Fort Norfolk History - 1847
Duff Green wrote William L. Marcy, the Secretary of War, a letter on September 25, 1847 stating that a Mr. A Mahaffer of the Lancaster Pennsylvania had examined Old Fort Norfolk, and requested to obtain it by purchase or lease. Mr. Mahaffer had contracted “to make the engines and machinery of the war steamer building at Gosport and Monroe, to establish in that neighborhood a machine shop suited for the repairs of the machinery and government vessels.”
Captain George L Welcher, Engineer in charge of Department provided the following recommendation to the Secretary of War: “I respectfully recommend that the government neither sell nor lease the site of old Fort Norfolk to any person. In the event of war with a maritime power, it would be desirable to refit and arm this fort. And as for leasing it, the trifling sum which could be obtained for it, would by no means compensate the government for the injury to the works, and the trouble and inconvenience which would inevitably result from it falling into the possession of individuals for their private benefit.”
William L. Marcy replied to General Duff Green, “I have the honor to state that in accordance with the views of the Engr. Department it is deemed imprudent to sell or lease the property.”
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Source of Information
W. P. S. Sanger, "Plan of Fort Norfolk, March 1844", 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, 557-3-1.
Duff Green, Duff Green to William L Marcy, (September 25, 1847), National Archives, Record Group 77 (Office, Chief of Engineers),Land Papers, Virginia (Craney Island, Mill Creek Bridge, Ferry Point, Ft. Norfolk, Yorktown Monument, Arlingtron Estate, Willoughby Spit); Washington (General), Box No. 61, NM-19, Entry 171
William L Marcy, William L Marcy to Duff Green, (October 4, 1857), National Archives, Record Group 77 (Office, Chief of Engineers),Land Papers, Virginia (Craney Island, Mill Creek Bridge, Ferry Point, Ft. Norfolk, Yorktown Monument, Arlingtron Estate, Willoughby Spit); Washington (General), Box No. 61, NM-19, Entry 171.