Visitors receive rare chance to view historic USS Monitor turret at Mariners' Museum and Park
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – For the first time in six years, the USS Monitor's turret tank is being drained, allowing visitors the opportunity to view the usually hidden turret.
The turret is being drained through March 8 as part of conservation efforts at the Mariners' Museum and Park, allowing visitors an up close unobstructed view of the historical artifact.
The 115-ton revolving gun turret was the first of its kind to be used in combat, representing a major technological advancement for the navy. The USS Monitor then spent almost 140 years off the coast of Cape Hatteras after being sunk in 1862 during a storm.
Eventually in 1973, the wreckage was discovered, and in 1975 was designated as the nation's first National Marine Sanctuary under NOAA, who, in 1987, selected the Mariners' Museum and Park to be the principal repository for the warship.
The turret was not discovered until August of 2002, where it was then brought to the museum, where conservation efforts still persist to this day. As part of the conservation effort, the turret is periodically submerged in 90,000 gallons of alkaline solution.
During the draining process this week, the conservation team will work to inspect the turret in the hopes of creating a planning process to flip the turret, which has been upside down since its discovery in 2002.
'Every time we drain the tank, the turret remains as impressive as the first time I saw it,' Mariners' Director of Conservation Will Hoffman said. 'To be able to see its scale and know the impact that it had on world history makes being part of its conservation and preservation both extremely rewarding and humbling.'
According to museum staff, the best time to view the historic artifact will be on March 8 during the Mariners' annual Battle of Hampton Roads Commemoration Day, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
What to do if you find a shipwreck
You probably won't find a shipwreck—but it's possible. A fisherman recently found a one-hundred-year-old tugboat near Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and in 2023, an 8 year old with a metal detector found a 19th-century schooner off the coast of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada. And there are more like it out there to be found—there could be up to 10,000 shipwrecks scattered among the waters of North America, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). You might be wondering: What should you do if you find a shipwreck? I was also curious, so I did some digging on the legality, safety, and ethics of discovering a historic shipwreck. In short, don't touch anything and report the wreck to your state or local government. Note that this article focuses on the US—the specific regulations will differ in other countries. You might be tempted, after finding a shipwreck, to claim it—or even just grab something from it. Don't. First, it's almost certainly not legal to take items from a shipwreck. In the United States, the Abandoned Shipwreck act of 1987 states that all shipwrecks legally belong to the state in which they're found. The only major exceptions are sunken U.S. military vessels, which belong to the military; wrecks found on federal land, which belong to the federal government; and wrecks found on Native American reservations, which belong to the specific tribe. This is true for wrecks found on land, on beaches, and in the water. Put simply, discovering a shipwreck in the United States doesn't give you any kind of legal right to salvage the wreck. Attempting to disturb a shipwreck could result in stiff penalties, including jail time and fines. But that's not the only reason to stay away. Shipwrecks are also dangerous. Any ship powered by fossil fuels probably had many gallons of fuel on board at the time of its wreck, according to NOAA. Tampering with the wreck could start a leak (if it's not leaking already), which would be dangerous for both you and the body of water it's immersed in, as well as its inhabitants. The natural corrosion of the ship itself releases pollutants into the water that you'd rather not encounter. The ship may also have been stowing dangerous materials, which in some cases could damage scuba gear or otherwise create dangerous conditions for you and your community. Military wrecks have their own obvious dangers, such as ammunition or explosives. Put simply, shipwrecks are best left to the professionals, who have training in dealing with these and other potential dangers. Shipwrecks are also the final resting places of the people who were on board during the wreck. In most cultures on Earth, including the United States, it's considered distasteful to disturb the deceased. This means shipwrecks need to be treated with respect, the same way that a graveyard or a tomb should be. So, if you find a shipwreck that you think hasn't been discovered, don't touch anything. Don't try to take anything. Leave the wreck alone and contact the proper authorities. Having said that, who are the proper authorities to get in touch with? As previously mentioned, state