Drydock Number One, Norfolk Naval Shipyard | |
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| Location | Norfolk Naval Shipyard,Portsmouth, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°49′14″N76°17′35″W / 36.82056°N 76.29306°W /36.82056; -76.29306 |
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1827 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000862 |
| VLR No. | 124-0029 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 26, 1970[2] |
| Designated NHL | November 11, 1971[3] |
| Designated VLR | December 2, 1969[1] |
Drydock Number One is the oldest operationaldrydock facility in the United States. Located inNorfolk Naval Shipyard inPortsmouth, Virginia, it was put into service in 1834, and has been in service since then. Its history includes the refitting ofUSS Merrimack, which was modified to be theConfederate NavyironcladCSS Virginia. It was declared aNational Historic Landmark in 1971.[3][4]
Drydock Number One is located on the west side of the central branch of theElizabeth River. It measures 319.5 feet (97.4 m) in length, and is built of Massachusettsgranite, stepped to allow access to and bracing of ships under repair. Stairs at the land end provide access to the various levels.[4] The drydock can accommodate a maximum vessel length of 291.6 feet (88.9 m) with a 39.33-foot (11.99 m) beam. Depth is 30 feet (9.1 m). the dock can be dewatered in 40 minutes and flooded in 90 minutes.[5]
The drydock was built between 1827 and 1834, and cost $974,365.65, a very high price at that time.[4] It may have been designed byLoammi Baldwin Jr., then the Navy's superintendent of drydocks, and its construction was overseen byWilliam P. S. Sanger, a civil engineer.[6] The drydock was first used in June 1833, whenUSS Delaware was drydocked for recommissioning, the first time a large vessel was drydocked in the United States.[4]
During the opening phase of theAmerican Civil War in April 1861, Union forces were dispatched from Washington on theUSSPawnee to assist in destroying military assets as the shipyard was being abandoned; however, efforts to blow-up the dry dock were unsuccessful.[7] The shipyard was then taken over by theConfederate Navy, which was a severe blow to the Union,[8] and it was here thatUSS Merrimack was modified to become theironcladCSS Virginia.[4]
Today,Drydock Number One is still in operation, used primarily to serviceU.S. Navy vessels.[5]
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) andAccompanying four photos of this and Drydock Number Four, from 1984 and undated (32 KB)The Government vessels had been scuttled in the afternoon before thePawnee arrived, to prevent their being seized by the Secessionists… The following are the names of the vessels which were destroyed:Pennsylvania, 74 gun-ship; steam-frigateMerrimac, 44 guns; sloop-of-warGermantown, 22 guns; sloopPlymouth, 22 guns; frigateRaritan, 45 guns; frigateColumbia, 44 guns;Delaware, 74 gun-ship;Columbus, 74 gun-ship;United States, in ordinary; brigDolphin, 8 guns; and the powder-boat… [plus] line-of-battle shipNew-York, on the stocks… Large quantities of provisions, cordage and machinery were also destroyed — besides buildings of great value — but it is not positively known that the[dry] dock was blown up.
The Union's naval infrastructure was dealt a crippling blow on April 20, 1861, when the ill-conceived and botched evacuation of theNorfolk Naval Shipyard at Gosport, Virginia led to the Confederate capture of over 1000 naval guns, irreplaceable dry dock, and repair facilities. Eight [operational] warships, including the steam frigateUSSMerrimack, were also surrendered.
