Restoration to MacArthur Memorial's 175-year-old dome making headway
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Mermaid City is known for its historic landmarks and structures, but it takes continued preservation efforts to keep them standing tall, and now, there's a focus on the MacArthur Memorial, with special attention to its beloved cupola, currently under construction.
MacArthur Memorial artifact a finalist for conservation prize
The memorial itself was constructed between 1847 and 1850, serving as Norfolk's very first City Hall and Courthouse. And 1964 was the year it officially transitioned to become the MacArthur Memorial by the city of Norfolk. But atop the site is its most prominent fixture — its 175-year-old dome.
'The interior of the space right beneath the dome is now the final resting place of general of the Army Douglas MacArthur and his wife, Jean MacArthur,' said MacArthur Memorial director Amanda Williams.
Restoration to the dome began last November and is financially backed by the city of Norfolk.
It was designed by Thomas U. Walter, a notable American architect of the 19th-century, and also, the brains behind constructing the dome of the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
'The dome is one of the great historic structures in Norfolk, and the work is basically to conserve that 175-year-old structure and make sure that we can maintain it in its glory for another 50, 100 years,' she said. 'And so, it's basically just repairing wood that's rotted, painting, and just again, making sure that we preserve it in the way that it was constructed.'
The curved structure is 50 feet high and houses what's called General MacArthur's resumé . The dome plays a monumental part in what attracts more than 130,000 visitors a year, especially on holidays like Memorial Day.
'It's a list of some of the major accomplishments and jobs that he held throughout his 52-year Army career. And it's a very, very impressive list,' Williams said. 'General MacArthur's career took him all over the world, and there are a lot of people that come to Norfolk, really to see this museum and to kind of pay their respects to the general and his legacy.'
The dome restoration project is expected to be completed in the fall of this year.
The MacArthur Memorial at 198 Bank St. in Norfolk is free and open to the public year-round from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For information on the site's Memorial Day holiday events, click .
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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