Museums and Additional Historic Information

Aids to Navigation Exhibit  The first deck of Canfield Hall features lights, ship models, and other historical material and artifacts related to Aids to Navigation.

Living History. You are in Virginia's historic triangle (Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg). The area includes North America's original English-speaking settlements and pivotal battlefields from both the Amercan Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Visit the historical sites and small historical museums on base and the superb local parks, visitor's centers and museums for a truly rich historical experience.

Old Yorke Village - Church Site. The village was settled in 1630 and quickly became a key religious, social, and municipal center until it was eventually replaced by Yorktown (upriver) in the late 1690's. Take a stroll to the village's site to view the gravestone of Major William Gooch (died 1655) one of the oldest legible tombstones in the New World. Artifacts from the site are also displayed in Thayer Hall.

Admiral Benkert Maritime Museum. Located in Hamilton Hall's entrance foyer, the area features exhibits and examples of merchant marine equipment, vessels, and memorabilia. The Marine Investigation and Safety School maintains the exhibit area.

American Revolutionary & Civil Wars. American, French, and British troops fought the last great battle of the American Revolution at Yorktown in 1781. The siege resulted in the defeat of the British forces under Cornwallis and secured the fledgling nation's freedom. Less than 100 years later Civil War soldiers fought here. The siege trenches and defensive fortifications from those old campaigns are still visible around the base and in the local area.