, from air shows and naval displays to social occasions such as VIP gala dinners and luncheons, and community activities including educational and cultural events.
As part of the anniversary, Faircount Media Group published Naval Station Norfolk: Celebrating a Century 1917 – 2017.