governments are responsible for wrecks within their borders under U.S. law. Your first point of contact should be the historic preservation office in the state where you found the shipwreck. The National Park Service has a list of State Historic Preservation Offices, complete with links to department websites. Some states have dedicated forms for reporting shipwrecks; all have email addresses and phone numbers you can use to get in touch. It's a good idea to record the GPS coordinates where you found the wreck and to provide photos if you can—this should help the agency find the wreck and determine whether it's been previously documented. The state agency will, generally, take it from there, combining historic research with on-site investigations to determine the ship's origins and ultimately work out a plan to preserve the site. The specifics vary, but generally there's a collaboration with local archaeologists, universities, and other appropriate agencies. So, if you happen to find a shipwreck, do not disturb it or attempt to salvage anything from it—it's illegal, unsafe, and potentially disrespectful to the deceased. Instead, you should contact the historic preservation office in your state.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
USS Gettysburg returns to Naval Station Norfolk after 8-month deployment
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – After an 8-month deployment, USS Gettysburg, part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, has returned to its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk. Bittersweet homecoming for USS Harry S. Truman The Ticonderoga class cruiser departed in September 2024, traveling to Europe and the Middle East to conduct combat operations in the Red Sea, as well as exercises with NATO allies. 'It was amazing in a lot of ways. We learned a lot. We have a lot to share with the fleet based off our experience in the Red Sea in particular, but the feeling to be home as well, it's amazing,' said Captain John Lucas, Commanding Officer of USS Gettysburg. Retired naval aviator shares insight on 'friendly fire' incident in the Red Sea The ship was in headlines back in December following an instance of friendly fire, shooting down a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet over the Red Sea. 'It's under investigation, those results have not been revealed yet to the public. I can tell you again, we took on a lot of lessons from that event,' said Captain Lucas. After the deployment was extended twice, families of the roughly 330 returning sailors gathered along the pier at Naval Station Norfolk to welcome their loved ones home. 'It's a very long time. We're kind of used to it. We have another child in the military, so we've been down this road. But this is her first time having been gone so this long, so it was tough. We're going to take her home and whatever she wants to do is what she wants to do. It's her break, with us along for the ride,' said Carrie Ayd, mother of returning sailor. Captain Lucas said while the Navy is retiring certain cruisers, he's not certain what the future holds for USS Gettysburg, but said he and his crew will be ready when called upon. 'I think we're all ready for a nice long winter nap in the summer. All I can tell you is my job and this crew's job is going to be to be ready to go again when called upon, whenever that might be. I'm excited to maintain and be a part of the team for as long as they'll have me,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Peninsula Regional 911 unveils new technology that allows callers to share real-time video and photos
YORKTOWN, Va. (WAVY) – New 911 technology on the Peninsula will help improve speed and response during emergency situations. Peninsula Regional 911 callers can now share real-time video and photos using Citizen Input. Dispatchers can send a link to callers that will allow them to voluntarily do so. Dispatcher Krystal Wilcox said it's been easy to adapt to the new technology in the three months they've been testing it out. 'It's an integrated solution, so it allows us to have it paired with our mapping system and our phone system. So, it's easy to maneuver when we answer 911, or even a non-emergency line,' Wilcox said. The director of the Peninsula Regional 911 Emergency Communications Center, Terry Hall, said the technology is not meant for every call they get. It would mainly be utilized for situations like fires or accidents to help give context during emergencies. 'We were kind of concerned that maybe the citizens would not want to use it, but I think we have probably done 30 to 40 of them, and everybody has been very well receptive, and it's really aided in our first responder responses,' Hall said. Hall added that they're also testing transcription and translation services, hoping to continue modernizing the technology they use to serve citizens. 'All the tools that you see around you, and all the consoles you see behind us are tools that the dispatchers can use to articulate the response, who to send, how to send. All of that happens and starts in the 911 center,' Hall said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
