August 6, 2010

Governor Visits Fort Monroe to Celebrate Hampton's 400th Anniversary
and Announce Plans for the Fort

On August 9 Governor Bob McDonnell will visit Fort Monroe in Hampton to issue a proclamation celebrating the city's 400th Anniversary and sign Senate Bill 315 establishing the Fort Monroe Authority.  The Authority is a political subdivision of Virginia organized to manage the Fort Monroe National Historic Landmark District after the U.S. Army returns the land to the state on September 15, 2011 due to a BRAC closure.   

The Authority will be governed by an 11-member Board of Trustees who will preserve, protect and maintain nearly 2 million square feet of state owned property, including 292 residential units, 760,000 square feet of office space, 96,000 square feet of storage and industrial use, 325,000 square feet of community and recreational buildings, and a 332 slip marina.   

As the site of America's first free public education, training ground for America's first astronauts, and the Civil War site where slaves were declared contraband of war, Hampton has a compelling history inextricably aligned with our nation.  North America's oldest, continuous English-speaking settlement is celebrating its 400-year anniversary with a year-long calendar of festivities, speaker series, and legacy programs.

Due to its integral role in Hampton's history, the city began its quadricentennial celebrations at Fort Monroe with a Federal naturalization ceremony.  The fort's roots can be traced back to 1609 when Fort Algernoune, one of America's first forts, was constructed at Point Comfort, the site which would become the home of Fort Monroe in 1819.  The fort is the largest stone fort ever built in America and remains one of Virginia's most popular tourism destinations.

The signing ceremony will be held at the Bay Breeze Community Center, Fenwick Drive, on Fort Monroe at 3:30 p.m. on August 9.  It is open to the public.  Fort Monroe is an active U.S. Army installation; you must have an up-to-date driver's license and car registration to enter.  Each passenger must show photo I.D.

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